Misery Loves Company

Author: Ladelle

Rating: M

Comments: Okay, so I thought this chapter would be longer but...alas, it's my normal 12 pages. But I couldn't help but post in celebration of the election and all that jazz. Unfortunately I am sick again so I'm not going to write my usual long author's note. I still love you all and thank you for your reviews though.

Chapter 17:

His room was cold, despite the fact the sun had been in the sky for a few hours, its rays casting yellow shadows on his bedroom floor. Naruto had stayed under his covers for the majority of the night, and now—in the late morning—he simply watched as the shadows on his floor grew as the sun drifted higher into the soon-to-be afternoon sky.

Genma had taken him back after Naruto convinced him he was fine, even if he had lied through his teeth about how not sore his chest was. He hadn't wanted to stay in the hospital—from what fear, he wasn't sure. But he felt safer in his own apartment, away from anymore surprise visits from Danzo or Suigetsu.

Neji hadn't called or even sent a text message, and Naruto tried not to think about it. He had to decide, however, what he was going to do with himself now that so many things had gone wrong in such a short period of time.

He shifted under the covers and twisted away from the light, letting out a short breath. He felt exhausted. Mentally, physically—everything inside of him was demanding more sleep in an effort to forget what was real. But no matter how much he tried, every time he closed his eyes, memories would replay in his head.

Memories of him, of Sasuke, of the past he had traveled from—recollections of every event that led him to the situation he was in today. And for the first time, he wasn't annoyed or irritated. He felt numb.

The bed was no longer comfortable, a fact that convinced him to get up. He crawled out and managed to stalk over to his bathroom, anxious to take a hot shower, especially with how his chest was aching. After verbally commanding the device on, shedding his clothes and stepping underneath the steaming cascades of water, he frowned, his mind once again returning to his predicament.

"What am I going to do," he asked himself, although it was the same question he had been asking himself for hours and he still didn't have an answer. "I can't take this anymore."

And that much was true. Even compared to when Danzo had sent him back, this new surge of anger was much fresher in his mind, making his heart beat faster and his brain work slower. He felt stuck; caught in a mental block that reminded him of the cold days of winter and Shino's beat-up truck, stuck in fissures of snow as the tires twirled aimlessly in place.

But even in those old Colorado blizzards, he and Shino had found a way out.

Naruto sighed reluctantly, knowing his patience was wearing thin. He couldn't just keep waiting, playing by their rules. But on the other hand, what choice did he have?

Water trickled down his neck and he absently noted how much longer his hair had gotten since he had arrived. It had been so short, and now, he almost felt the urge to try and cut it himself. Bangs fell flat over his eyes and strands tickled his earlobes, but he swept both back with a gob of shampoo and scrubbed tirelessly, letting his mind wander.

Suigetsu wasn't a bad guy.

Naruto was determined to believe it. He was arrogant and defensive, two things Naruto could stand to live without, but he was a decent enough guy for Sasuke despite the scene at the club where he refused to speak against Orochimaru. Naruto begrudgingly forgave him for that, simply because he didn't know what etiquette you needed as a club owner these days.

But Sasuke… what the hell had Sasuke been up to the past year? It was one thing that Naruto had overheard him searching for someone, most probably his brother, but to get involved with someone like Orochimaru in order to do it? It was ludicrous. What did Sasuke want from his brother in the first place? Revenge?

Naruto rinsed the shampoo from his hair and scoffed. Of course that was assuming that Sasuke was searching for Itachi. Who even knew anymore. Naruto painstakingly admitted that trying to read Sasuke these days was as difficult as a class he once took to learn Latin. He was hot and cold, and while Naruto knew—really knew—that Sasuke was still attracted to him, the underlying fact that Naruto was turning into his own personified piece of bad luck ate away at him.

And it wouldn't stop, and he couldn't have a relationship with Sasuke until the waters were calmer. He had already dragged Sasuke down with him once before, and he wasn't willing to do it again. Thinking of Sasuke and Suigetsu together… the only reason it was okay with Naruto was because in his ill-tempered little imageries Sasuke was alive.

Something that car accident could very well have altered.

Naruto slicked a few drops of conditioner into his hair, soaping it up. He hadn't showered since before the crash, so he made sure to scrub ever fleck of dirt and spot of grime from his skin before rifling his hands through his hair, bathing it smooth.

When no more puffy bubbles of soap were seen twirling into the grated drain below, Naruto amply commanded the shower off and stepped out, hardly drying himself before he climbed into a clean set of clothes. He rubbed the towel over his head enough to prevent it dripping onto his back and sat on the edge of his bed, head in hands.

"What do I do?"

He still had no idea.

He knew in a sense that the only way for him to get what he wanted was to make sure the people that kept intervening disappeared, or lost their motivation for it. And the more he thought about it, the more he didn't even realize what Danzo's motivation was.

Why did that man hate him so much?

It was a stunning sort of thought, because Naruto once again had no idea. Perhaps he had something against travelers in general. Or, more likely, it had something to do with his involvement with the Akatsuki. And that was a whole other story that Naruto didn't want to think about.

The solution was that he needed to play the hand of cards he was dealt, and he needed to do it well. He needed to find some way to appease the people who were exploiting him without submitting himself to whatever their plans were. He was older now, and smarter.

He could play the Akatsuki and Danzo if he needed to. He just needed to find out what the connection was. And then, if he was lucky, he could find more information on Itachi's whereabouts and go to settle that. Despite the fact he didn't know he was the one Sasuke had been so diligently searching for, he was pretty convinced.

And Naruto was sure that if he used his knowledge to its best, he could find a way to come to an agreement with the man, one that helped them both. Though the idea of helping Itachi made him cringe… but if he could get Danzo off his back, he could worry about the lesser of two evils later on down the line.

He hoped.

At least he wasn't afraid anymore.

In fact, his resolution felt even more set in stone now that he felt like he had reached the bottom of the barrel. There was no place left to go but up.

A beeping noise caught him off guard and he glanced over to his nightstand where he had left his icon. It was glowing red; the intone of an incoming call. After dodging over he held it up to his mouth and accepted the transmission.

"This is Naruto," he said, and he was surprised when Kotetsu was on the other line.

"Hey. I'm supposed to tell you that you're needed for an interrogation down at the detainment center," he said, and Naruto let out a short breath. It figured that Neji wouldn't be the one relaying messages him today, or that Danzo took no time at all in putting him to work.

"Okay. Is it with Kisame?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah. I got a note asking if I'd let you know. I figured I'd call since no one's seen you since you got back from the hospital. Are you even alive?"

Naruto almost laughed before shaking his head. "Yeah. I'm good."

There was a pause before Kotetsu sounded again. "Good. I've heard some crazy things—you're going to have to tell me about them. I heard you got into some kind of accident with Sasuke Uchiha?"

Naruto's thoughts suspended for a minute before he nodded. "Yeah… it's a long story."

"Okay, I get it. The next chance I see you I'm taking you out for drinks. From what I've heard, you deserve some," Kotetsu concluded, and Naruto did chuckle a little after that.

"Alright. Bye Kotetsu." And the icon went silent.

Naruto ran a hand through his hair which was still wet, and stood up. He wasn't afraid anymore. Whether it was Danzo or Kisame, or even the both of them, he wasn't going to fail. He needed to get ahead in the game he was trapped in, and he was going to do it the only way he could think of how.

If Itachi wouldn't come to him, he would go to Itachi.

Neji picked at his sandwich, not as hungry as he had once thought. The only reason he had bought it was to try and distract himself, although he felt a bit foolish for thinking that food could distract him from the events of earlier.

He let out a long breath, his disappointment burning down to a quiet agitation that bubbled underneath his skin and festered inside his mind. He still couldn't understand it—it didn't make sense. How Naruto could be so infatuated with a man like Uchiha Sasuke he would never know.

But it didn't change the fact that Naruto was, and that there was no room for Neji in that particular picture. It was disappointing, agitating, and simply left him feeling numb and irresolute about what to do with himself now that he had admitted his feelings. They weren't feelings that would fade soon or easily, either.

Popping a pickle into his mouth, he cringed at the bitter taste before swallowing it away. He glanced outside the window of the café he was seated in and felt relieved, if only momentarily, with the way the sun lit up the inner-city sidewalks, making astro-cars gleam as they whizzed by. It was a subtle reminder that life goes on, even if he wasn't ready to admit that to himself.

After wrapping the remainder of his sandwich he stood up, freeing his table for a couple that had just wandered in. He wasn't going to eat anyhow, and he felt minutely convinced that he had been away from the job for long enough. His icon had even gone off a couple of times, but he couldn't bring himself to answer. A part of him feared it was Naruto calling from the station.

And not so strangely enough, he felt uncomfortable.

The sun fell like a warm blanket over him and he squinted his eyes as he paced over a careening walkway towards the parking garage his car was seated in. It was a little ways down, and finally, after taking a deep breath, he brought his icon up to his eyes to check his missed calls.

Morino.

That was bizarre, considering Morino had told he and Naruto to take a couple days off. Neji frowned, wondering what on earth the commander needed, and dialed the familiar four digit extension.

When Morino picked up, he sounded urgent. "Neji, please tell me Naruto is with you."

Neji instantly stopped. The more amiable side of himself made a joke about Naruto needing a leash, but the hilarity was flushed away when Morino's voice sounded again, this time with more desperation.

"Get back to the dorm. Find him."

And that was it. The icon went dead and Neji stared at it, a mixture of panic and confusion racing through him.

Had something happened to Naruto? Was he in trouble?

…had he run away?

Neji straightened the wristband icon and jogged forward, his mind racing.

Why he suddenly felt so nervous, he couldn't explain. But why he felt like it was his fault, he could.

Naruto shifted uneasily with the prospect of Kisame before him, Danzo seated quite invisibly behind a two-way mirror some feet away from him. His instructions had been simple enough—find out where the Akatsuki stronghold was. Although Danzo had added something frighteningly more dangerous to the assignment.

"You're going to escape with him."

And so some pieces fell into place as Naruto sat across the table from Kisame, his blue eyes riveted on the beefy and muscular man. He wasn't nearly as threatening when he wasn't dressed to impress, if Naruto ignored the way he grinded his teeth and stared in a very shark-like anticipation.

"I told them I would only speak to you," the man said, and he shifted in his seat, bumping the table with his knee. Naruto jumped a bit, still taking in the situation, still unbelievably angry at Danzo for playing both sides of the field.

Naruto felt like a piece of driftwood in the vast ocean that was the corruption that surrounded him. Danzo had planned from the beginning to let Kisame escape—he had probably even ordered Deidara to create the distraction at the club, leaving time for him and his own officers to finalize Kisame's release.

And since that hadn't worked out, Naruto had conveniently become plan B. He wasn't stupid. Naruto knew what was going on. And for the first time in his short-lived police career, he was willing to go along with it.

"I'm sorry about you getting caught," Naruto replied. "It couldn't be helped."

The only benefit of Deidara dying was that he never had the chance to tell Kisame that Naruto was a good guy. And if everything worked out alright, Naruto would play his cards directly into Kisame's hands.

If Danzo wanted him to leave with the Akatsuki, he had another thing coming.

"You're in a bad position here," Kisame said, grinding his teeth once more. "I know that commander's going to give us a chance to break—but when we do, you'll be forever one of us." He laughed a bit, mocking at how he sounded briefly poetic.

Naruto's face soured though he attempted to disguise it. "That's true. But I told you from the beginning that I had every intention of taking you up on your offer." That was a lie. But Naruto was livid, and thankfully, anger made him think a bit more clearly than normal. He was cleverer than usual.

Naruto suddenly remembered the first part of Danzo's request. "Tell me where we'll be going," he said, and he kept his eyes pinned to Kisame's, looking dead serious. His sudden intensity must have set something off inside the jailbird, because his eyes glinted.

"You know they can here us in there, right kid?" He motioned towards the mirror. Naruto shrugged.

"Danzo's the only one in there. If that. I doubt he would care, considering he's going through the motions to get us out of here and away from this city."

His argument was convincing because it was true. Why Danzo couldn't have just asked himself, Naruto had no idea. But he would play along; at least or as long as he could. Kisame snorted.

"Fair enough. Old New York. No cop is stupid enough to set foot in that territory; at least not if they value their life."

Naruto nodded, mentally packing away that information. He wasn't entirely sure what it meant, but he assumed it hinted that New York was some sort of no man's land, which was interesting. Why did bad things always seem to happen to New York?

The door behind them clicked open, and Danzo stepped in, looking stern. It wasn't until the door closed that he spoke, looking even more aged and crazy underneath the bright overhead lights.

"There's an unmarked car out there for you, as promised. The officers here were called to an emergency meeting, lucky for us. Naruto, I'll hold you responsible if things go wrong from this point on," he said, and Naruto felt a chill run up his spine. He felt his skin prickle and he narrowed his eyes, his hatred for the police commander growing into something he wasn't sure if he could contain.

"I'll give your regards to Madara," Kisame said, and Danzo frowned, not looking content.

"While you're at it, tell him to keep his precious Akatsuki out of my city. I can't save all of you," he almost hissed, and Kisame looked irritated before starting towards the door. Naruto was still a moment before Danzo gave him an intimidating glare, an expression meant to usher him out. It worked, and Naruto drifted after Kisame, surprised that the coast was as clear as it was.

He vaguely wondered what type of emergency meeting had been called, especially considering it was his station. His icon buzzed and he glanced down to it, seeing that it was Neji. Biting his lip, he ignored it.

"I'm assuming you'll be alright for a flight?" Danzo was behind them, urging them towards a back door that lead to the underground lot of the station's parking garage. The vehicle Danzo had mentioned was black and sleek, and Naruto felt himself grow nervous, even if he was confident in his conviction.

Kisame didn't spare the officer a glance before he opened the driver's side door and motioned Naruto over. "Of course."

Naruto frowned and shook his head. "I can't drive that," he said, and for the second time in less than two days he felt a surge of anxious adrenaline course through his veins. Kisame raised an eyebrow before scowling. "I guess now's the time you learn."

Naruto glanced back at Danzo who shrugged. "When they discover that he's escaped, they'll be looking for him driving," he said absently. "Get in the car and do what you're told. Don't doubt how far my reach is—and just how close Sasuke is in my range."

Naruto felt the anger bubble up in him again and couldn't hold himself back. He stepped forward and punched Danzo in the face, hard enough that he felt the older man's nose crush under the blow. The commander screamed out, and Naruto was surprised when Kisame yanked him back, eyes flaring.

"What the hell are you doing?" he growled, and Danzo's eyes, bloodshot, met his own with a dangerous force.

Naruto's face didn't change, malice and anger clear on it. "A going away present," Naruto whispered, and without another word he whipped out of Kisame's grasp, heading for the driver's side of the car. "Are you going to show me how to work this or not?"

Naruto stared at Kisame, ignoring the perilous look on Danzo's face, covered in blood. His wrist even stung.

Kisame chuckled a little when Danzo said nothing, only stood and seethed, before turning to Naruto. "I think I like you," he said, and his teeth grinded together.

That's the idea, Naruto thought and he slid into the seat, buckling the belt around his waist.

And after you all trust me, I'll break you.

With Kisame in the car, all doors locked, Naruto started the engine. Before too much time had passed, Kisame taught him how to lift off.

"Have you found him?" Neji burst onto the conference room, surprising everyone inside. It was everyone who was familiar; all of his teammates from the dorm and one very distraught Morino. When no one spoke, Neji's eyes drifted over the room, and his stomach dropped. "What's going on?"

There was another long period of silence before Kotetsu stood up, looking extremely guilty. "I thought the letter was from Morino—it said to tell Naruto he was needed for an interrogation."

Neji frowned and glanced across the room, his eyes finally making it to Morino's.

"Where is he then?"

The commander looked anxious. "He should be here if it was for an interrogation," he said and then he shook his head. "But as you can see, he's not."

Neji felt his mind set fire, a mixture of angry and worry overwhelming him. "What else did the note say, Kotetsu?"

The rest of the room was silent as Kotetsu spoke; even Haku was huddled on the floor, looking bewildered.

"Just for him to go to the detainment center. But the officers there—they haven't seen anything—"

"And Danzo's there," Zabuza stated, his voice thick. This was obviously a fact unheard because Morino and Neji exchanged a quick glance, the only two having known of Naruto's meeting with the older man.

"Danzo's at the facility?" Neji asked, beating Morino to the chase. Zabuza nodded yes, though he didn't look pleased. Neji's eyes found their way back to Morino's and they cursed, immediately taking off towards the doorway, leaving the rest of the group stunned.

"I don't know what's going on, but it can't be good," Morino said, and Neji agreed.

"Something's not right."

They both ran to the detainment center, not a couple hundred yards away, anxiety fueling their run. When Morino burst open the door, he immediately realized that no officers were on duty.

"What the hell—"

"Kisame's not here," Neji was staring at the security cameras, fingering the touch screen in an attempt to zoom in and see as many views as possible. The cell where the Akatsuki member was kept remained empty, however, no matter how much Neji willed his eyes to be false.

Morino kicked a trashcan, causing it to slam against the wall and roll on the ground.

"He let him escape," he almost laughed to himself. "Fucking Danzo let Kisame escape, and made Naruto go with him."

Neji glanced over to him, eyes wide. "What are you talking about?"

"It's exactly what happened at the club. Deidara wanted Naruto—Deidara works for Danzo. I'm not surprised if he is connected to the Akatsuki—"

The sound of leather being punctured was loud and inconsistent, causing Neji to jump back, momentarily surprised when he saw Morino collapse to the ground, a bloodshot wound to the back making him bleed onto the cold concrete below.

"Captain!" he yelled, but he was stopped when the culprit stepped forward, wearing a nasty bruise across a very crooked nose.

"Don't even dare," Danzo warned, and a few of his officers entered. He motioned towards Morino and Danzo, making the other officers come forward, their own weapons withdrawn.

"I knew something was happening here," he said to them. "They were planning this whole time to have the Akatsuki member escape with their traveler," he lied, and the officers came forward to arrest Neji and Morino.

"What?" Neji's face was in pure shock, and he was worried for Morino, who hadn't moved from his position on the ground. One of the officers tugged an arm behind his back and Neji tried to struggle free. "He's lying!"

The officers didn't listen and Danzo smiled wickedly. "Naruto Uzumaki even gave me this little bruise before he left, demanding to leave with Kisame," he said.

"What's going on?" Kotetsu and Haku burst into the room, eyes wide, and Danzo simply frowned. "You should be ashamed of your captain," he said. "Take them away."

Kotetsu and Haku exchanged dubious glances as the officers trudged out with Morino cradled between them, and Neji fought against the restraint.

"Don't' believe anything they tell you," he said hastily. He wasn't sure what to say, or who to go to. "Find Naruto—find him now!"

Haku jumped at the tone of his voice and Kotetsu looked bewildered as well as confused. As Neji was being dragged down the hallways, he yelled one last time before one of Danzo's men knocked him out cold.

"Before it's too late—go!"

Haku didn't need to be told twice as he dodged out of the facility, not missing the wry glance on Danzo's face as he fled. Kotetsu was close behind as they raced to the parking garage, still looking confused. "What's going on!?"

Haku shrugged and leapt into his vehicle, barely allowing Kotetsu time to get inside the passenger seat before the car was on and lifting into the air. He turned on a front computer system and Zabuza's voice came over the line.

"What's up?"

"Zabuza, Danzo's arrested Neji and Morino. I think Naruto's been taken hostage or something; Kotetsu and I are searching for him now," he stated, and Zabuza only answered with a, "Roger." They had been partners for years; they were passed the point of owing each other explanations.

"What is going on…" Kotetsu whispered, and Haku shook his head, taking a sharp right towards a main interstate.

"I don't know, but I trust Neji."

It was all he could say. Kotetsu nodded and strapped himself in before gaping out of the window. "I'm not sure if now's the best time to mention this but…" he frowned. "Two of Danzo's officers are on our tail."

Haku glanced back before whipping above traffic and gliding over the other vehicles caught in a bit of a traffic jam. "We'll beat them," Haku said.

Without questioning any motives, Haku floored the gas. He didn't have time to think or to ask questions. He only had time to do what Neji had asked.

But finding Naruto like this was a wild goose chase, and he knew it. So he was forced to sacrifice.

The only person with more resources than Danzo was Suigetsu.

Making a sharp right the astro car skidded through the air, flipping a U. He sped off, and Kotetsu frowned.

"You think he'll know where to find him?" Kotetsu had already figured out the plan. Haku bit his lip.

"We can only hope," he said, and the car sped forward, lights blaring, Danzo's men in pursuit.

a/n: The next chapter will be long, I can guarentee it.

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! I have pictures on Ochiba . net and a journal entry too if you want to check it out. The link is on my profile page.

I hope everyone's ready to read this week's manga! SPOILER: Naruto should ahve followed his intuition and gone HOME!

Thank you all for reading!