The Curse

Chapter Thirteen: Trust And Promises

Sasuke looked around the living room with boredom, dark eyes tracing over the stacks of files littered in every corner, crevice, and shelf of the room, absently noting that the coffee table just feet away from him was also piled with information as well as covered by the porcelain plates and clear glasses Souta and Reika had retrieved from the kitchen, previously filled with sandwiches, cookies, and milk. A loud snore erupted from the form on the other side of the couch, opposite of where Sasuke sat, the Uchiha's eyes rolling in exasperation as his peripherals caught Naruto's legs stretching out in his unconsciousness.

The tiny form against his chest shifted slightly in its own peaceful rest and his gaze flickered downward to stare upon the sleek, ebony-tinted hair of Sasaki Reika. Naruto's incoherent mumbling fell on deaf ears as the tiny girl slept on into oblivion, one hand clutching the front of his shirt while the other curled around his left thumb. Her long lashes touched her pale cheeks, tiny lips quirked up into a semblance of a smile before she gave a soft hum herself and buried her head deeper into his torso.

Sasuke remained quiet, no sigh escaping his lips and no expression filtering onto his face. Briefly his stare would drift towards the hand that clutched his thumb, silently wondering how such an innocent, tiny thing could feel safe in his dark presence. Sasuke hardly gave off an aura of welcome and security – light – that Naruto and Sakura easily could. All he spoke were words of protection – children were so…trusting.

Sasuke didn't gain trust so easily. It had been difficult getting back into the good graces of Konoha after his defection; many of his fellow Leaf Shinobi had been wary of his presence even after he rejoined their ranks.

Even the Bird Country teenager – Akemi, was it? – was jittery around him whenever she ventured to the coffee table to retrieve more documents. Takeru downright hated him because of his name and affiliation to Uchiha Madara. Dai and Akio were strong presences compared to the others; ones he would have to keep an eye on. Souta was admiring of him, but Sasuke was aware that ninja could easily build up facades, it was part of their nature; it helped bring their enemies into a false sense of security. Although he knew Souta was hardly a threat to him, the idolization he had for him and his teammates could be an exaggeration; he was a twelve-year old Chuunin, and Sasuke wasn't going to peg the kid as a gullible child on first impression – he had to be smart to get to that level at that age, just like Nara Shikamaru had been.

He ran his right hand through his dark locks. Just because Sakura was the one called to help solve The Curse didn't mean he and Naruto were going to be doing nothing. Sasuke had to keep diligent too, make sure there were things he could catch and process if Sakura missed it. Besides – along the same lines of thinking when it came to trust – Sakura could be very trusting and Sasuke had to make sure she didn't fall too deep into camaraderie to risk eliminating possible suspects. Although he knew his female teammate was smart enough to be the logical and critical thinking one of the team, she and Naruto also had the bad habit of becoming too attached.

They surely needed to be professional and maybe even a little indifferent when it came to this Mission. They were in unknown territory surrounded by strangers whose numbers could easily overpower them if given the chance.

It was pessimistic to think about, but someone had to do the analyzing at the angle that most people didn't want to.

Movement drew Sasuke from his thoughts and his unfocused gaze cleared to find Sakura kneeling beside the coffee table, hands braced on the edge, ready to sort through some files, yet stilled in distraction. While her body was positioned towards the table her eyes were directed at him, a small smile quirking her lips as her irises switched between him and the little girl nestled in his one-armed hold.

"…You seem to handle children very well, Sasuke-kun," Sakura whispered as she fixed her sights entirely on him, smile still on her lips, "It's a pleasant surprise."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted softly, diverting his gaze to the floor, his next statement coming out in a mumble, "It's not like I asked to watch over her."

The Medic released a breathy laugh, amusement dancing across her features, "Well, I think you're doing splendidly. It's a nice side of you to see, actually. I'd like to see it more often."

Sasuke's eyes connected with hers again, a single brow rising in silent inquiry.

Sakura turned away, smile still on her face as she rifled through the various papers, "I think you thrive on it just as much as Naruto does," Sasuke's brows furrowed in confusion, watching Sakura's face light up when she found what she was looking for. She pulled out the parchment and stood before meeting the Uchiha's puzzled expression, "You're a strong presence, Sasuke-kun…It's what makes Reika-chan comfortable with you and trusting enough to believe that she'll be safe as she sleeps…"

Sakura smiled as she rolled up the documents and gazed down at the child tucked beside him before her gaze shifted to meet the dark-depths of onyx, his stare so steady and firm and so him that she couldn't help but smile even wider as she took a single step back, intent on returning to the other side of the room with Akemi.

"…It's the same way I feel when I'm with you, Sasuke-kun," She finally whispered, that same gentle grin on her lips, "Believe it or not, your presence is quite soothing…I feel comfortable and safe – completely protected – when I'm with you…I always have…And…I always will…"

And with a final smile, her opinion shared without the least bit of embarrassment – because what she said was true and she wasn't ashamed of telling him – Sakura turned away and left Sasuke watching after her, his eyes fractionally widened in both stupor and disbelief before looking down at the tiny hand that encompassed his left thumb; the reason for the short and unexpected, yet satisfyingly uplifting, conversation.

Beside him, a few feet away, Naruto hummed before moving onto his side and, slowly, a smirk spread across Sasuke's lips.

Trust. Although the Uchiha couldn't understand how anyone could easily trust him – traitorous Uchiha Sasuke, of all people – he couldn't help but be grateful for the select trusts that certain people commended him; he couldn't help but be honored and relieved to have the trust both Sakura and Naruto willingly and effortlessly exhibited towards him.

And he couldn't help but be comfortable and safe putting his trust completely into Sakura and Naruto as well.

"Hn…" Sasuke grunted thoughtfully, before gently curling his hand around Reika's.

Sakura offered a sympathetic smile as she watched Naruto and Sasuke each haul up one-foot stacks of folders and files, one male exuberant and grinning after waking from rest and the other typically apathetic as he gazed at the colorful array sitting in his arms. Early evening had arrived and, with it, the return of Dai. The Bird Chuunin had entered Base stone-faced and serious, his lips thinned into a grim line and his navy eyes clouded with thoughts that he tried to hide away when his company noticed his entrance. Then, candidly, he informed Team Kakashi that their temporary residence was ready and that he would take them there so they could completely settle in.

Akemi had helpfully sorted through files and information for Sakura to take with her to look over; and Reika – who had woken to Sasuke trying to remove himself as her pillow – quietly stood beside Akemi, watching Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, and Dai preparing, in the foyer, to leave.

"…Will I see you again?" Reika asked softly as Dai opened the front door, the sun's setting rays spilling onto the hardwood floor.

Naruto grinned down at her and Sasuke spared her a glance, noticing that the child's eyes strayed to him for an answer. Fortunately, Sakura smiled kindly, moved forward to crouch down to Reika's eye-level, and took one of her tiny hands into hers.

"We're going to be a little busy helping Dai-san but we'll try to visit you if there's time," The Medic reassuringly traced the back of Reika's hand with her thumb, "And if we end up coming back here – to Base – for meetings, we'll make sure to take some time to see you."

Reika bit her lower lip, flicking her grey irises on all the members of Team Kakashi before connecting with kind emerald, "…If you're helping Nii-san, that means you're going out there, huh? You're going to try and find the monsters…"

Sakura's smile became strained when she noticed Reika's downcast expression; her grip tightened fractionally, "We're going to try our best to stop them, Reika-chan."

"They're scary," She whispered softly, "They took away Mama and Papa…I get scared when Dai-nii and everyone else go out there…I don't want you and Sasu-nii and Naru-nii to disappear too…"

"Nothing's going to happen to us, Reika-chan," Naruto spoke up with a bright grin, "Believe it!"

"…Do you promise?" Reika urged seriously.

"Promise!" Naruto announced confidently.

Sasuke and Sakura briefly shared a glance, their optimism not as high as Naruto's, the weight of the situation preventing them from vocally affirming the guarantee; but they offered the child a small nod, even if the non-verbal gesture wasn't something she wanted. It meant that they would try to carry out the promise but if something were to happen – well…they didn't want to be seen as liars in her eyes either.

"Alright," Dai interjected, Sakura offering Reika a small hug before returning to her teammates' sides – making sure to take with her the black, plastic bag – containing Yoshiro – and her medical pack, "It's not too far from here," He connected gazes with Akemi, "Who's on Patrol tonight?"

Akemi twisted her lips thoughtfully, "I think Shin, Souta, and Akio have tonight's shift. And if Raiden, Isamu, and Kasumi-chan get back from the Capitol today they might drop by too."

Dai nodded before turning away and leading Team Kakashi out the door, Sakura sharing a final glance, smile, and wave with Reika and Akemi before shutting the door behind her.

"Bye…"

Dai led the Konoha Shinobi through the streets of the Bird Border Village, a few steps ahead, preoccupied with a folder in his hands yet occasionally making sure that Team Kakashi was doing fine following him.

Sakura flicked her gaze between Sasuke and Naruto and the stacks of information piled in their arms, a small smile curling at the corner of her lips. Sakura could have easily carried a stack herself – consequently making her teammates' stacks less heavy – but her two boys wouldn't have it. In fact, Naruto had taken a stack loudly proclaiming that his rest allowed him strength while Sasuke had silently taken the other and walked away before a protest could fall from her lips, leaving her with the light – though grim – load that was Satsuma Yoshiro. Normally, Sakura would have felt offended by the coddling, knowing she could handle carrying a measly stack of papers – especially with her renowned strength – but she knew that Naruto and Sasuke knew that she didn't need to be taken care of.

They did the things they did because they wanted to. For her.

"How about some Miso Ramen and Tomato Onigiri for dinner tonight?" Sakura suggested with a smile, nudging her left shoulder with Naruto's right and then her right shoulder with Sasuke's left, "I can run off to the Market real quick after we're settled."

Naruto grinned, his eyes sliding towards her, "Aww, thanks Sakura-chan! You're super nice!"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh as she tapped Naruto's right elbow and Sasuke's left elbow with both her hands, "I'm not the only one. Thanks you two, you really didn't have to."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted indifferently but Sakura could tell by a single glance that the Uchiha was completely relaxed, enjoying the casual and comfortable company that was Team Seven.

"It's the gentlemen thing to do," Naruto announced with a smirk and wink, "And it's for you, simple as that!"

Another laugh escaped Sakura, a light blush dusting her cheeks, "Such a charmer, Naruto; isn't he Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha smirked lightly as he slid his gaze towards Naruto, "Only around you; he's a mess when it comes to the Hyuuga."

Naruto spluttered, his steps faltering, stack of files teetering dangerously before the blonde righted himself and threw an indignant stare at Sasuke, "Hey, hey, hey! What's that supposed to mean? I'm already involved with Hinata-chan!"

"Doesn't mean you easily turn on the charm, dobe," Sasuke responded, amused smirk still in place, "You become clumsier than you already are whenever you're around her."

Naruto's embarrassed blush darkened and Sakura giggled, "I think it's cute; stop teasing him, Sasuke-kun…He's in love!"

Sasuke's smirk increased fractionally as Sakura's final word sang in the air with a melodious hint to her tone while Naruto felt his tanned face begin to burn, "Sakura-chan!"

"Osamu-san!"

The unexpected shout over the typical babbling of Village happenings caught Team Kakashi's attention, recognizing the voice as Dai's and watching as he waved to an older man at the side of the road, currently talking to a young couple, the mother carrying her child in her arms. The older man had also responded to Dai's call and looked up, a fragile smile spreading across his wrinkled features before he bid the small family farewell and ambled his way with wooden cane towards Dai, Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto.

"Dai, my boy," He greeted in a gravelly voice, dark brown eyes politely scanning the rest of the company in acknowledgement, accompanied by a smile, "You've returned safe and sound! You had us all worried; Souta-kun had been eagerly keeping me posted of your whereabouts and the measures they were planning to take to find you; it was only a few hours ago that Souta-kun ran into me and told me of your return."

Dai smiled, "Too much to do in too little time, Osamu-san; dying isn't an option for me."

The older male laughed, his white hair shifting in the wind as he closed his eyes behind his round spectacles, "Yes indeed, yes indeed. Glad to hear that. I'm assured to know we have strong, brave kids like you trying to find a solution to our problem."

Dai nodded modestly, stepping aside and gesturing to Team Kakashi, "Well, we've gotten a few new additions to the team. This here is Team Kakashi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves: Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto. Team Kakashi, this is Yamamoto Osamu, our Village's Civilian Physician," Osamu smiled and nodded his head, Sakura returning the gesture kindly, "Kasumi-chan is our main medical ninja support but she's only knowledgeable of the basics, so Osamu-san has been a huge help to our efforts, especially when it comes to injuries and analysis."

Osamu laughed, tapping his cane against the ground twice, "I'm not that knowledgeable; I just do the best that I can."

"Well that best has gotten us out of a lot of tough situations," Dai grinned gratefully.

"A pleasure to meet you, Yamamoto-san," Sakura greeted as she outstretched her free hand, smiling as he curled his aged fingers around the appendage and strongly shook it – hands she recognized weathered in the art of medicine.

"Please, call me Osamu," He corrected kindly; his hands pulled back and he adjusted his glasses, "I've heard a great many things about you, young Sakura, considering you're in the same field as I. It's an honor to meet you also, apprentice to Lady Tsunade and even a short comrade to the Great Chiyo of the Hidden Sand," His eyes flicked to Sasuke and Naruto, chuckling in embarrassment, "I don't follow the world of Ninja very much outside of my profession but it's a pleasure to meet you two also; Souta's mentioned your names several times but Raiden failed to mention more company other than Sakura-san's presence."

"He told you of our decision to bring Sakura-san?" Dai asked, surprised.

Osamu nodded, "Yes, he told me, the village leader, Masahiro, Shin, and Kasumi while you were gone; but I thought her arrival wasn't going to be in a few days. In fact, Raiden told me that I should be expecting a patient by the name of Satsuma that you were bringing back from Rain, correct? Is he at Base? Is he too wounded to come to my office because I'll gladly head over myself," He laughed, gesturing to Sakura, "Unless, this young lady has already patched him up?"

Dai had stiffened, Sakura tensed her grip with memory, and Naruto paled with the remembrance of what was hidden in the black, plastic bag currently clutched in Sakura's hand, "He…didn't make it."

Osamu's friendly smile faded, brows furrowing, concerned frown spreading across his thin lips, "What happened?"

Dai shook his head, "Complications…I'll send you a report once I get to finishing it."

Osamu wisely nodded his head, corner of his lip lifting in reassurance as he turned his attention back to Sakura, "Well, seeing as you've joined the team with the task of analysis I'll openly invite you to come to my office if there is any need for some additional supplies or even someone to exchange medical ideas with," He glowed excitedly, "I wouldn't even mind learning a thing or two from you, my dear."

Sakura smiled, "I appreciate the offer Osamu-san, I'll be sure to make a trip to your office as soon as I can."

The Physician nodded, "Looking forward to it," He turned to Dai, apologetic, "I must see to more patients but stop by also, my boy, and I'm glad to see you safe," He inclined his head towards Naruto and Sasuke, "A pleasure to meet you too, gentlemen."

"Yeah, same here," Naruto grinned, adjusting his hold on the stack of papers.

"Hn," Sasuke acknowledged.

With a final smile, Osamu began to hobble away, cane in hand, a soft humming tune drifting from him as he left. Dai smiled before gesturing to continue their journey to Team Kakashi's temporary residence, the three Leaf Shinobi following behind.

"Sorry about the delay," Dai apologized sincerely, glancing back at the baggage Naruto and Sasuke possessed, "But Osamu-san has been a big help to our cause and I owe it to him to keep him updated."

"He seems like a really nice man," Sakura observed, "Impressive that a Civilian Physician can keep up with Shinobi injuries, especially without the use of chakra."

"Well, he didn't always live in Bird Country," Dai explained, "He used to be a Civilian Physician during the Ninja World War many years ago so with all the casualties he also gained a lot of experience. He came here to settle into a more comfortable and peaceful environment and when The Curse started up he was one of the first to rally in figuring out the mystery," Dai smiled, "He says he's too old to be packing up and moving and he just wants the Village to be like it was before…We all do."

"There's always hope," Naruto interjected, "As long as we got that, we have a reason to stop this, even if it takes multiple tries; as long as we have a reason."

Dai nodded, "Right. It helps having his and the other civilians' support. They give more to our initial reasoning in solving this problem."

Sakura scanned her gaze across the Village streets, noticing the tension of the civilians, the stiff movements of paranoia exhibited as opposed to the carefree and comfortable countenance present in a Village without troubles; eyes darted uncomfortably towards the foreign Leaf Shinobi and the Medic's expression hardened with determination, "We'll get to the bottom of this; I'll do everything in my power to find the source of this Curse…I promise."

Sasuke nudged her slightly, Sakura turning her head to meet the Uchiha's steady stare, "Don't start making promises you're not sure you can keep…"

The kunoichi simply grinned in response, "I'm not promising clear and solid answers, Sasuke-kun. I'm being realistic. I am promising my complete attention and devotion to this case, however. For the sake of this Village and the potential of this problem getting worse, I'm going to do anything and everything I can to stop it…"

Sasuke didn't look convinced, staring at her searchingly before turning away and shifting the load in his arms, "Sometimes, with you, there isn't really a difference between what you said and what I meant…"

Sakura's grin faded into a small frown, "…What do you mean?"

The Uchiha side-glanced her briefly, before shaking his head, "I've seen you and difficult cases you've encountered in the past, Sakura. Doing 'anything and everything you can' is exactly like saying that you're going to do 'anything and everything you can until you solve the problem'."

Sakura's brows furrowed, slightly offended, "…So?"

"Sometimes doing 'anything and everything you can' leads to stupid decisions and stupid actions," Sasuke continued, "If you can't solve this one you need to know when to cut your ties," He stared at her seriously, "You need to know when you have to let it go."

Sakura shook her head, incredulous, "You mean, let it go and continue to let these people suffer?"

Sasuke looked away, his eyes distant before he answered in a soft tone, "…I mean, let it go before you run yourself into the ground; don't keep chasing after something that might not have answers and could potentially hurt you in the end…I would know."

Sakura blinked, speechless. It wasn't very often that Sasuke referred to the times when he was an S-Class Criminal, misguidedly seeking revenge. She knew he had a lot of regrets when it came to his defection from Konoha, it was plainly clear as she stared at his clouded, far-off gaze before it returned to focus and connected with her wide, emerald irises, clearly waiting for her confirmation that she would choose her battles wisely.

Instead, Sakura touched his arm, a sign of both comfort and the desire that she had more to say about the matter, "…I appreciate your concern, Sasuke-kun…But I don't see how this can hurt me. I'm doing my job, just like all my other missions assigned to me. I won't…lose myself, if that's what you're saying."

Sasuke frowned, "This isn't like your other missions. You're not healing anyone, you're not assassinating anyone, and you're not negotiating any treaties; we're jumping into the unknown; we don't know what we're dealing with," His frown deepened, transitioning his gaze to the street ahead, "It's a matter of you losing yourself to the mystery, underestimating the enemy with the little knowledge we have, and fighting an adversary that's already killed hundreds of people. It's a matter of you and your good heart getting carried away and getting yourself killed in the process. This is a matter that we are not prepared for. So don't go making promises and don't go putting your life on the line. Missions may come first as our mandate but, in this instance, safety is the top priority."

Sakura rolled her eyes, "If you really think I'm going to actually let this Curse continue to haunt these people for the sake of my own life then you really don't know me, Sasuke-kun…" She sighed, "I suppose it's to be expected since it's been some time Team Kakashi has had a Mission together…"

The Uchiha stared at her silently for a few seconds before walking ahead, "On the contrary, Sakura, I know you very well, which is why I said what I said…" He looked over his shoulder briefly; his eyes softened fractionally, a mixture of slight annoyance and a majority of grimness, "… You're the kind of person who dives head-first into the problem; although admirable and ambitious of you, it sometimes gets you into trouble and you get reckless in the process. Remember that you have teammates here to help you…" He looked at the floor for several seconds, hesitant, before steadily meeting her stare, "…And I know you're the kind of person who would risk her own life for others…But forgive my selfishness that I'd rather risk the lives of others' for yours. I've known you far longer than I've known them, it's only natural I look out for your well-being over theirs."

Sakura blinked, at a loss of words once again, "…Sasuke–"

"Just don't do anything stupid," He interrupted gruffly, turning away from her and continuing on down the road, effectively ending the conversation with his final words, "And refrain from making promises, you're starting to sound like the dobe."

Sakura watched Sasuke walk away, an assortment of feelings bubbling in her chest. Confusion was the most prominent; an uncertainty filling her with such an unexpected conversation, wondering where the sudden exchange with Sasuke – the man who rarely talked paragraphs – came from. A bit of irritation was also present, offended by the sudden lecture on her actions, yet it was a very fractional annoyance. Surprisingly, she also felt very warm, perhaps for the indirect show of concern for her well-being from Sasuke. It was an unorthodox show of disquiet but that was just the way Uchiha Sasuke was.

Sakura would just have to take their conversation to heart.

She couldn't lose herself to the mystery.

She had to be very careful of what she and her Team was dealing with.

And she would have to make sure that Sasuke knew that she was being serious and realistic – and a bit optimistic – about their involvement with The Curse.

"…Right…" Sakura breathed out softly as she slung the plastic bag over her shoulder, "…We can do this…" She frowned, '…Right?'

Their temporary residence wasn't as big as Base. In fact, its exterior actually looked a little more inviting than the larger quarters that Dai and his comrades resided in. The quaint house was situated on a sparsely populated street, two levels high, cream-colored with tasteful, chocolate-brown linings and shingles, the structure nicely spaced a few meters apart from the neighboring houses. The Bird Shinobi unhurriedly let Team Kakashi inside, the four passing through the wooden archway of the front door and into the narrow hallway, dimly lit by the evening rays that filtered through the high windows and opened doorway.

"I hope it's to your liking," Dai stated as he handed the keys to Sakura, navy eyes taking in the meagerly furnished interior, "…It was chosen since the previous owners will not be returning to it…"

His quiet and reverent tone clearly conveyed that The Curse had taken the lives of the previous residents of the home. A pang of sadness and a little anxiety traveled up Sakura's spine with this revelation, her eyes roving along the hardwood floors and undecorated walls surrounding her, a feeling of guilt gripping her heart as she wondered whether or not her and her teammates' presence was too soon – too intrusive – a stay with respect to the previous proprietors' memories.

The sudden silence that filled the house became suffocating. Dai's gaze had gone unfocused in memory – perhaps he knew the previous residents of the house? – and Naruto and Sasuke stood at the entrance of what seemed to be the dining room, the blonde peeking in hesitantly before slowly setting his cargo onto the square, wooden tabletop; Sasuke followed his example just seconds after.

Sakura stared at the wooden stairs at the end of the hallway, leading into the darkness of the upper levels. The stray beams of light passing through the high windows slightly lit the way up. It looked a little foreboding to the Medic but her thoughts were interrupted by Dai, who was heading back to the front door.

"There are three bedrooms upstairs," Dai explained as he opened the door a crack, "As well as two bathrooms. The first level also has a bathroom and a living room, dining room, kitchenette, study, and a door to the backyard. The place is furnished with your basic necessities, like beds, extra sheets and pillows, some toiletries, firewood, and office supplies. If there's anything else you need the Market is a three-minute walk away and I've had Souta and Shin pick up some groceries to deliver here later to stock your kitchen."

Sakura nodded her head, showing her understanding, "Thank you, Dai-san."

The Chuunin smiled tiredly, taking another step through the doorway before shifting slightly to face her, "Is there anything else you need, Sakura-san?"

The Medic looked over her shoulder to see Sasuke and Naruto crossing through the hallway towards the living room; she scanned the bare corridor and finally turned towards Dai with a small smile of her own, "I think we're good. Although, I do have a question about the Patrol Duty tonight…"

Dai nodded, looking up at the sun, it's descent about two hours away from the horizon, "You're welcome to come, Sakura-san. Night watch starts about an hour before the sun sets and the creatures are usually at our borders right when darkness falls. I'll have Souta escort you to the Patrol Facility."

"Sounds good," Sakura agreed, "We'll see you later tonight then?"

Dai nodded, "Yeah, I'll be there," He gave a small grin before walking down the short set of stairs, waving his hand up in farewell, "Get some rest, Sakura-san, you're going to need it for tonight."

"You too," Sakura called out with a smirk and after several more seconds of watching his form move further away from the house, she closed the door and breathed out a fatigued breath.

Entering the house just seemed to sap the energy out of her.

Blowing stray strands of pink hair from her face, Sakura moved towards the dining room and placed her medical bag and the plastic bag containing Yoshiro down beside the table. Absently, she picked up the top folder from one of the two stacks Naruto and Sasuke had been carrying and started to flip through its contents as she walked towards the living room.

Sasuke and Naruto were already seated on the couches, the blonde staring at the fireplace with a frown and the Uchiha staring blankly at the far wall, clearly lost in his thoughts.

Slapping the folder shut, Sakura sighed as she fell onto the couch Naruto occupied, a migraine already throbbing at her temples.

"This is not going to be easy…" She whispered, effectively catching her teammates' full attentions; she stared at the ceiling as she spoke, "In the span of four hours a whole new wave of liabilities, variables, and suspicions have come into play…"

"What do you mean, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

"More suspects, more information, more questions that need answers," Sakura listed as she simultaneously held up the folder in her possession; she sat up and met each of the boys' stares, her expression pinched with stress, "And fast dwindling time…"

"You heard Souta earlier, right?" Sasuke inquired.

Sakura nodded, "This Plan in three days? Yeah, I caught that. I'm not going to ask about it until I meet the rest of the team…I don't want to be taking on another influx of important information until I've sorted through what I've just learned and have gained back my bearings. Right now, my main focus is meeting Dai-san's teammates and going on Patrol Duty tonight."

"Patrol Duty should be interesting," Naruto mumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest, "I hate sitting around and doing nothing…"

"We're not going to be fighting anything tonight, Naruto," Sakura admonished, "Just observing."

"Why not?" Naruto complained, fingers fidgeting.

"Because we don't know what we're dealing with yet, dobe," Sasuke interjected blandly.

"Best way to find out is through hands-on experience," The blonde muttered impatiently.

"Wait a little longer, Naruto," Sakura placated as she stood from her seat and made her way to the kitchenette across the hall, "We're going to need more information and preparation before we confront the enemy head-on."

Naruto pouted but said nothing more.

Sakura explored the two-story house with a caution that left her muscles uncomfortably tensed. A frown unconsciously tugged at the corners of her lips as she stared at the bare walls of the Office Study, un-faded squares of brown paint clearly indicating where picture frames once hung, most likely of the family that previously lived there. The blinds were closed, plunging the room in a dim glow but she could still see that the desk was cleaned of personal items, covered only be a thin layer of dust, spare pens, and a black desk lamp. The shelves along the walls were sparsely filled with thick books – some novels, others containing information about shinobi techniques – and a hollow knock from the adjacent filing cabinet concluded its emptiness also.

With a soft breath, Sakura reluctantly set her messenger bag on the swivel chair, placed her Inventory Scroll holding her Evidence and Notes on the desk, and reverently placed the remains of Satsuma Yoshiro beside it. After a final scan of the room, Sakura spun on her heel and left, mechanically crossing the hallway and heading up the staircase to the second floor, although her pace began to slow with every continued step. Grip tightening on the railing, Sakura stared unsurely at the frosted windows brightened by the orange rays of sunset before shaking her head and turning the final corner of the landing, stepped up the last dozen of steps, and halted to gaze upon the narrow hallway before her.

It was darker upstairs than what the large windows on the first level provided, but the Medic could easily make out the two doors lining the right side, the two doors lining the left, and the lone door at the very end of the hall. Deciding to explore in a counter-clockwise manner, Sakura walked up to the first door on the right and discovered a linen closet, filled with the necessary pillows and sheets Dai had mentioned earlier. The next door led to one of the bathrooms – the Master Bathroom in fact – which included a shower stall, large tub, toilet, numerous cupboards for towels and other bathroom items, and a long counter that had two adjacent sinks.

Slightly impressed with the size and the theme of white tile and black marble, Sakura stepped inside the bathroom, walking up to the two-sink counter and stared at her reflection of the wide mirror. She studied her appearance with a sort of detachment, as if the woman staring back at her wasn't her reflection – she looked too tired with dark bags under her eyes, too pale and maybe even a little thin; her hair was messy and lack-luster pale pink while her green eyes were…dull.

"Exhausted…" Sakura whispered as she ran a hand through her tresses, "I look exhausted…"

Turning away from the reflection – because she didn't need that image to make her mood worse, or more stressed – Sakura was confronted with another doorway, a second that led into what looked like the Master Bedroom. Entering further into the room Sakura examined the large windows on the wall opposite of the doorway she emerged from, the king-sized bed below it, situated in the middle, purple sheets tastefully matching the lilac curtains. On opposite sides of the bed were twin tables, each propping a lamp, but like all other rooms nothing else was present in terms of decoration or personal life – just necessity. On the right wall was a sliding door closet and against the left wall was a small, wooden desk complete with a chair – also bare. There was another door, along the same wall as the door leading to the Master Bathroom, possibly four meters to the right that was opened and led back to the hallway – which meant that the door that stood at the end of the hall, was the direct entrance of the Master Bedroom.

After casting a final glance at the large room, Sakura exited through the hallway door, before continuing her counter-clockwise journey through the corridor. The next door was another bedroom, smaller in comparison to the Master – about half the size – unsurprisingly sparsely furnished except for a twin-sized bed, a single nightstand, a window that overlooked the front of the building, a matching drawer set and two bookshelves.

Since she stood at the doorway connecting the bedroom and the hallway, Sakura glanced to her left and found another door which was slightly ajar. Curious, she made her way towards it, pushed it open and found another bathroom. However, it was thinner, with a double-sink on the left complete with a wide mirror, and the toilet and shower stall on the right. Seeing another door on the other side of the bathroom, Sakura realized that it was a joint bathroom, so she crossed the cool tiles and opened the door to the last bedroom, stopping dead in her tracks when her sights settled, hand clenching on the door knob.

Unlike the other bedrooms, this one had character – this one had a story. The walls were painted pink, the bed was half her size, the vanity reached her hip, and the dollhouse was surrounded by various toys. The drawers were white and matched the nightstand, complete with a heart-shaped lamp. The only out-of-place item was the twin-sized futon situated in a bare corner of the room, most likely placed there by Dai, or someone charged with furnishing to their needs.

"…This child couldn't have disappeared…" Sakura whispered as she took a hesitant step onto the crème colored carpet, "…Kami, she can't have disappeared…"

Creak.

Sakura jumped as she watched the door that led to the hallway slowly open, her eyes wide before the thudding of her heart lessened into relief when Sasuke's head peeked in. He took one look at her and her tensed posture and then glanced at the room, a frown pulling on his own lips as he took in the scene.

Both were silent for several seconds before Sasuke opened the door wider and motioned for her to join him.

"…Souta is downstairs and waiting for us," He explained as she approached him.

Sakura blinked once before meeting his gaze and nodding her head, "Right."

Before the Medic could completely exit the room, Sasuke gently caught her by the shoulder, effectively locking gazes with her. She quirked a brow in confusion.

"Are you sure you're up for Patrol Duty tonight?" He questioned, dark eyes staring straight through emerald, "If you need rest we can wait until tomorrow."

Sakura bit her bottom lip uncertainly as she averted her stare in thought, before looking back at Sasuke with a small smile, "I'm okay, Sasuke-kun. I'd like to do this tonight. I'll get plenty of rest tomorrow."

Sasuke scrutinized her for a few seconds before nodding his head, his eyes clearly conveying his reluctance to accept her words but remaining silent nonetheless. With a grunt, he released her shoulder, gently pushing her along – out of the room – before closing the door behind her.

Naruto had helpfully put the Files from Base in the Study while Sakura had been upstairs and Souta exuberantly greeted her from the kitchen as he and another male put the contents of the grocery bags in their respective places. There were about ten bags total, filled with a week's worth – or more – of sustenance. Team Kakashi watched from the entrance of the kitchen as Souta bounced around excitedly while he organized the items in the cupboards, recounting for them what they bought and what ideas there were that could be made out of them.

"I'm not really sure if you like chocolate but I had to get you some pocky," Souta explained as he held up the red box before placing them on the counter, "I mean, who doesn't like chocolate? I think it's the best thing to help me to get through the day, lots of energy!" He began throwing some plastic wrapped items into a higher cupboard, "And I know everyone needs ramen! Easy to make in so little time, right? I got ten of each flavor since they're so cheap."

As Souta continued his mini-debriefing of his marketplace assignment Sakura studied his silent companion. He was an efficient worker, quickly placing the canned foods in a high cupboard before putting the meats in the freezer. His expressions were rather blank, no reaction towards Souta's babbling, even when the boy occasionally bumped into him in his liveliness; and his dark eyes were drawn, unfocused, as if lost in thought.

"I wanted to buy you some mochi ice cream, but Shin-nii-san wouldn't let me," Souta pouted, throwing a half-hearted sulk at the older male's back, "They had chocolate and mango-flavored too."

Shin spoke, his voice smooth and deep, reminding Sakura of Sasuke's voice, but the Uchiha's still had a roughened edge to it – Shin's voice was like…silk, "…It was unnecessary, Souta…And expensive."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard ya the first time," Souta mumbled as he put the last of the fruits away.

As Shin walked past Souta – who was kneeling beside the last grocery bag – Sakura watched as he ruffled the boy's hair, earning a half-hearted protest as Souta fell onto his rear which prompted Shin to respond with a miniscule smirk.

Behind her, Naruto chuckled himself, earning a rising blush of embarrassment from the youngest of the group.

"Apologies for my impoliteness," Shin stated, earning Team Kakashi's attention; his smirk was gone and his dark eyes were regarding them while his hands adeptly folded up the paper grocery bags, "My name is Watanabe Shin. A pleasure to meet you."

Sakura offered a small half-smile, slightly unsure of herself with his blank stare, knowing that he was assessing her – his blank expressions actually reminded her of Sai, "The pleasure is ours, Shin-san. I'm Haruno Sakura. And you've met my teammates…?"

Shin nodded his head once, eye briefly leaving hers to consider Naruto and Sasuke, "Yes, Uchiha-san and Uzumaki-san. Are you ready to accompany us on Scout Duty?"

Sakura answered with a nod of her own, absently making sure she had her notepad on hand, smiling when she felt it secured in her back pouch, "Yeah, we're ready."

"Alrighty!" Souta announced as he zipped off to the front door, Shin following after at a more leisurely pace, "Off we go!"

As the two Bird Shinobi exited through the front door, Team Kakashi lagged behind, Sakura thoughtfully examining Shin's broad back, noticing that when he had walked by her he was probably as tall as Naruto – half a foot taller than she was, by comparison. His black – almost dark grey – hair was longer than she realized, held in a ponytail at the base of his neck and reaching down to the middle of his back. His two side bangs framing his pale face actually gave the illusion that he had short, chin-length hair.

"Is it just me…" Naruto started thoughtfully as he leaned down to whisper into Sakura's ear, "Or does that guy remind you of someone…?"

Sakura turned to close the door to the house, smiling up at Naruto, whose blue eyes were still trained on Shin contemplatively, "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know," The blonde shrugged before locking gazes with her, his expression pinched with confusion, "But when he stared at me…I felt like he was going to randomly insult me…and then smile about it."

Sakura burst out laughing and Sasuke smirked.

"H-Hey! What's so funny?"

A/N: Um...Hi? So before you go all "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" I'm going to first say "I'M SO SORRY!". Um, yeah, life is pretty much killing me right now. School has just been super hectic and having two jobs is killing my social life which also kills my creative writing time. I know that it has been months since I last updated and I am truly sorry for that long wait. I have been trying my best to write a little everyday so I can get a chapter out to you readers as soon as possible, but things happen and I hope you understand that I have priorities over fanfiction, so thank you for your patience and support these past few months because without it I would not be updating today. Unfortunately, today's chapter was a bit of a filler chapter, I know I mentioned last chapter that Patrol Duty was coming up, but as you can tell, it's next chapter. Originally, it was going to be in this chapter but it would have made this installment way too long for you to read and usually - with long chapters - readers tend to question when it's finally going to wrap up which leads to them rushing through to the end of the chapter and missing important details in the rush. Which is why I divided the chapter for easier reading and to make sure that it's short enough to follow along without trouble.

Lucky for you, half of the next chapter is typed out and because I feel it's one of the more interesting chapters, I've put a lot of thought into it and even gave it a different kind of formatting. So, it'll be the kind of chapter that you'll want to read for this kind of story (i.e. Horror). It's the kind of chapter that I want you to read so I want to get it out to you ASAP. It's the kind of chapter to play close attention to. And the rest of the Original Characters should be introduced too.

So, please please please tell me what you think so far, and please please please don't be too mad at me for making you wait so long. I'm very sorry and I will be working hard to get the next chapter up within a week. On a Side Note, I've also been working hard on getting the next chapters out for The Road of Touch; The Road to Feel, Forbidden Bonds and How Well Do You Know YOUR SoulMate? because I read over them and my unfinished chapters and really want to get those next chapters out. It All Started With will be on a prolonged break since my focus is currently on The Curse but that will probably change after the Holidays and free time comes more frequently for me.

So again: SORRY for the long wait. THANK YOU for being patient and supportive of me. And I HOPE you like this chapter and will continue to read this story despite my irregular updates. I'll TRY to become more regular!

PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! Let me know what you think! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Company. Just the Original Characters and Plotline.

Next Chapter: Chapter Fourteen: Patrol Duty

Next Update: HOPEFULLY within the week.

To Those who have previously read and/or reviewed, a BIG THANK YOU TO YOU! YOU are the REASONS why I keep Updating!

You guys are the best, thank you so much for reading and reviewing and I hope to continue to scare and suspense you on the ride that is The Curse! This thirteenth chapter is dedicated to YOU!

UPDATES TO LOOK OUT FOR:
It All Started With – Chapter 17
False Façade – Chapter 2
Forbidden Bonds – Chapter 5
Missing In Action - Chapter 2

I'm sorry I haven't been updating the above stories like I've wanted to, it's just my Muse has been focusing so much on The Curse and I can't let that inspiration slip by, so please be patient with the other chapters of my stories, I will get to them, as soon as I possibly can.

And! If anyone is confused about the Mapping of this story, I'd recommend checking out the World Map at (www . leafninja . com) Just take out the parentheses and spaces, it's where I get a lot of my Naruto Information! :)

Oh! One last thing! Anyone got a Twitter? I made one for the sole purpose of making friends who have the same interests as me (Naruto, Inuyasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, Final Fantasy VII, Anime in general), let me know, I'm open to new friendships and whatever, up to you, just PM me or drop a review! Happy reading everyone!

Oh! And I plan on sending out some Pokémon (AAML), Fullmetal Alchemist (EdWin), and Final Fantasy VII (CloudTifa) Fictions too, so if you're FANS, please check them out! :)

You Are All The Best! And Feel Free To PM Me About Recent Naruto Manga Chapters Too! Heehee!

LotzaLove!
Len83
aka
Luvinukag83