Disclaimer: It's time! And what is it time for? It's time for another Rehab chapter! Oh, I can't wait, and I know ya'll are anxious as to what I've got prepared in this chapter. I was going to update St. Marks, but I'm not totally in the mood for the tone that chapter's going to be in, so I decided to do this instead. Aren't you guys lucky? Well, actually, I'm really doing this so I can see if I can cement this idea I've got for a new story, but we'll see how that works out. So, just go ahead and enjoy this chapter, and watch, er...read to see if who you guessed who was going to be showing up correctly! :) Wow, I just realized, this chapter was freaking longer than I planned! I must have had a lot to say! Course, it ain't as much as my Secrets story, but hey. Still longer than the others.

Rehabilitation

Chapter 10

"Woah, Gaara, you okay?" Naruto turned slighty to his friend, noting the hard look on the redhead's face.

"What did he want?" Gaara asked calmly; a little too calmly. Naruto felt just the teensiest bit of worry, but ignored it.

"He said he wanted to meet at the crossing of Hokage Avenue. He's apparently got something that belongs to me, and he "wants to return it." Man, he pisses me off!"

"I'm coming with you, Naruto. There's no way I'm letting you go to that creep alone." Kiba demanded, turning back to stare out the windshield. Naruto's voice made him turn back around, though.

"No. It's too dangerous; I have no idea what kinda shit Sasuke's planning, and I won't have you involved. You're my best friend, but I won't let anything happen to you. Only Gaara's going with me."

Gaara smirked at Kiba, his cold eyes sending a clear message: "He wants me there more than he wants you there; what's that say how important you are?" Kiba huffed, but a glare from Hana stopped his protest.

"We'll respect your decision, Naru-chan; you know that. But only if you follow our conditions: you promise to be the safest you've ever been, you keep your phone on all times, and you keep this with you the whole time as well." Hana stopped the car just a few blocks from where Naruto needed to be, pulling open the glove department to remove...a gun?! It was small, and black. Naruto knew it was a Walther P99 Stainless, a nice gun to handle that shot extremely well. He was proud to accept it.

"Thanks, Hana. I can't believe you're giving this to me, though. Isn't it your favorite gun?" He asked, awed.

She scoffed. "Who said I was giving it to you? I'm only lending it. You have to promise to come back; I don't care if Gaara has to haul your scrawny ass to me. You will return that gun to me, alive." She commanded, and he sighed. But he was happy, too; she was perfect for a pick-me-up speech thingy.

"We'll just get off here, then. I hope we'll see you soon." He stepped out of the car, Gaara following him closely; he bent down to Kiba's window when his friend suddenly beckoned him close.

"Call us when you're ready for us to come for you, no matter the time. We'll take you anywhere you need to go."

Naruto nodded, thankful he had such good friends. He said goodbye, and took Gaara's hand. He gave him a cute little smile before preceding to drag him down the walk, down to a place he hadn't been to in years, and had never expected to return to ever again.

The steel doors made no sound as he opened them. They were hard beneath his palms, rough with dried blood that had long turned crusty over the years, yet hadn't disappeared, for now weather got to this area beneath the liquor store. This room; he'd dreamed about it for so long, nightmares conjured in his subconsciousness to torment him during the late hours of the night.

There were large bloodstains on the floor; near the door was where Deidara had lain with a large hole in his stomach, "defending their keep" so to speak from Orochimaru's men. Not five feet from it another bloodstain, smaller, from Deidara's boyfriend, Sasori, who'd tried to keep them both alive, but failed miserably. Hidan and Kakuzu had fought bravely as well, but had fallen near the inner doors, the doors that led to their personal chambers. The doors that housed the worst memories.

Naruto flinched slightly as he unlocked the huge double bars, typing in the eight digit code to unlock the steel. Gaara crowded close to him, providing him with support, which he greatly appreciated. Unconsciously, or rather unsure of why he did it, Naruto turned and pressed his head into Gaara's neck; for once the latter didn't flinch at the unexpected contact. Naruto nuzzled him for a few minutes, then broke away to face the room which he held no memory of; he'd forcefully blocked out such memories of it.

The center room, the parlor, had a billard's table, which held bloodstains and a broken poolstick. He and Itachi had been playing pool when Sasuke had brought Orochimaru in. Itachi had, of course, objected, and sought to throw them out, but Orochimaru's men came in, and overpowered him.

Near the back of the room, behind the throne-like chair that Itachi always sat in, was a small vent/passage-way. The same passageway Itachi had shoved him into, to escape relatively unharmed. In front of the throne was an even bigger bloodstain than the others; Naruto shivered, thinking that that was where Itachi must have met his end.

"There is a lot of blood here. The battles must have been fierce." Gaara commented, drawing Naruto back into his warm embrace. It was for his own comfort, as well as Naruto's; he didn't much like the feel of the place here.

Naruto turned his head a little to aknowledge the act, smiling a little, before he turning and leading Gaara right, not removing himself. He was leading the teenager to his old room, where Sasuke had said he'd meet him. He wasn't feeling as strong as he looked, and right now he needed someone else with him, to give him courage.

He sighed, and opened the wooden door.

"Are you sure that's where he went? You aren't mistaken?" Kakashi looked over at his companion, feeling slightly put out that he had to rely on someone else to find his adopted son.

"Yes. I recieved a...message, of sorts, explaining that I was to go there, and that he'd be there as well. Apparently he wants to meet with us both, for some unknown reason."

Kakashi sighed, resisting the urge to shiver at the sound of that voice. They'd only met nearly an hour ago, and already he was feeling a strong reaction to this...boy? No, man. That low, husky voice that resonated deep within him; he could listen to it all day.

Kakashi shook himself. No! What the hell?! He was supposed to be worry about Naruto, not thinking about this man he was with! Concentrate! His legs moved faster to carry him to his destination.

The ground was cold against his feet, dusty. The room reaked of old blood and mothballs. It was sickening, but he didn't really care. It felt like home; he had returned.

But there was no one to greet him. They were all dead now. Naruto sighed, turning to look at Gaara. Those teal eyes stared back at him, full of anger, yet...friendship. Gaara was here with him; Gaara would help him through this.

"I suppose we should wait." He sighed; waiting was always the worst.

"Would you prefer to look around some more? You said earlier that he'd given you 20 minutes before you'd meet; you have time to occupy yourself."

Naruto nodded. "That sounds okay. Actually, I just want to take a look in the closet in the parlor; see if what I want is still in there."

Gaara nodded, and they exited the large room, back into the parlor. The closet, he noted, was near the throne; the blond shivered a little when he got close. Gaara gripped his waist tighter, satisfied with the shiver and small sigh he got in answer. But, he let his friend go when he went to open the door, to give him room and privacy.

Naruto gulped before he gripped the doorknob, twisting it hard, for it used to stick. He opened it, and the smell of plastic and musk greeted him. Something furry dashed out across his feet, but he didn't jump. Instead, he knelt in the dust and searched blindy, until his hands came upon a familiar object; he withdrew it.

In the light, it looked stunning. Three stainless steel bars, each almost two feet in length, connected by chain links. It was heavy, it was somewhat dulled in its shine, yet it felt right in his hands. It was his old buddy, his best and favorite weapon he used to use in Sharingan. How he'd missed it. (a/n: If any of you have seen Jet Li's Fearless, it's basically the weapon the guy uses in the end, when he's fighting the champion(?) guy, a little before he gets poisoned.)

Gaara was impressed; he'd never seen such a miraculous weapon before. And yet, Naruto looked amazing holding it; he looked like a true fighter. Gaara just wanted to go up and hold him, hold him close and hoard that magnificance as his own, only his own. Of course, though, something had to come and shatter his moment.

"We should go; I just heard something. Someone's coming."

Naruto turned around, preparing to flee back into his room to hide the weapon, but a large hand suddenly caught his shoulder. He "Eeped!" turning to swipe at the offender.

"Naruto? You would attack me?" The voice was incredulous; it was light, lilting; different from Gaara's almost monotonous voice.

He gasped in fear and recognition; he knew that voice, a voice from the past. His frightened and anger-filled eyes turned up, staring into a face holding eerie yellow eyes outlined in black and long, black hair that had split ends. (a/n: It does!)

"Orochimaru!" He snarled, backing up into Gaara, forcing him away from the monster.

"Baka dobe. Why should I come alone, when I knew you weren't going to?" The other voice was cruel, belonging to the bastard Sasuke, with his ugly black hair with blue highlights that stuck up like a duck's ass in the back. Unlike his brother, Itachi, he had black eyes, whereas Itachi had awesome red ones.

Naruto was about to say something, something cruel, when he caught who stood to the side of and slightly behind Sasuke. Bright pink, obviously died hair caught it first, signaling who it was. The Bitch, Sakura.

"You know, Bitch, I've always known you were a whore, but hanging out with this lot just proves that theory true." He sneered, disgusted.

"Don't talk to my girlfriend that way!" Sasuke growled, stepping foreword threateningly.

"You don't talk to him that way, you bastard." Gaara snarled, stepping in front of Naruto. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but anything in hindsight never is.

"What did you just call me?!" Sasuke asked, before he lifted a hand and backhanded Gaara across the face. "Don't ever call me that again, you worthless piece of shit."

Gaara just stared at him, a thin trickle of blood trailing from his split lip, but he didn't deem Sasuke worthy of a response. Instead, he turned to look at Naruto, who had gone pale; yet his eyes took on an eerie chill. He was obviously pissed, more pissed than he'd been that day with the Kazekage.

"What the fuck do you think gives you the right to talk to him like that? What the fuck gives you the right to touch him? You're the piece of shit here, you traitor!"

Naruto lunged, his callous words and speed catching the trio offguard. His steel weapon unfolded, the end catching Sasuke around the neck, pulling it at an odd angle until he heard a satisfying wrenching sound. He smirked, watching Sasuke fall to the ground, his sightless eyes stuck on Naruto's face, a shocked expression lighting his own. He hadn't expected that, had never expected Naruto to do such a thing to his old gang member. It had been unthinkable, and yet it'd happened. He'd obviously underestimated him, a realization which wouldn't help him now, what with his cracked neck and all.

"Oh my God! You killed him! Naruto, you're such a freak; I can't believe you killed him!" Sakura screamed, holding onto Orochimaru's arm like she was about to faint.

"Shut up, Bitch, or I'll kill you too." Naruto's voice was deadly, and his eyes.

If looks could kill, was the thought everyone was thinking.

"I don't believe that will be necessary." Another voice, also unexpected; rough, husky, low, once more from the past.

Naruto turned, his deadly eyes going wide, shocked as tears formed in his eyes. "I-Itachi? B-but I thought you were d-dead!" He stuttered, staring at the form of the man standing in the doorway.

Itachi chuckled, his red eyes warming slightly as he gazed at Naruto. He wore his long black hair back in a low ponytail, like the old days, and wore the same odd, black cloak with red swirls on it that signified him as leader of the Sharingan gang. Under it he only wore jeans. It was his way of keeping the memory of his gang alive. "No, Naruto, I'm not dead. I thought I was too, if you must know. Some man came after the men left and took me to the hospital. I...I was the only one who made it." He looked down, but it wasn't really in sorrow. It was in rage at who did this to them. It was in rage at Orochimaru. He looked up and glared daggers, the same look Naruto had just had, only much more potent.

"Orochimaru. It appears my br-no, he's no longer that. It appears the traitor is dead. You're next." He began walking slowly to the smirking Orochimaru, a sneer crossing his face. Oh, yes; revenge would definately be sweet on this snake.

"Naruto, are you okay?"

Naruto turned; nothing would shock him after what had just happened. He nodded to Kakashi, who wore a worried look, but didn't say anything. He couldn't really say anything. He just wanted to leave.

Gaara sighed and, without looking at Kakashi, he drew Naruto into his arms, feeling the steel weapon bite into his stomach, but he didn't really care. He pushed Naruto's head into his neck, forcing him to forget abou what he'd just done, who else was in the room, until it was just the two of them, standing there in the midst of a battle raging between two powerful men mere yards away.

Naruto sighed and lost himself in the scent of his friend, who he supposed he could admit he didn't just want for a friend, and nuzzled closer, his lips brushing gently against Gaara's skin. Gaara didn't stiffen at the contact, but he did gasp; if felt...different. Not unpleasant, but different. Naruto smiled happily, then frowned when he heard a scream from behind him.

Something had happened, and he supposed he wanted to know what. He turned in Gaara's arms, anxious to see what it was. The sight was what he knew it'd be, and yet feared to hope for.

Itachi was standing with his trademark saber stabbed through Orochimaru's abdomen, slicing right through where he knew the liver to be, a sure-fire way to kill him even if he survived the stabbing. Smirking, Itachi drew the saber to the side, slicing clean through the skin to his side, withdrawing it from the snake's body.

"I would do more to you, to avenge my comrads, but I want the authorities to recognize your body to know who they need to feel did this. Goodbye, and may your soul rest in the depths of Hell, where you will forever burn in agony for eternity." Itachi thought it was a pretty well-delivered promise, and turned back to Naruto. "I'm sorry I couldn't contact you before this, Naruto; I was going through some rehabilitation. But I'm here now, and-Naruto!" He rushed foreword to catch Naruto's unconscious body, but Gaara, of course, beat him to it.

"I've got him. Kakashi, take us home." He ordered, somehow managing to support Naruto's body against his own.

Kakashi didn't bother protesting. "My car's waiting for us outside. You are, of course, coming with us?" His demand turned more into a question directed at Itachi, while he tried to ignore the perverted images conjured in his mind from all that he'd witnissed the man do.

Itachi shrugged. "Of course. I can't leave my little Naru-sama with you guys alone; you could corrupt him!" He spoke jokingly to ease his own tension, not that it worked that well.

You're the only one I want to corrupt. The thought came unbidden to Kakashi, and he shivered involuntarily. Damn it! Stop thinking about that! As usual, his hentai mind refused to obey him, and conjured up another, hot image for him. He above Itachi, pale legs wrapped around him, him thrusting deep. Or, even better, he was below Itachi, his legs wrapped around Itachi as he was pounded into. He groaned out loud, against his will.

"Hey, man, you alright?" Itachi asked, laying a hand on Kakashi's shoulder as they walked.

Kakashi shuddered and walked faster, false cheer in his voice when he spoke. "Of course! I'm just glad everything worked out!"

"No, it didn't." Both turned to look at Gaara, questioning looks on their faces. "Where'd the Bitch go?" He asked; even crude language sounded good in his voice. :)

Everyone looked around; he was right; Sakura was gone.

"Oh, shit." Itachi muttered. Kakashi echoed him, although he actually said, "Oh, fuck."

"Pant, pant."

She had to keep running. If she kept running, then maybe she'd escape. Those were her only thoughts. She had to get to the police, to tell them what happened. Her dear, beautiful Sasuke was dead, her dear Orochimaru was dead; she would be dead too, if she hadn't escaped!

But she'd outsmarted them. She'd gotten away, and she wasn't dead! They'd all pay for what they'd done, she'd make sure of that!

"Oof!"

She ran into something hard, and fell to the ground, her lungs burning as her legs burned. She looked up to curse whoever had stopped her, but her eyes only widened in fear. She began to shake her head frantically; no, it couldn't be! She'd been so close! No!

"Oh, yes. It's time to die, little whore." She flinched. "That's right. I've heard all the nicknames you're called, but I especially like the name the boys gave you from school. The Bitch; it definately suits you. Heh. Time to die, Bitchy Whore."

She tried to scream, to make some sound to alert others of her oncoming doom, but it came too fast to stop. A sweep of a bone sword, a slow draw, and the seeping coldness that made her numb. Her death stole over her; it wasn't fast, and it definately wasn't painless.

Sakura Haruno died slowly and at the hands of a merciless killer, and he watched with emotionless eyes. All was returning to the way it was supposed to be.

Woo hoo! Everyone I hate is dead! Yay! But, I wonder who killed Sakura? Of course, there was a very big hint, if you read it through and didn't skip over the part, but feel free to tell me if you know it! Funny. Anyway, yes, Itachi and Naruto are finally reunited! Of course, this whole chapter and angst and fluff mixed together, which really shouldn't be happening, but I hope it worked out for the best. But whatever. Mes Lecteurs were practically begging for another update, and I was in the mood, so I provided! I rock. But please, just go ahead and review for me, and tell me what you think! I'm guessing there's only going to be maybe, five, six more chapters? And I'm also wondering how intense you're wanting relationships to get! So like I said, please review and tell me all that you think!

Ayame