Misery Loves Company

Author: Ladelle

Rating: M

Comments: Yeah, I know I said a week but whoooooooo did I get busy. I would get home from work every day and just pass out, AND I started my internship. But hey! You know me, I don't stray too far from my word.

Thank you for all of your reviews. I love you all to tears. I don't think I'm going to be able to repsond as religiously anymore, but I'll do my best.

Onward!

Chapter 9:

It took a surprisingly long time for the commotion surrounding the Purple Martini to clear and despite his best efforts, Naruto was practically shoved into Genma's care. He only had a couple of cuts and a bruise from when Kisame had shoved him onto the floor; nothing he considered worth writing home about.

Genma was quiet as he poured a rubbery substance over Naruto's palm and it burned his miniature lacerations before solidifying. It reminded Naruto of the 'rubber band-aid' set Shino used to buy for their apartment, and how confused he had been when he had first attempted to use them.

"Morino's headed over," Izumo said from behind Genma as he repacked the prepared medic pack. Bottles of antiseptic and pain relief pills had managed to scatter in Genma's rush to look over everyone and Naruto was surprised that in actuality, no one from his department had gotten truly injured.

Naruto stood up as the commander approached, his expression less placid than usual. Morino wore an awkward grin, one Naruto assumed to be his 'giddy face', and he couldn't blame the older man for being so content. They had managed to capture Kisame who happened to be a legend in the criminal world and in doing so had managed to avoid a run-in with Danzo.

But with how Naruto's luck seemed to be running, it was only a matter of time before Danzo discovered him anyhow.

"I've heard nothing but good things, Naruto," he said and Naruto managed a smile. Morino placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him away from the other officers, in confidence. Naruto caught the solemn look that Genma gave him and assumed that the same thoughts badgering Neji were affecting him as well.

"I want a private conference with you when we get back to the station," he said, still looking pleased with himself. "I want a detailed report on everything that was said after you lost your chip."

Naruto nodded because he had expected that request and Morino tapped him on the shoulder. "Good, I'll be seeing you soon," the commander stated and he bustled off to ward away a crowd of onlookers that had come to examine the aftermath of the situation.

The ambulance bearing Kisame had long since disappeared, and Naruto had been genuinely nervous when Raidou and Zabuza had questioned some of the people Naruto had come into contact with—mainly the waiter and Suigetsu.

It seemed that neither of them said anything that would put any suspicion on Naruto, a fact for which he was both thankful and suspicious. Why Suigetsu hadn't turned him in for stealing contact numbers was something he didn't understand, but the club owner had done an amazing job of pretending Naruto didn't exist.

When he spoke about the incident in the hall he claimed he used his weapon in self defense and that the 'blond cop' worked as a mediator between the two to rally the situation. He didn't mention anything beyond that though Naruto was sure he had much more to say.

What caught Naruto even more off guard was that no one had mentioned anything about the blond-haired man that had actually de-bugged him. He wondered if that was a subject Morino was saving for later, when they met in private.

"Naruto, ride with me," Neji came up beside him. All of the other officers were dispersing to the vehicles they had arrived in, switching it up due to their friendships now that the mission was over. Naruto nodded and followed Neji towards the east parking garage and was surprised when their third passenger turned out to be Genma.

After they jogged up the escalator that bordered the garage and neared the hover vehicle, Genma let out a sigh of exasperation. "Tell me what happened," he asked and they all slid into the car, Naruto taking the back seat. He had forgotten to bring his motion sickness pills so he hunched down, prepared for a demanding ride.

Neji pulled his door shut. "Hiding Naruto is becoming impossible, that's what's happening," he said, and Naruto snorted as the engine revved.

"It's not my fault people are coming out of the woodwork to ruin me," he stated and Genma looked back at him, his eyebrow raised.

"Coming out of the what?"

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Nevermind. I mean, can we even be sure that he heard Kotetsu say my name? It was pretty loud in there, wasn't it?"

Neji frowned as he sent the vehicle upward and Naruto felt the familiar feeling of a headache beginning to onset.

"Why was Suigetsu even there, Genma?" Neji seemed to avoid Naruto's comment, which led Naruto to believe that he was being naïve. Genma looked serious when he lowered his eyes and leaned back into his seat.

"I don't know. He was supposed to be at Uchiha's tonight," he said, and Naruto's stomach almost doubled over with tension. Neji threw a quick glance from him to Genma who looked vaguely apologetic. Naruto knew that Genma didn't understand how the implications of his comment weighed on him, but it didn't stop the remark from hurting any less.

"It may have been…" Naruto started, thinking back. "It may have been for Kisame. They sounded like they knew each other."

Genma threw Naruto a skeptical glance and Neji would have if he wasn't turning onto the highway. They rose a couple levels to travel towards the outskirts of the inner city, and Naruto started to explain.

"I was about to lead Kisame to you when Suigetsu showed up. He wanted to kick Kisame out himself or something, and he had a gun… but it sounded like Kisame had been expecting him."

There was an awkward silence and it seemed as though both Genma and Neji were contemplating potential scenarios before Genma spoke, "This whole Akatsuki situation is getting out of hand. And Morino putting you in the middle of it is irresponsible."

Naruto was surprised when the words left Genma's lips, and Neji seemed to be as well. Morino seemed to be respected enough, but somehow using the fact Naruto was a traveler to the department's advantage was beginning to rub people the wrong way. Naruto didn't like the idea of creating an unintentional tension, so he shrugged and looked out of the window.

"He didn't really have much of a choice. If I were him, I would have done the same thing," he said and when he thought about it, he realized his words were truthful. The most valuable thing about him was that he was a traveler. Even without being known as Naruto Uzumaki, Kisame had been willing to trust him. And in return…

Naruto glanced down to his icon and let out a small breath as the astro car dipped beneath a skyway bridge, nervous to tell Neji about what he had done. He had promised to be truthful, however—he just needed to wait until Genma wasn't around. He perked up as he realized there was one thing he hadn't touched on.

"The man Deidara—where is he being taken?" As far as he remembered the blond man hadn't been hurt, and was well within the territory of Kotetsu and Haku. The more he remembered the series of events that led to their meeting, the more he assumed that no one had mentioned him because he had already been arrested.

"Who?" Genma glanced back, an eyebrow raised and Neji cleared his throat from the front seat.

"Someone you met?" he asked, and Naruto narrowed his eyes. It was obvious neither one of them had any idea what had happened inside the club.

"No… he was with Kisame. He's the one who—" Naruto felt a little strange trying to explain it, "—got my bug out."

Neji twisted his head back to give Naruto a questioning look while Genma looked calm and irritated at the same time. It was a matter of seconds before Genma pulled a package of cigarettes from his pocket and planted one firmly between his lips.

"Kisame had someone with him," he said and it was more of a statement than a question. He sounded disbelieving, and Naruto jumped up, feeling anxious.

"No one arrested him?" It was as if the thought just hit him. Especially because the other man had hinted that he was a member himself. "You had to have—he was taller than me, had blond hair—I think he was a traveler, too. He even said he was involved with the Akatsuki—"

"Why didn't you say anything about this when we were back at the club?" Neji's voice was urgent although he was doing his best to focus on the road ahead. Genma looked angry in his own thoughts, and Naruto frowned.

"Kotetsu and Haku were there—they saw him kiss me—they had to have known that he de-bugged me," he said, and for the first time since he had been back, he felt genuinely confused. Why hadn't either of his partners made a stronger effort to back him up? Now someone out there knew his face—and if word reached Itachi—

Naruto paused in his thoughts. If someone told Itachi, maybe the older man would come for him. And even though Naruto knew that scenario was dangerous, he couldn't help but think how much easier that set-up would be than him struggling to locate Itachi.

"Why didn't either of them report anything?" Neji asked himself, and Genma snorted. The station was coming into view, and it seemed like he had some words to get off his chest.

"Naruto, be careful," he said, and Naruto glanced up, caught off guard by Genma's serious tone. Blue eyes narrowed thoughtfully and the traveler nodded, letting out a deep breath. Neji pulled into a parking spot reserved for officers and Genma continued, the cigarette bouncing lightly on his lips as he spoke.

"I'm not sure what happened tonight, but I have a feeling Kisame wasn't the entire goal," he said, and the way his voice curled out made goosebumps prickle on Naruto's arm. Did he mean that his department was dangerous? That they had ulterior motives?

Or that Morino did?

"I think Morino's had an entirely different goal this entire time," Neji said sketchily, and as he pulled his keys from the ignition he turned to the side so that he could speak with both Genma and Naruto evenly.

"Naruto—you're gold. With you in Morino's hands, it would be easy for him to lure every Akatsuki member out of hiding just to obtain you. If what you say is right—and he had a partner with him, letting that partner escape was intentional."

Naruto felt his heart race a little. "Morino wants them to come after me," he realized with a bit of distaste, but he sat forward to lean in closer. "But that's fine, right? They need to be in jail anyway."

Neji gave him a sharp glance and Genma snorted, but Naruto stood firm in his statement. "Morino has been trying to fix what I started for the past year. I mean, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?" Naruto ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling like he wanted to change into something more comfortable.

"Morino's a smart guy, right? He knows that it's only a matter of time before Danzo figures out I'm here," and as the words left Naruto, he was very sure of them. Morino felt guilty about doing Naruto wrong in the past—and he had no doubts that his commander was going to work doubly hard to make sure he was able to permanently stay in the future.

"If Danzo tries to send me back, now Morino can officially say, 'without him we wouldn't have an Akatsuki member'—and that's valuable, right?" Naruto refused to believe that Morino had intentionally put him in a bad situation. Ever since Sakura he had prided himself on being an excellent judge of character, and he was positive Morino was covering all of the bases… somehow.

"Morino is fine. I'm sure of it." Naruto nodded his head resolutely and Genma and Neji exchanged glances before they all exited the car. The main office was a short walk away, and Genma walked away briskly as Naruto grabbed Neji's wrist. The long haired brunet turned and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I have to talk to you before I talk to Morino," Naruto said shortly, and when Neji looked curious Naruto glanced around to make sure that they were the only ones able to hear the conversation. "I think… I may have done something I wasn't supposed to."

It was a lie, considering he knew he had done something he wasn't supposed to.

Neji glanced around as well, as if to double check their situation. His eyes were almost parental, on the verge of scolding.

"What did you do, Naruto?"

The blond officer ran a hand through his hair, making his icon glint in the pale moonlight. He glanced at it before turning his attention to Neji, nervous to admit to what he had done.

"I made Suigetsu transfer all of Kisame's numbers into my icon," he said quickly, so quickly that at first he wasn't' sure if Neji heard correctly. When pale eyes widened and shot dangerously to the device on his wrist, he realized that his message had gotten across perfectly well.

"You what?" Neji hissed, and Naruto flinched.

"It was spur of the moment! I couldn't just let it go," Naruto said quickly, waving his arms lightly in defense. "I haven't checked yet… but it could have Itachi's number."

Neji's expression didn't lighten in the least as he continued to stare condescendingly at Naruto. It made Naruto wonder if what he had done was really as bad as it seemed, and he frowned.

"I didn't have time to get your permission first," he explained, "and it was an opportunity I couldn't let go."

Neji watched him carefully for a moment before looking down at the ground and releasing a deep breath. His eyes were tired and he looked worse for wear, especially with Naruto's admission.

"We just have to be really careful, Naruto," he said lightly, and his tone didn't match the serious expression on his face. "Don't tell Morino. Actually, give the numbers to me and let's delete them from yours, just in case anything comes up," he said, and Naruto let Neji fiddle with the device to do as he said.

"Is there anything else?" Neji asked as he finished and Naruto let out a small breath as they both started walking towards the main building. His hands clenched at his sides and he looked away from his partner, across the horizon of brilliant stars over a serene night sky.

"I… I really miss Sasuke."

He hadn't intended to say it and surprise was even evident on Neji's features as the words slipped out. It wasn't a secret, but Naruto had dedicated a great deal of his energy to avoiding the subject of Sasuke altogether. Hearing that he had just encountered Sasuke's lover had stirred him up, especially when Suigetsu and himself weren't alike at all.

"I know," Neji responded, and from the corner of his eye Naruto saw Neji frown a little, looking restless. "Just a little while longer," he promised and Naruto bit back the urge to say he didn't think he'd make it.

"Naruto!" Morino was waiting outside as the other officers drifted in and out, storing their weapons and changing in the locker rooms beneath the main lobby. Neji brushed Naruto's arm gently before disappearing down a side set of stairs, and gave him a nod for confidence. Naruto took it and followed Morino to his office, ignoring a raw stare from Raidou in the lobby.

After the door had drifted shut and Naruto had taken a seat, Morino clapped his hands together.

"Alright, tell me everything that happened," he said, and his voice was strangely serious for how self satisfied he appeared.

Naruto took a deep breath and explained how he had met the waiter, and how that same waiter had directed him to table thirteen. He continued to divulge to his captain how Deidara had 'kissed' him in an effort to remove the bug, and how when he finally met with Kisame, he pretended to be a traveler looking for a more exciting lifestyle than being manhandled by the police.

Morino had quirked an eyebrow at this but didn't say anything until Naruto concluded his recap with the brawl between Suigetsu and Kisame, disregarding the entire icon situation entirely.

"So Kisame believed you were going to feed him information on our department?" Morino asked, and Naruto nodded lightly.

"Which is stupid anyway," the blond said, "considering I can't even find my way around the campus without getting lost." They both shared a good laugh and Morino looked satisfied. There was a brief break of silence afterwards, and Naruto let out a deep breath.

"Did you know that Kisame wasn't alone at the Purple Martini?" he asked, and Morino looked caught off guard before his expression settled into something more serious.

"The person who kissed you, right?"

Naruto nodded and waited for an explanation. Even if Neji and Genma had their thoughts, Naruto wasn't concerned. Morino cleared his throat and looked content to explain.

"I'll tell you something no one else here knows, Naruto," he said slowly, and his eyes were narrowed and focused, urging Naruto silently to keep this conversation between them. Naruto nodded, curious.

"Deidara…" Morino looked as though he was searching for the right words, or perhaps limiting what he wanted to say. He was only silent for a second before he continued. "Deidara is a double agent. He was like you and offered to work for the Akatsuki a while ago and relay information to us. Things have gotten tight with them though, and it's been a while since we've heard from him… so seeing him tonight was actually a good thing."

Naruto stared for a minute. A double agent?

"Keep that between you and I, but just in case he ever shows up again, you'll know," Morino finished, and he nodded his head, looking as though he was completely satisfied with how the night had gone.

"It's funny, Naruto," he said after a minute, "that you're one of the few people I trust."

Naruto felt guilty momentarily before he nodded and tried to look flattered. "You're doing everything you can for me, and I want to return the favor," he said, and applauded his skills in verbal recovery. Morino smiled and slammed a hand on his desk, signaling the end of their discussion.

"I think we both deserve some rest, right?" he asked and Naruto nodded. Before Morino ushered him out he left one final statement hanging in the air, one that made Naruto surprisingly content.

"You're entire dorm has tomorrow off, so sleep in as long as you'd like."

That was exactly what he planned to do.

Nothing ever seemed to go as planned.

As Naruto twisted in his bed towards the morning light that peeked through his window, he groaned and realized that by now he should have expected as much. His muscles were sore and he had a slight headache; signs that the activity of the day before had taken more out of him than he had thought.

That and the first thing he could think to do was sit down at his computer and pull up a picture of Sasuke.

He frowned after a minute, wondering if he had become more like a stalker than a pursuer. It would be easier to just confront Sasuke rather than leave it to some random person to announce the fact he had managed to return nearly a year later. But instead he was forced to sit back and stare at pictures, hoping one day his fantasies would become a reality.

Naruto sighed.

He decided to research a bit on Suigetsu instead, less than willing to admit that he was more than curious about his competition. When he had met the man in the club, he seemed cool, calm, and threatening, something Naruto couldn't claim to be himself. Sure he had a gun and a badge but… it wasn't a secret that he was reluctant to use them.

Suigetsu was a powerful man, it seemed. He was rich and had just about as much control and power as Sasuke, which was impressive. Naruto could only imagine the people he came into contact with through his nightclubs, and how many resources—both good and bad—he had through his position as owner.

It made Naruto feel a little bit like he had been babysat during his first stay, but in retrospect, it didn't seem like Sasuke had minded. Although this time around, Naruto didn't want to be a burden. And while he definitely couldn't become a nightclub owner, he could definitely find a good job and hold his own.

He ran a hand through his hair before standing up and padding to the bathroom, anxious to take a shower. He felt grimy from the club, and the few hours of sleep he had gotten made him yawn more than a few times. When he was finished he dressed, stood in his living room, and debated on just what he was going to do with his free time.

Shooting practice seemed logical enough, so he gathered his things and headed out, anxious to distract himself. The more he thought about Suigetsu revealing his identity the more he questioned himself. More than that he was worried that Suigetsu would reveal that he had stolen the phone numbers, which would be more damaging. Especially when Morino seemed to trust him so much.

A cool breeze swept over the campus and Naruto glanced around, wondering just how much time he had spent on the internet. It looked like it was an hour or so away from noon, and there were enough officers out to make it seem like there was some sort of event going on. It was a Friday though, so it made sense.

He jogged up to the gunroom door to catch it after someone else, before it drifted closed, and when he stepped in. he was surprised to see Genma at the counter. He looked chaotic as he pointed down the hall and shouted directions to another officer about finding someone. When his hazel eyes snapped over to Naruto they widened and he hopped over the check-out counter with haste.

"Where on earth have you been?" he asked, and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"My room?" he glanced around and didn't see anyone from his dorm, and wondered what the problem was. It was unusual to see Genma anxious about anything, but this morning seemed to be an exception.

"Naruto, there's a problem," he said, and he glanced around the room before taking Naruto's wrist and yanking him away from the front doors into a more enclosed space. Naruto felt his heart pound. Suigetsu told them, was all his mind could process, and his lips parted as his breathing deepened.

"Naruto, Sasuke's here," Genma said, and it was as if everything in Naruto's mind stopped. Genma's lips were moving but no sound seemed to come out. He really hadn't thought that Suigetsu had heard his name—or that he would remember it.

But it was like everything was over for him—before it even began.

His hands were cold as Genma continued to glance around the room, his lips still forming words that were inaudible. Naruto was panicking. Naruto never panicked.

"…so you need to let Neji take care of it and get him out of here, alright? You have to—hell, just stay in one of the gun bays. He wouldn't come here…" Genma went on, and Naruto felt his mouth go dry, wondering how in one day, things could go from great, to nerve-wracking, to head-rush worse case scenario.

"Where is he?" he cut off Genma, and the brunet's face lightened a bit, before he replied, "The main building. Morino'll keep him there."

Naruto nodded and turned around, his thoughts still racing, yet his feelings numb at the same time. He didn't know what to do. Go and see Sasuke, or hide?

Hide.

He was scared to death.

After Genma had contentedly checked for an all clear, Naruto left for his apartment, convincing the older man that he felt more comfortable there. Genma didn't seem to mind, but he dodged off towards the main building afterwards, most likely to set Neji and Morino's minds at ease.

When Naruto arrived back at the dorm, he was surprised to see that most of his teammates were out and enjoying the weather. At least, Zabuza was seated under a quaint little tree reading a book, and Haku was sitting on the stairwell chatting with Kotetsu about something funny. Raidou and Izumo were seated in the front lobby, and Naruto wasn't surprised when Raidou gave him a dirty look.

What he had ever done to that man he would never know, but the defeated expression on his face must have been surprising because the older officer raised an eyebrow, but didn't bother to ask any questions.

Naruto veered left towards the mini cafeteria and grabbed a bottle of water, hoping he would feel a little better after a couple of gulps. He wanted his mind to feel less discombobulated and more determined, like usual.

But he had never expected to be in his current situation.

"What's got you so upset?" Raidou finally asked, almost as though he was irritated with the fact Naruto was just standing in front of the entrance, staring off into space. It snapped him back into reality and he shook his head, trying to look confident.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said casually, and felt like banging himself on the head for how rude it had come out sounding. Raidou snorted and Izumo looked a little baffled. Naruto figured it was because he wasn't ever the type of person to walk on eggshells, or look like he was a nervous wreck.

"Shouldn't you be out learning more on how to fit in?" Raidou said back, and his voice was calm and low. Naruto narrowed his eyes and felt upset. He wasn't in the mood for the grudge Raidou had, and the anxiety he felt about Sasuke being only a couple of buildings away was making his control wane.

"I don't really know what I did to upset you, but maybe now is a good opportunity to get it out in the open," he recommended, trying to make his voice sound as reasonable as possible. Raidou raised an eyebrow and Izumo looked like he was ready to take the role as mediator.

"I'm serious," Naruto said. "Normally I wouldn't care, but we're supposed to be a team," he said, and it was true. The dorm had become like his family, spare one Raidou. Naruto didn't like having people upset at him, especially when he didn't understand why.

"I wouldn't trust you as far as I could throw you," Raidou said, and Naruto walked towards him and smirked.

"It's good thing I'm light then, right?" And in comparison, Naruto's analysis was accurate. He and Haku were easily the smallest in the bunch, even though he had some nice muscles and water weight on him. Raidou didn't seem to find the joke amusing.

He stood up and his expression was mixed with irritation and boredom. "Do you honestly think that no one saw?"

That comment made Naruto pause. Saw? Saw what?

And then it hit him. The only thing anyone would see that would make them not trust him. He glanced down and noticed that he hadn't brought his icon, and frowned, throwing a determined glance up towards the other man.

"It's not what you think." He said firmly, and before Raidou could throw a retort back, he went on. "It's really not what you think."

Izumo looked more confused than Naruto had ever seen a person look in his life, and Naruto was relieved that it looked like Raidou hadn't told anyone about what he had seen. The relief didn't last long though.

"You think you're the first one to play this game, right?" Raidou said, and Naruto raised an eyebrow. Game? What was he talking about?

"You probably think that you've got an in with Neji, too. Working for the Akatsuki and then wheedling your way onto the force. I've seen faces cuter than yours that didn't fool me; I don't owe you anything."

Naruto was stunned. Raidou thought that he worked for the Akatsuki? That was ridiculous!

"What are you talking about?" he said with exasperation. His voice had risen without him knowing it. "Why would I work for that bunch of lunatics? I hate them!"

The argument seemed to have gotten more demanding because Izumo had stepped forward, his hands raised as though he were about to ask them to calm down. Haku and Kotetsu had stepped in to take advantage of the air conditioning, pausing as they caught sight of the beginnings of a dangerous argument.

Naruto hadn't noticed. He was determined to prove that he wasn't the person Raidou was making him out to be.

"You're an idiot," Raidou said "if you think I'll believe that. Suigetsu had a gun—he could have shot Kisame. He didn't—and only you were there. Why would you protect a mass murderer?"

Because I need to find Itachi. But Naruto couldn't say that.

"B-because!" he managed instead. "And if Suigetsu would have shot him, he would have killed him. We need him to find other members—for information!"

Raidou didn't look convinced, but at this point in time, Naruto didn't think it was possible. Haku looked anxious.

"Guys…" he said, and Raidou cut him off.

"And your ridiculous attachment to Neji, too. As if it wasn't enough you had to connive Morino into hiring you, you've got to sleep your way into one of our top officer's—"

"What the hell are you talking about? Neji is a friend—" Naruto began, but Raidou's voice only got louder, "Sleep your way into one of our top officer's heads just to steal information for your own selfish purposes—"

"I would never use Neji!" Naruto shouted, and his fists were clenched at his sides, his teeth gritted and his eyes more narrow than ever before. His comment seemed to silence Raidou somewhat, catching him off guard. It wasn't necessarily what he said, either, it was the fact that he had never risen his voice before.

"I am not working for the Akatsuki. I hate them. They ruined everything for me!" he stated and his voice was desperate and demanding. Kotetsu stepped forward, his hands held up.

"Naruto, no one thinks—"

"Obviously someone does," Naruto cut off, and he kept his eyes locked on Raidou. He hadn't even noticed that Zabuza had wandered in, obviously attracted to whatever commotion was happening. His presence was cold and absolute as he stepped forward, trying to make sense of the argument.

"There is nothing you could say or do to make me trust you, Uzumaki," he said conclusively, and Izumo looked skeptical.

"What do you mean, 'they ruined everything for you'?" he asked, and Naruto didn't miss the peaks of interest that everyone seemed to receive. He shook it off.

"Nothing," he said, and Raidou snorted, apparently finding satisfaction in the fact it seemed as though Naruto was displaying the fact he was very secretive. "Raidou, you've got the wrong idea."

There was a moment of silence where the room seemed to cool, and before Naruto could even manage to look at anyone else in the room, his attention was drawn towards the door where Neji was standing, looking confused.

"Did something happen?" he asked, although it was obvious.

Naruto's eyes must have told all, because Neji stepped forward through the small crowd, looking defensive. "What's going on?"

Zabuza snorted, trying to water down the situation, not wanting another fight to start. "Nothing that hasn't been resolved… somewhat," he said, and Neji barely glanced around at the confused and concerned faces in the room before narrowing his eyes at Naruto.

"Is he gone?" Naruto asked, referring to Sasuke. He ignored the fact everyone's attention was still rooted on him. Neji looked surprised and still confused and worried. He looked a little nervous to talk to Naruto in such a public arena as well, especially about Sasuke.

"Yeah, he got the paperwork and left," Neji said, and Naruto's eyes widened a fraction.

"He came for paperwork?"

Neji glanced around, showing his discomfort about speaking of Sasuke in front of their entire team. Naruto didn't budge.

"Didn't Genma tell you? Why, did you think it was—" Neji's eyes widened in understanding. "You thought…?"

Naruto felt ridiculous for a moment, and relieved. Sasuke had come to the station to pick up paperwork? It wasn't because he knew about Naruto's return… but because he actually needed something from the station?

Analytical eyes tried to make sense of the conversation and even Zabuza looked confused. The attention went ignored.

"Naruto, he needed the police report, for Suigetsu," Neji explained, as if he had noticed that vacant expression that had dulled Naruto's normally sparkling cerulean eyes. Naruto let out a breath and hadn't even realized he had been holding it.

"Neji," he said, and he shook his head before biting his lip. "I can't do this anymore," he said, and before Neji could respond he brushed past Izumo and bolted up the stairs, his hands clenched at his sides.

Neji stood stalemated for a moment before glaring up at Raidou who looked unaffected by any of the passing situation. Haku clapped his hands together nervously and bit his lip.

"Well, I think yesterday was just a little too much for all of us," he said softly, and Kotetsu nodded from the side, even though his attention was locked on both Naruto's retreating figure and the firm look on Neji's face.

Neji spoke loudly and it caught everyone off guard, even Raidou.

"Don't think that you know anything about him," Neji said, assuming what the confrontation had been about. He had seen the distaste Raidou had from the start, but the fact that Naruto had been put on the spot sent him over the edge.

Naruto was in enough of a bind as it was; he didn't need anyone else making life more difficult.

"Of course I don't. Getting to 'know' him is your job, isn't it?" Raidou said, the insinuation obvious. As if Zabuza had expected Neji to land a punch on him, the bulky man shot forward.

"Both of you—stop this!" he said, but Neji actually hadn't moved a muscle. He stood calm and placid, true to his reputation as the one officer to solve any problem with a level head.

"You'll regret saying that one day," he said. "You really don't know anything about him."

He was finished when he turned away shaking his head. When he reached the stairwell he turned back, his expression calm and calculating.

"If he doesn't stay Raidou," he warned, "you'll have the entire Akatsuki here, and the problems with time travel will get ten times worse."

Raidou snorted. "There's no reason Uzumaki would have any effect on time travel," he was confident in his retort.

Neji laughed and it was full of something smug. He shouldn't have said it, but it was about time people knew.

"Of course there is," he stated, "considering he's the one who invented it."

It wasn't the entire truth but it was close enough.

And after a common shock seemed to drown out every face below him, Neji turned and jogged up the stairs, eager to figure out what he and Naruto were going to do.

a/n: Yeah, Sasuke will be in the next chapter. About time, right? Heh heh.

Oh, and for those of you who are confused, I am not re-writing MiLoCo. I was re-writing another fic called It's All in Your Head, and the first chapter is already posted on my page. It's now called, :cue awesome theme music, 'The Wrong Side of Normal'.

Naruto Spoilers:

OMG I can't even tell you how my heart crackles and burns to a crsip every time I read the manga. I really hope Sasuke is smarter than this. He has to be. Madara is just using him, I know it, and in the end, he really has to save Naruto. And I've never seen Naruto so sad and ansgty! It breaks my heart!

D'ARGH. Friday never comes fast enough.