Misery Loves Company

Author: Ladelle

Rating: M

Comments: Okay, so...yeah, I don't think I can do review replies anymore. I tried SO hard...! But there were SO many and I was busy...Agh, worst author ever.

But I do read them all and I love every single one and I am so grateful to have inpsiration like you guys to egg the stories on. MLC has been my addiction this past week, but after this chapter I need to get around to updating some others so don't threaten me, LOL.

I'm going on a mini-vacation on the 6th-9th so if I'm unusually quiet from my little communities there beith the explanation. I'm going to a little mountain town where I won't have any internet and while I am excited, I'm also really scared, hahahaha. The other night I had to shut off my computer because it was storming pretty bad out, and I swear I just stood in my living room for a half hour staring at the wall before I decided to just go to bed.

SAD TIMES.

Anywho, to make a long story short, I'm going to work really hard to get things updated before I take off. Also, I'm sticking a new link on my author page for the game company I work for in hopes that some of you might be searching for a fun new Gaia-like online gaming community. (I did the boat game!!)

Chapter 11:

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Naruto shot back and he couldn't help but clench his fists at his sides. All of the anxiety, shock, and pure unadulterated anger inside of him had bubbled in the pit of his stomach before surging through his veins in the form of adrenaline.

Naruto stared at a loss for words as Sasuke turned to look at him, his expression vacant and unforgiving. Pink lips curled downward in irritation and Sasuke Uchiha's voice was cold.

"Exactly what it's supposed to mean," he replied, and concluded the statement with another. "There's no reason for you to be here."

Naruto couldn't ever remember being in a situation where he couldn't bring himself to speak. He couldn't ever remember being so confused and frustrated that if he opened his mouth, he was afraid he would stutter.

There was a first time for everything, however, and seeing not even an ounce of acceptance in Sasuke's demeanor made his normally passive personality flare into a fierce and angry determination.

"If you think I spent two years of my life trying to get back here just to hear you say that, then you better think again," Naruto growled, and he felt his eyes narrow as his voice rose. He glared up at the corporate mogul, almost having forgotten that Sasuke had a couple inches on him. When Sasuke only glowered back at him, Naruto continued.

"You've got to be kidding," the blond said, trying to make sense of the situation. "All of this time—and I'm not lying, Sasuke—two years—I could only think about this place, about you. I'm not going to just believe that your feelings for me changed so quickly," Naruto stated, and to his surprise, Sasuke lowered his eyes and looked not only disbelieving, but angry and hurt.

"If you worked that hard to see me, it's fascinating that I was the last person to know you were even here. Assuming you even left in the first place." The criticism behind the cold words made the room feel stagnant and stuffy; not even Naruto had expected that argument.

He felt his face flush, completely caught off guard. "What are you talking about?" He raised an eyebrow and stepped backwards, offended that Sasuke would even hint that the devastation of having to return to 2007 was a lie. "Assuming I left? I didn't have a choice!"

When Sasuke didn't say anything, Naruto felt his head spin. Was this really what he had been waiting for? The person he loved, the person he had sacrificed everything for simply dismissing him, not even willing to listen?

"I swear to you, I didn't have a choice," Naruto's temper fell and his voice turned slightly desperate. Desperate for Sasuke to listen, desperate for him to understand, desperate for him to believe. "Danzo and Morino made me go, Sasuke. I didn't have a choice, I—"

"If that is the truth, why the hell would you work for them?!" Sasuke threw his hands up and glanced around Morino's office, finally seeming to snap in the situation. His eyes were wild and he looked demanding and irate. When he continued, Naruto was surprised. He had never heard Sasuke so angry and so dismissive.

"I trusted you when you said you wanted to start over with me. I trusted you when you said we needed to go back—even had faith that if you could make it back here from the past, you would have. A year passed and now I find out you're in league with the people who sent you back, and—" Sasuke flared, "—and I want nothing to do with any of it."

He whipped around and stalked towards the door, but not before Naruto leapt forward and grabbed his wrist, his own anger feeding off the Uchiha's. "You knew that we had to come back here. You own a company—we had people to protect—you know that!" When they had met at the airport so long ago, Sasuke had been convinced that they escape together, away from the States. To think he held the responsible choice they had made above Naruto's head made Naruto clumsy with fury.

When Sasuke tore his hands from Naruto's, blue eyes widened. For some reason the action hurt more than any of the brunet's words. How had things between them changed so much? So much that Sasuke couldn't even have Naruto touching him?

"I'm not stupid," Sasuke stated finally, waving a hand at Naruto's appearance. "Look at you, you're all grown up."

Naruto couldn't help but glance down at himself and then back up, his eyes narrowing. "So what?"

Sasuke soured. "What happened Naruto? Did you go back and get bored? You didn't feel important anymore? And then just assumed I'd be waiting for you here if you came back?"

"What the hell are you trying to say?" Naruto shouted, angrier than he could ever remember being. "It took me one year to build the stupid thing and another to graduate from college! I thought I was doing you a favor by getting a degree! I worked my ass off to get back to you!"

Sasuke snorted. "It wouldn't matter if you won a Nobel," he commented. "None of your education is useful here."

Naruto stared in utter disbelief. Was this really happening? He couldn't believe it. His head was already going numb and he was shaking, too shocked to really take in any of his emotions.

"So that's it," Naruto said softly, and he felt his shoulders fall and his eyes soften, looking for something in those olive-colored eyes. "I mean, it's not as if you even waited for me anyway," the words were full of hurt, especially considering the situation. Sasuke frowned.

"Don't look so upset," Sasuke said noncommittally, "and if you are upset, then go back. After all, it's not as though you're gay anyway."

Naruto didn't bother responding and let his vision fall, too caught off guard to properly defend himself. He didn't' even know what Sasuke was angry about. And why Sasuke was angry at him, even. He hadn't done anything wrong.

It struck Naruto that Neji hadn't lied when he said that things had changed… and Naruto was beginning to see why his partner had told him that getting Sasuke back was going to be no easy task.

Naruto didn't bother to ask Sasuke to move before he brushed past him towards the door, turning his head only slightly to direct his comment at the man behind him.

"If you really wanted me to go back, you wouldn't have made Suigetsu employ me," he said briskly, confident in his words. Sasuke only snorted.

"I owed Neji a favor is all," he replied and Naruto shook his head.

"I…" he couldn't bring himself to look at Sasuke before he turned the knob on the door.

"I really love you," he admitted and he pulled open the office door and drifted out, not wanting to see what sort of cold expression Sasuke was giving him from behind. It must have been a powerful look though because as Suigetsu eagerly brushed past Naruto, a hint of envy and aggression swept over his features.

Neji and Morino were standing sidelong at the end of the hallway, both looking as though they had expected everything that had happened, and like they couldn't bring themselves to look at Naruto afterwards. Neji was leaning back against the pale white wall with his arms crossed over his chest, and when he did glance up, his eyes seemed to read everything.

"Naruto—" he began, but the blond merely walked past them both, ignoring the comment. He didn't want to talk to anyone, or explain what had happened. He didn't want Neji to say he was sorry, or for Morino to try and make the situation sound better than it was. He just wanted to be alone, and to think about what he was going to do.

A rough hand touched his shoulder and Naruto shot an agitated glare at Morino, whose eyes widened before the grip released him. Naruto continued out of the facility, the weight of the evening too much for him to take.

Neji cast a glance to Morino as the door slid shut behind Naruto, and buried his head in his hands, massaging his temples. The past couple of days had easily been the worst of his entire life—not being able to protect Naruto after he had vowed to made his head feel heavy with defeat.

It was all too obvious that Naruto's meeting with Sasuke had turned out to be stale and bitter, something else he had predicted. A wave of guilt pulsed through the officer as he realized that the whole encounter had been his fault—but in his defense, making Sasuke take action had been the only way to ensure Naruto would be able to stay.

When Suigetsu and Sasuke finally emerged from Morino's office, they both looked irritated, only Suigetsu looked more or less egotistical about the whole encounter. He cleared his throat.

"This kid better be worth the paperwork," he said evenly. "My clubs aren't easy places to work at, and I don't intend on babysitting."

Neji glared up at the club owner, even more irritated with his demeanor than Sasuke's. He was the rich son of rich parents who made a living off of being rich, and despite whatever resources he had, it was impossible for Neji to see him as anything different. Although the fact that Sasuke had so easily given up on Naruto for him was probably what made Neji so agitated.

"He's not someone you need to baby-sit," Morino said firmly, his voice as agitated as Neji felt. "For Christ's sake, if I had known this would be the last resort I would have told him to just disappear for a few years."

Neji shook his head and glared up at Sasuke, feeling irate that things had gone so badly. "Thank you for what you did, I'm grateful for it. You can leave now."

There was an obvious and open hostility between Sasuke and Neji, and one not necessarily unfounded. Sasuke merely glared before striding forward, leaving one comment lingering before he and Suigetsu exited the building.

"Don't act so angry," he stated. "After all, you got exactly what you wanted."

Neji watched as they left and Morino gave him a questioning look before Neji waved it off. "It's nothing. We should start on the paperwork," he said, and drifted off to the office, waiting for his commander to follow him.

Naruto wasn't sure how he had ended up in the training area, but the cool night breeze felt good against his skin and the trees surrounding the complex all whispered in a way that reminded him of the mountains. He remembered how purple they were against the horizon, and how the white tipped ridges stuck out like daubs of paint against a crystal blue summer sky. He had given up that beauty for this new world—this new Colorado, one without pine-blanketed foothills or open fields of wheat grass.

No, this new world was nothing like the one he had come from, but he had known that. As much as he loved nature and the outdoors, something inside of him adored the silver skyscrapers that buried once-open land, and the giant skyways that surged across the sky like the old Hot Wheels ramps he played with as a kid.

There was something mysterious in this new world, something unknown that drew him closer and closer to it. The more he thought about it, the more he came to understand that it was the feeling of constant adventure and constant adapting that kept him so intrigued.

Who else in their life could say that they had been a fugitive, a paper-pusher, and police officer all in the span of a couple of years? And that wasn't even including the fact he had used time travel to make it all possible. But even though the future made life more exciting, he didn't want it to be a constant runaround. He wanted stability—he had hoped for it.

In the form of Sasuke.

Some part of him had known that it wouldn't be as easy as he had hoped. He had predicted that Sasuke would have questions for him, and even some doubts due to their separation. But Naruto hadn't questioned the fact that Sasuke had begun dating someone else; he hadn't even planned on saying anything about it at all. It was normal for people to move on—but Naruto knew that Sasuke hadn't.

It was a feeling deep inside of him, swirling in his stomach, making his head pound and his heart ache. He knew that Sasuke still cared for him, no matter what excuses the mogul tried to make. Owing a favor to Neji, Naruto thought, and he shook his head.

Sasuke was stubborn. If it was true, he could have said no. And Suigetsu—the club owner obviously had some hostility of his own for Naruto, and one Naruto openly took as jealousy. It was almost obvious, with the way his intimidating eyes looked to burn holes through his being.

"And now I have to work under him?" Naruto asked no one in particular, and tugged at his hair after letting out a growl.

"UGH! Hey you—! Up there!" he glared up at the sky and pointed a finger, wanting to take out his frustration on something, and settling for the one thing he was able to. "Can't I ever get a break!?"

He watched as the sky remained unmoving, no shooting star or burst of moonlight to signify that his question had been heard. He frowned. "Are you even listening?"

From behind him, a deep voice made him jump and whip around, his instincts from training bringing his arms to his sides.

"If you keep yelling like that, everyone can't help but listen," Raidou was seated on the bleachers near the work out track, and most likely had been the entire time Naruto had crept out onto the grounds. The bleachers were hidden under willow trees, and were in shadows due to only one hanging lamp above them. Naruto's face fell and he shot his eyes back up to the sky, frowning.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about," he sighed, but he was surprised when Raidou grunted and continued to stare at him, his expression less threatening than usual. Naruto glanced over to him.

"Are you here to laugh at me or something?" he asked, and to his surprise, Raidou looked irritated.

"I was here because the dorm was too hot," Raidou commented. "Unless you came here for me to laugh at you?"

Naruto stared, and almost smiled. Had Raidou just cracked a joke? Was it even possible? Naruto let out a deep sigh and walked over to the bottom ledge of the bleachers, feeling the burden from before return. He felt like he was invisible, despite being perfectly alive.

"Look, I really—" he started, but Raidou cut him off.

"I'm sorry," he said, and Naruto looked up at him, confused. Even in the shadows he could see the older man's face seeming more reserved than usual, and Naruto shrugged.

"If I saw some guy stealing phone numbers from a criminal I probably would have been suspicious too," he stated. After all, Raidou had every reason in the world not to trust him.

"Why did you do it?" Raidou asked, his tone still cool and assertive. He didn't fully trust Naruto, but he was giving him a chance. Naruto was grateful for it.

"I'm looking for Itachi," he said evenly, and he turned around to face the field, leaning back against the metal railing and using his elbows for support. He glanced up at the sky, trying to find stars to count.

There was a long period of silence before Naruto decided to continue. He wasn't one to divulge his feelings randomly, but his head hurt and he felt more confused than ever before.

"He killed Sasuke's parents, you know, and because I made such an effort to time travel it all ended up getting linked to me," of that he was sure of. "Sasuke is in trouble, I can feel it, and I want to fix what I made wrong. I could have done more back then… more to stop him. More to stop Itachi."

Naruto hadn't even talked to Neji about his feelings from the last trip. He had kept them bottled, hoping they would fizzle away when he came back and claimed what was his, and fixed the problems he had caused. Even though he had wanted to be with Sasuke, getting Itachi had been important, too. Itachi had been the one to put Sasuke through so much pain… and Naruto couldn't forgive that, even if he wanted to.

"I didn't mean to screw everything up. I came back to fix it," he said honestly. "And even though I am sure no one knows, Itachi still has a list—a really important list—of everything you need to make a time machine," Naruto cocked his head back to view Raidou, and the older officer looked calculating. "Jiraiya and I made two," he continued, "I had one… and Itachi took the other."

Silence stretched a span of time before the metal of the bleachers creaked, implying that Raidou had gotten up and was now walking down the metal stairs to Naruto's level. Naruto turned his attention back to the track, enjoying how empty the campus was, and feeling a little better that some of his innermost thoughts had been freed.

"You didn't let Suigetsu kill Kisame because you wanted information," Raidou said in an almost thoughtful tone, and Naruto nodded.

"I mean, I don't know what kind of travelers you've met, but they must have been bad people," Naruto stated. "I have my own reasons and my own goals… but they're nothing like working for the Akatsuki. And after tonight… I'm beginning to think I'll have to put them on hold, anyway."

Raidou came to stand next to him and Naruto felt a little small beside him. It didn't bother him, but it made him take a deep breath before putting his head in his hands, forcing back the tears he knew had been threatening to come. He was stronger than that and he knew it, and he jumped forward and blinked them back before walking off, hoping that maybe he could at least get some sleep before everything in his life changed yet again.

He tossed a wave back to Raidou and smiled before saying, "You know, despite you being a jerk most of the time, it was really good working with you."

And with that he dodged off, not noticing that for the first time, Raidou looked concerned for him.

Naruto couldn't sleep and he wasn't surprised.

The dorm was quiet and bugs chattered outside, crickets singing in nightlong harmonies. In any other situation it would have been relaxing. In Naruto's case, as he stared at his ceiling and tried to pull in some sort of comfort from the small flat he had come to call home, only new questions pushed and pulled at his thoughts. After a few hours of thinking, he decided to focus on something else.

In result, he left himself to trace the curved architecture of his room, numb, bored, tired, and spent. His resolve had been dented a bit, but he wasn't as easily dissuaded as he had been when he was younger. He cared for Sasuke and had sacrificed too much to let one encounter ruin everything he had dreamed of.

The sun was hot in his room before he had even realized it had risen, and after a bout of reluctance and exhaustion he dragged himself to his bathroom and showered. He took in as many features of his first apartment carefully, having a strong feeling that without working as an officer he wouldn't be able to keep it. It made him sad, and he sighed.

As he rinsed the shampoo out of his hair and dried himself off in his bedroom, he let out a deep breath. He put on a sharp pair of black denims and a tight orange t-shirt before absently ruffling his hair, letting it spike up naturally.

"There's no use crying over spilled milk," he told himself, and he nodded. "Besides, working for Suigetsu is a way to be closer to Sasuke…" and he felt devious for thinking it, "and they say to keep your friends close and your enemies—"

A knock came from his front door and his eyebrows furrowed, wondering who it could be. As soon as he jogged out and popped open the door he was bombarded as his fellow housemates sifted in, shoving past him like he had agreed to host some sort of party and had forgotten about it.

Kotetsu had an armful of what looked like foiled breakfast burritos and Izumo had a pack of flavored water, and Haku smiled as he pulled a pad of paper from under his arm and a pen from behind his ear. And when Naruto wasn't sure if he could become any more confused, Genma brushed past him as did Raidou, both exchanging a quick nod to him that made him feel more comfortable than he had in a long while. Even Zabuza came jogging in, almost as if he thought he had been running late.

And when everyone was successfully seated in his living room, laughing and chatting and passing around breakfast, Naruto merely closed the door and glanced over to them with an eyebrow raised.

"Um, guys?"

They were all content in what they were doing and no one responded, so Naruto crept up closer to them. Kotetsu grinned up at him and tossed him a burrito, and Genma grabbed his wrist and yanked him down onto the sofa to sit down and join in the conversations.

"What is this?" Naruto asked, and he glanced around nervously. Everyone looked at him in between bites and Kotetsu grinned.

"As if it's not obvious enough, word travels fast around here," he said, and from next to Naruto, Genma nodded.

"Especially when no one's really making an effort to keep it confidential, except for Morino."

Naruto took a small bite of his burrito and his eyes fell.

"I—" his first thought was that it was about the phone numbers. The second was that it was about his history. The third ended up being true.

"We heard Danzo came for you and that because of it you've got new employment," Izumo explained, and Haku nodded from beside him.

"It's not a secret that none of us like Danzo," he said peacefully, "and we've come to a unanimous vote that we all… kind of liked having you around here." Bright brown eyes met Naruto's own blue and the blond felt a little awkward at the attention. He glanced over to Raidou who was making a conscious effort not to look at him, and felt that somehow this had been arranged by him.

"We didn't mean to corner you," Haku said sweetly, and Naruto shook his head.

"No, no," he waved his hands dismissively, "I'm just surprised. A lot has happened in the past couple of days." He unwrapped his burrito and there were a few collective nods.

A dull silence overcame the room and all of the officers seemed very thoughtful. Kotetsu, unable to contain the curiosity pulsing from his energetic aura, sat forward.

"So… did you really invent time travel?"

Izumo smacked the brunet on the back of the head and Raidou rolled his eyes, and even Genma let out an impatient sigh.

"What?" Kotetsu glanced around quizzically, and Naruto laughed.

"I didn't invent time travel," he said, wondering just what Neji had implied. When all eyes perked with interest he set down his burrito and leaned forward, not sure how much to divulge.

"Back in 2008 I was in college, researching cryogenics," he explained, "more specifically, how to freeze living organisms into a stasis that can be reversed later," he glanced around and realized he had gone into science-geek mode, and attempted to simplify. "Basically the freezing and thawing of things…" the result of that statement was much more positive as the other officers seemed to nod.

"Anyways, I figured out how to do it without having too many adverse side effects, and my fiancée and best friend kind of… used it on me." Even Genma looked surprised, although Naruto was fairly positive that not even he knew the entire back story. And when Naruto remembered all of the details, it really ended up sounding dramatic.

"They froze you?" Kotetsu asked, and Zabuza snorted.

"How did you manage to fall for something like that?"

Naruto threw his hands up and chuckled a little, knowing that the story was very wild in its own. He had been through many experiences other people could only write novels about, and he wasn't sure how to not seem like a victim when telling them.

"I was drunk," he said, as if it explained it all. "And so I woke up here and met Shikamaru—" and Kotetsu's eyes widened.

"The sexy bartender at San Marcos?" the brunet said, and Naruto grimaced. Maybe saying names was too much; but he did trust his teammates. He nodded.

"Yeah, and from there I met Neji, his cousin, Sas—" he inadvertently cut himself off and shook his head, also thinking that most of the people he had been associated with were known criminals. "A lot of other people. Near the end I learned how to make a time machine from an old man named Jiraiya, hence me getting sent back, and managing to return."

Naruto really wasn't willing to go into any other details. It seemed like enough though, because even Zabuza's eyes were buggy with interest. "So you're one of those book smart types?" he asked, and Naruto shrugged.

"I'm whatever I need to be," he said casually, and it was the truth. He did whatever he could to fit in—if he needed to be a scientist, he could do it—if he needed to be a police officer, he had proven he could to it. He was versatile.

"I can't believe it—so all of the confusion a year ago was because your friends deceived you?" Genma asked, as if he had heard some of the story before. Naruto nodded and decided that he had shared enough information about himself. Mentioning Itachi or the Sabaku's would probably complicate things, and assuming that most likely no one knew of Sakura or Kiba, mentioning their names seemed pointless too.

"I really hoped I wouldn't have to tell any of that," Naruto sighed before picking up his burrito and taking a small bite. After he had chewed and swallowed he laughed. "I caused more trouble than I should have, and it looks like the same thing is happening again."

No one seemed inclined to comment, unsure of what to say. No one really knew what he meant, but he assumed that Danzo showing up was a big enough hint that he was bringing unwanted attention to their station. Raidou, after a moment of silence, snorted.

"Danzo is not our commander and if he was, none of us would be working here," it struck Naruto as a childish comment, coming form such a muscular and determined man. But everyone in the room nodded and Zabuza groaned.

"Though even if you say that, Raidou, it won't change the fact that he's still around."

Naruto finished chewing another bite and Haku shook his head. "Whenever he's around, nothing feels right," he said.

"And that's ultimately why we're here," Genma explained, leaning forward. "If Danzo sees you as a threat, you're probably the first thing this world needs."

Naruto blinked and bit his lip, unsure of how to take such a compliment. He nodded and Raidou let out a submissive sigh, and said something Naruto would have never imagined him saying.

"If you need anything, come to us," he stated. "Danzo will do whatever he can to get his way… and while I'm not sure what his aim is, you'll need people you can trust."

"And you can trust us," Haku added, smiling.

Naruto felt overwhelmed, surprised at how quickly everyone seemed to accept him, and determined to do them right because of it. Danzo was going to be his biggest challenge from here on out, and he felt more prepared for it.

"Thanks," he said, and from behind them, his door opened, emitting a sound that startled them all. When Naruto turned his head to catch sight of the intruder, he felt his eyes lower, feeling guilty about the way he had acted the night before.

"Morino," he said, and the commander glanced around and rolled his eyes.

"And here I thought something was wrong," if his voice had been a bit higher it would have sounded closer to a joke. "None of you have your icons on, the entire lobby is empty, and the training grounds have tumbleweeds," his eyes followed the circle of people, knowing and aware.

It was as if for the first time everyone was on the same page, and it meant a lot to Naruto to see that look of fatherly intention in Morino's eyes.

"Alright, everybody out. Breakfast is done, the weight room is open for you, and I have some things to discuss with Uzumaki."

Almost everyone gave Naruto a reassuring glance before cleaning up their trash and sifting out, leaving Naruto and Morino standing in an awkward silence. Naruto had gotten up to throw away his wrapper and to close the door behind the people who had left, and meanwhile, Morino had come forward to take a seat on Naruto's couch.

When they both met eyes, Morino sighed.

"Things never work out as planned," he said, and Naruto nodded, feeling comfortable standing. He put his hands in his pockets and looked out his balcony window, admiring how blue the sky seemed through them.

"I'm sorry that I got you into trouble with Danzo," Naruto said, "and that I was so rude last night. I've had a lot on my mind."

Morino waved his hand as if Naruto were apologizing for nothing and let his eyes follow Naruto's gaze. "You had every right to be. You have more to think about than anyone here, I think," and after a moment's thought, Naruto realized it was true.

"I don't want to leave here," Naruto stated honestly. He felt active, he had friends, and he was as close as he could hope to be in finding Itachi—a goal he was still resolved to do. From the couch, Morino nodded and then looked at him quite seriously.

"Then don't," he directed. Naruto gave him a confused look, and Morino continued.

"As much as this will damage my hard-ass image to say, I like having you here too," he explained. "Although it may be for more selfish reasons. You're a traveler and the Akatsuki wants travelers… and we want the Akatsuki. You're like a middleman we could have only ever dreamed of having."

Naruto laughed. "I don't mind being a middleman," he admitted.

Morino stared at him and Naruto blinked. "What?"

"It's obvious when the wheels in your head start turning," Morino said, and then added, "so when I make this offer, you have to promise me that you won't do anything stupid."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, wondering what he meant. Did Morino know that his goal was Itachi?

"Even though your citizenship employment will be at one of Suigetsu's clubs," and Morino rolled his eyes, looking irritated at the thought, "you can still use this department as secondary employment. That means you can still live here and work here—you just won't be able to count any of it towards your citizenship resume."

Naruto's eyes widened and he stepped forward. "Seriously?"

Morino nodded but looked firm. "I'm being serious, Naruto, when I say not to do anything stupid. It makes more sense to have you living here anyway with your background, but I don't want missions like the one with Kisame going wrong."

Naruto nodded quickly and felt a strange sense of relief flood through him. Even when things didn't work out for him, more doors always seemed to open. He felt excited and hopeful.

"Morino," he wanted to hug the guy, "thank you."

There was a long pause of a silence that was very understanding, both of them thinking about the newer possibilities that had opened. When Naruto frowned, Morino gave him a questioning glance.

"What's the matter?"

Naruto glanced over to him and shook his head, his thoughts strangely focused on Sasuke. He still didn't know how to sort out his feelings from that conflict in his head, but Morino seemed to be a mind reader. The older man hauled himself off the couch and motioned that he was preparing to leave.

"Don't worry about it so much," Morino said, and Naruto was surprised when once again, the commander sounded more fatherly than anything else. When he reached the door he spoke again, but didn't turn back to face Naruto as he did so.

"Uchiha…" it was as if he wasn't sure how to say it, "Don't give up, Naruto. As much as you've done for him he's done for you during this past year. As one of the only people who has seen him cry—a year ago, after you were sent back—I can assure you that Sasuke Uchiha is just completely surprised."

Morino left the apartment, subsequently leaving Naruto staring at the door that closed behind him. He was going to have to work harder and he was going to have to be stronger.

Because if what Morino had said was true, which he didn't doubt, and Sasuke had cried for him, he owed Sasuke a lot more than he originally thought.

a/n: I discovered something about my writing today. You can ALWAYS tell a transitional chapter by the page breaks in it, LOL. I mean, there is a LOT of important info in this one but I had to weave it towards Suigetsu and his job offer. Which should be a big focus of the next chapter.

From here on out there will be more Sasuke and since everyone knows about Naruto, we'll be seeing a lot of old faces. You guys know how I develop things kind of slowly though, so everything will come in due time. It's going to get really angsty/dramatic/romantic and of course, the real adventure of this story is yet to come.

Dagh, and now I'm all giddy again. I need to go write a chapter for another fic before I lose my resolve.

Naruto Spoilers

I wonder what the toad's back says?? Although I have been wondering this for a while. I'm glad Shika got Naruto smiling again, and I feel like...we're finally seeing the adult side of him. Naruto has a lot on his mind...and I can only imagine what will happen when he becomes 'the one'. Friday takes too long to get to, man.