A/N: *scratches head* yeah...i kinda forgot i even had this chapter written already...anyways, next one is on the way, as well as updates for the other stories. FYI, I don't own Naruto, just this plot and my OCs. Enjoy.

Chapter 41: Reunions and Confessions

The kids huddled around Astair, wishing they could catch a break. Astair assured them everything would be alright. They desperately wanted to believe her, but life had taught them hard lessons. They could all remember the things they had gone through at the Center and all of them refused to ever go back.

Astair shushed them and told them that would never happen. She even told them stories about things in the past…things she'd never told anyone else. "I was rescued from the Center, just like you guys." she said with a smile. The kids gasped and looked at her with wide, curious eyes. She nodded.

"I was around your age when I was taken from my home by my father's business associate. He killed my parents and took me to the Center." the kids huddled closer, not only for reassurance, but now so they could hear her story.

"Like all you guys, they did painful things to me. They stuck needles in me, made me watch horrible videos, and…other…things." the girls cringed and huddled even closer to her. She smiled gently at them and put her hands on some of their cheeks. She continued her story as they watched her raptly.

"When I thought I couldn't go on anymore, I made a friend. He was the same as us…the man with the red eyes had done horrible things to him…things no one should ever go through. But he always smiled." she smiled as she thought of his face. She'd seen him, before she'd gone blind. "He was kept in a tank, like a goldfish. He'd often said they treated him like a family pet instead of a freak." she laughed lightly, drawing several giggles and chuckles from the kids. She could feel the tears building up. She would never get to see him again…she just knew he was dead.

She cleared her throat and smiled at the kids again. "He even took care of me when they almost killed me. I was in a deep trance. It was one of my special abilities when I was growing up. I could slow my vitals down to the point that people would think I was dead." several of the younger kids made noises of wonderment, but the older kids were listening raptly.

"When I went into this trance, they put me in the tank with my friend. He cried for me, thinking I was dead. However, I could not awaken from the trance or I would have drowned. He took care of me, stroking my hair to keep me calm and making sure that the evil men did nothing to my vulnerable body." she smiled at them and several reached out to her. She touched them and they relaxed.

"The day I was rescued, they used electricity to keep him away from my body. They took me out and took me into a room. They chained me up so that I was hanging in the air and waited. I managed to rouse myself from the trance, but a piece of me was missing. I felt alone, scared and I wanted my friend back. He was so important to me…I did not want to be without him." she could see the dreamy looks some of the girls had and the rolling of the eyes from some of the guys.

"That's when Sakura-sama came in and rescued me. She blew the doors off of my prison and threw the guards through the glass and into the observation room with the evil man." the guys perked and listened carefully at this. "She was much taller than she normally is and had a tail and cat ears." many of the kids made noises of wonderment at that. Astair smiled.

"She melted through my chains and healed me the best she could, but my eyes no longer worked. They had been damaged beyond repair, when they had 'killed me'. Sakura-sama took me out of there, and gave me a new purpose in this life." she smiled at the kids and pulled a small girl into her lap. "My children…all the children of Gokuraku, are my purpose for life now." the kids smiled, she could feel their happiness. She laughed and hugged the little girl tightly.

One of the kids asked her about her eyes. She smiled sadly and touched her eyes gently. "My sight had been failing for a while after they took me from my home. The experiments and the torture they put me through damaged them very much." she smiled as she remembered something her friend had told her. "When I was sad, my friend would always tell me that-" she was cut off by a voice that was both familiar and foreign to her.

"When we get out of this hell hole, I'll be your eyes Astair. We'll find a way…together." Astair stopped breathing and her eyes were open wide. Her breathing picked up as she stared ahead of her. She knew that line, even if the voice was somewhat foreign. She gently put the child in her lap down and stood up slowly. She put her hand out in front of her and took a step forward.

"Su-Suigetsu?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes and voice. She heard a familiar chuckle and she let out of sob before she was engulfed in an all too familiar hug. She could feel his arms tightly wrapped around her, holding her to him. Suddenly, her head was tilted up and she felt a pair of lips pressing firmly against hers. She gasped and he took advantage.

She heard some of the kids making noise at the sight and she blushed lightly. She put her hands on his chest and curled her fingers into the material lightly. The kiss slowly tapered off and she blinked several times, not realizing that her eyes had closed when he'd kissed her. She slowly ran her hands up his face, feeling each and every detail.

"It is you…how did you get out?" she felt him stiffen and then relax as she continued to caress his face. He then felt her stiffen and stop all motion. "Is that what I think it is?" she said in a deadly voice. Suigetsu stared at her in amazement…she'd changed so much.

"Astair, what-" he was cut off when Astair whipped out her hand and something went flying at the person that had just appeared behind him. A roar was heard and Suigetsu turned to see Juugo pinned to the wall. Sakura appeared seconds later, blood on her clothes.

"What's going on here?" she asked in an authoritative voice. Astair hissed and put herself between the children and the three that just appeared.

"What's the meaning of this, Sakura? Why have you brought a cannibal here, where my children are?" she asked in a harsh voice. She felt the little girl that had been sitting in her lap earlier cling to her leg now. Astair heard Sakura make a noise and then Juugo's roaring stopped.

"He's another one of Madara's failures, Astair. Would you really turn away someone that had been treated even worse than you or I?" Suigetsu asked in a quiet voice. This was not the same angel from his past. This woman was dangerous. Astair gasped as she heard the man she'd been so close to say those words.

"Suigetsu…you brought him here? Why? Why bring such danger to my children?" she felt sick as she thought about it. It was then that Sakura spoke up.

"Juugo's not a threat to the children. Believe it or not, he's not a random killing machine. There's a method to his killing…and he's never killed a child before." Astair cocked her head to the side and listened. Sakura knew she had the woman's attention. "From what's in his mind, he's been in cryo-phase a long time. When I made the raid that brought us the kids, he was released. I don't think Madara meant to, but he did it. Juugo was weak from lack of food. Even through the haze of starvation, he went after the scientists…the people who hurt the children. He bypassed all the cells, even though they were empty."

Astair turned her face towards the cannibal and narrowed her eyes on him. "So, you're saying that even in his killing frenzy, he has a conscience?" Sakura closed her eyes and held out her hand. Suddenly, the markings of frenzy overtook Juugo and he was struggling to control himself.

"Don't do this…please…I don't want to hurt people…" Juugo hissed as the markings crawled all over his body once more. Astair watched as Juugo pressed back against the wall to prevent himself from hurting anyone. When the markings overtook his eyes, he bent his head, growling. Astair could hear a faint chanting and wondered at it. She listened very carefully. She could hear the insistent chant of 'kill me' coming from the huge male. Astair looked at Sakura and nodded.

"I believe you…now change him back. He is suffering unnecessarily." Sakura nodded and just like that, Juugo was back to normal. The large man was blinking and looking around. He looked at himself and stared. He was normal once more. He looked over at Sakura, who looked a little tired.

Astair sighed and turned to look at one of the kids behind her. "Nell, come here sweeting." a young girl, around seventeen, stepped forward. She looked slightly frightened, but Astair smiled at her sweetly. "Nell, precious, I need you to take Mr. Juugo up to the west wing, where most of the other boys stay. Put him in the 'S' Hall. Give him the large room at the end of the hall." the young woman nodded and looked back at Juugo, who looked slightly nervous.

"I do not wish to impose upon your home, Ms. Astair, nor do I wish to put your children in danger." He looked at Astair as she gave a light laugh.

"I'm putting you in 'S' Hall for a reason Mr. Juugo…it's where the Akatsuki have been living. Anyone that comes from the Center that has dangerous qualities that could at some point become a danger to my children are there. It's only temporary, though. Just until I'm sure you are sincere. I will not watch any of my children get hurt. " Juugo nodded and followed the young woman. Astair's blind eyes trailed after the two, even though she could not see them.

Suddenly, there were lips on her neck and she jumped. There was chuckling in her ear and she blushed again. "Suigetsu…what are you doing?" she asked in a quiet, slightly husky voice. The water shifter chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm getting reacquainted with my first love." he whispered and nuzzled her. Astair blushed, but before she could say anything, Suigetsu picked her up and they disappeared. The last thing she heard were the hoots of laughter and the jeers of encouragement.

Astair could feel his smirk against her neck and wondered what he planned to do with her. He'd never been so affectionate and she wondered if it was because he'd always been under surveillance or because these feelings were a recent development. She wondered where he'd taken her until she felt cool water lapping at her feet. The familiar smell of salt had her laughing lightly.

"I finally get to come to the ocean and I can't even see it." she said in a sardonic voice. She felt Suigetsu stiffen behind her and she sighed. "I didn't mean it like that Suigetsu. This is the first time I've ever really regretted losing my eyesight. I want to see you…I want to see the things you promised me when we were still captured." She felt Suigetsu pull her closer to him and wondered at his actions as he laid her down on the sand. It was slightly cold and surprisingly hard. Sand usually wasn't that hard.

Suddenly she felt cold water overtake them and she gasped in surprise, clutching at Suigetsu. She was breathing heavily as the cold water ran up them again. She made a few noises of discomfort and she heard Suigetsu hiss slightly. "Is it too cold for you, my little shi-ho-su?" he whispered gently against her ear as she shivered. She took a deep breath and concentrated on him and not the water. She found his body incredibly warm despite the things done to it so long ago.

She clung to him, his warmth seeping into her. Pretty soon, she didn't even notice the cold water and she reassured him that she was perfectly fine. She felt him shift slightly and then he took her hand in his. She felt him tracing her hand gently and wondered what he was going to say. What he said, kind of shocked her.

"I've loved you since they first brought you in, Astair. When they put you in my tank and I thought you were dead…I thought a part of me died as well. After they took you from me, I was bitter and angry. The only person that I knew was partially responsible for what happened to you was someone named Haruno. But when I met her in the forest, she was very protective of that male with red hair. She didn't seem the heartless killer Madara made her out to be." She could feel him rubbing her hand and rubbing his face in the crook of her neck at the same time.

"Sakura-sama has been very good to me. When she found me, I was just a shell of the person I had been. My soul was tired and ready to seek the solace of the afterlife. Sakura-sama kept me from doing that. She said there was a purpose for me yet…that I had reasons to live and that I could help children deal with the things that no one else could understand." Astair stroked his face and smiled.

"She was right. Over the years, many children and young adults have passed through my doors estranged from society and broken in mind and spirit. When they leave my care, they can return to normal society and take up the appearance of normal people." Suigetsu just watched her as she smiled and stared blindly up at the sun. "I can give them the things I was never given after I was taken." she then turned her blind eyes to him, her smile soft and loving.

"When I first glimpsed you, even with my failing sight, you were a gorgeous man. Touching you, remembering you the way you were when we were younger…I've come to realize that I loved you, as well. Even then, when I was sure I was dead. I regretted never telling you, never showing you. I prayed every day you would escape and somehow find me, but after so long, I finally gave up. I thought you were dead." tears fell from her eyes as she looked at him with sadness. Suigetsu made a noise and buried his face in her neck.

"I thought you were dead as well. I was enraged at Madara for what he'd done…I've been plotting his murder since he took you from me, all those years ago. I've portrayed myself as an obedient, if arrogant, slave to that man. But I never, for one second, forgot about you." he said as he lowered his lips to her and kissed her. She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed for several moments before Astair gasped from Suigetsu's touch.

"You…you were never…this…affectionate…bef-fore." she half moaned, half panted to him. He chuckled wickedly and nuzzled her.

"Neither of us were in any position at that point for something like this. We're not children anymore, Astair, and my passion for you has burned all these years, completely unanswered. It's you…it's always been you. If I can't have you by my side, in my life, there's no reason for living." he said huskily as his hands traced under her clothing. He slid aside all her clothes and allowed himself to explore her.

Feeling a little uncomfortable being confined, he started removing his own clothes. When it was nothing but the two of them and the surf, he pulled back and looked at her. He was a little nervous. "Astair…" before he could say anything more, she wrapped her legs around him and urged him on. He smiled, thankful he didn't have to put what he wanted and felt into words.

Without further hesitation, he kissed her and quickly pushed into her. He noticed she stiffened, but didn't scream. He remembered her crying after a few of the scientists had done things to her and he whispered to her. "I love you Astair…you are my everything. I want to give you everything Madara robbed us of. I want us to be together, me, you and your kids. I want us to be a family…I want to give you children of your own, I want to do things that make you smile…AH" his ramblings were cut when he felt her clamp around him. He smiled and started moving.

"Gods, Astair…you're perfect, my perfect woman, my ideal lover. Mine!" he growled, and thrust quickly into her. Her soft sighs were like music to the water shifter. He smirked and decided it was time his talent became useful. He concentrated hard and suddenly Astair screamed in pure ecstasy. Her blind eyes were wide and there was an intense red blush on her face. He chuckled and kept himself tightly against her, grinding his hips ever so slightly. However, his minute movements had her screaming at the top of her lungs. He smiled and took her nipple into his mouth. He loved how responsive she was to him.

Sakura could hear water dripping as she made her way through the cave once more. After she'd brought Gaara here, she'd been called back to Gokuraku to deal with Astair and Juugo. However, it was all over now and she had an injured mate to deal with. She thought back over that wound. There was something not right about that wound. It had a lingering decay on it, like the weapon responsible for it had some kind of poison on it.

This had Sakura's eyes narrowing and she ran to the back of the cave, where she'd left her mate. She found him, hissing in pain. The wound was now black around the edges. Sakura hissed angrily. She transformed completely, Saiki coming out to assist her human host save the man she loved.

'Sleep, young human. I will heal you and leave you in the care of your woman.' Gaara nodded and closed his eyes. As soon as he did, darkness consumed him. Saiki stared at the wound and sniffed it. It was as she thought…it was old world poison. Something that had originated on Sakura's home planet. Saiki began healing him. Slashing her wrist open, she coaxed Shukaku to the surface. 'Shukaku…come to me, Shukaku.' she said in a seductive manner. Suddenly, Gaara's body jerked and there was hissing coming from his mouth.

'Dammit…what has this cub gotten me into this time!?' came the irritated voice of the ancient tanuki demon. Saiki chuckled and offered her bleeding arm to the other demon.

'Drink, Shukaku. The cub must recover soon. Sakura worries about him and I do not like her upset.' She heard grumblings about beating the kid senseless and other useless threats, but the large tanuki took her arm and began feasting on her blood. She moaned at the feel of his lips on her skin and looked at him with dilated silver eyes. His eyes seemed amused but he said nothing. She hissed at him and swiped when he started chuckling at her embarrassment.

'Were it not for my koneko, I would tear you out of that boy, consequences be damned.' this had the tanuki chuckling again.

'Then I guess I should be thankful she is so in love with my container.' Saiki hissed and crawled on top of the human male's body. Shukaku looked interested and smirked. Before he could comment, Saiki forced him back, bringing Gaara's mind back into control. She then withdrew and left Sakura, lying on top of Gaara.

Saiki could hear Shukaku chuckling. 'You know what is going to happen when the cubs wake. The boy is going to want to mate. Your blood will trigger his instincts.' Saiki curled up in Sakura's mind and closed her eyes.

'I know. They've needed this time alone. It's been a while since they've shared each other. It is not that way between mates.' She then went to sleep, trying to recover from the healing ritual.

Lotus woke with a start. She was sitting up in her bed and looking around wildly when Madara came in to check on her. He noticed the wildness and cocked his head. Was this a side effect of the life force transferal? He noticed her grip her head and hiss.

"What did you do to me?" she hissed and glared at him. He arched a brow and looked at the men behind him. They shrugged and he looked back at her.

"What do you mean, Lotus?" the woman arched a brow and Madara noticed that she wasn't acting like the cool, emotionless Lotus at all.

"Lotus? Who's Lotus?" the voice came out of the girl's mouth, but it seemed off. Madara's eyes widened as he regarded her. The girl looked around and then down at her own self. "HOLY SHIT! This isn't my body!" she bolted out of the bed and into a corner, staring at the people before her. Madara reached out for her and she suddenly cried out, gripping her head. He watched things flicker over her face until the cold eyes of Lotus returned. She looked up at him and stood, going and sitting on the bed.

"That woman you put inside me…she's fighting to take over my body. Did you even-" he noticed her gasp and struggle for a second, her eyes flickering between cold and angry. The cold eyes won out. She was panting when she looked up at him again. "Did you even check to see if she had any unusual abilities? This girl was a strong psychic." Madara stared in wonder. He'd never seen any type of emotion flicker over her beautiful porcelain face and now that it had, he wasn't so sure he liked it.

"We had no idea. I'll get a suppresser." Lotus nodded and laid down on her bed. It was about this time that she started talking to the newly acquired soul inside her.

"Be silent. You are a guest inside my body and that is the only way you are still living. You will stop this foolishness now or I will lock you away in the furthest reaches of my mind." She noticed the immediate stillness and sighed. She had to get this woman out of her somehow. She was deteriorating her mind, even if she restored health to her body.

Everyone was walking around nervously. They'd all been sent back to the mansion, after being told that Sakura and Gaara would not be returning until later. All they could do now was hope that Sakura and Gaara would return soon. However, it was Temari that seemed to be worrying the most. Ino and Kiba had taken the twins with them so that they could take a bath and get ready for bed. Shikamaru had his hands full trying to calm his overanxious lover.

"Temi-chan…" he said for what seemed like the hundredth time. The blonde was still pacing. She looked over at him and shook her head.

"I heard him, Shika. I know it was him. He screamed…he got hurt." Shikamaru sighed and walked over to her. She needed something to take her mind off of this. A smirk pulled at his mouth as he walked up to her. He distinctly remembered there being a pool somewhere in this mansion. Thinking back, he outright smiled…it wasn't too far from this room. Without warning, Shikamaru hefted the blonde onto his shoulder and started packing her down the hall.

"NARA SHIKAMARU, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU TAKING ME!?" she screamed, clawing at his back. He groaned and popped her over the rear.

"Stop that Temi…it's turning me on…" he growled. Knowing now was neither the time or the place for that she stopped scratching him, and started wiggling instead. He bit her hip lightly and she stopped moving altogether. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched as he hauled her away from their room. She heard doors slam open and the smell of chlorine reached her nose.

Her eyes widened as she realized what he intended to do. Instead of trying to get off him, she wrapped herself so tightly around him that it was impossible for him to throw her. With a smirk, she looked up at him, thinking she'd won. However, he arched a brow and then jumped into the cold, chlorine filled water. Temari screamed as they went in together. She came up spluttering and shoving her blonde hair out of her eyes. Her makeup, thankfully, was waterproof, but her temper was flaring.

With a growl, the eldest Sabaku pounced on her lover, trying her best to drown him. He laughed as she dunked him several times and then he caught her, dunking her. When he brought her up, he kissed her passionately. Her anger drained away just as the water did and she moaned into his mouth. She felt him smirking and wondered about it, until she remembered that she'd been wearing a white shirt and a skirt. She pulled away from him and gave him a dry look.

"You threw me in here because you knew my shirt would become transparent." she noticed the confusion and then the realization. He looked down and his eyes glazed over. She arched a brow at him. "Well if that wasn't why, then why did you through me in here?"

His head snapped up and he looked at her, but his gaze kept traveling downwards. "Uh, I…uh…" she could see a bit of drool coming from his mouth and smiled to herself. She pressed herself up against him and watched him turned red. This was by no means their most intimate contact, but she found it infinitely cute that he blushed when they did things like this.

"Shika-kun…Why did you throw me in the pool?" she asked sensually. He shook his head and tried to answer again…this time he actually succeeded.

"Mind…get your mind…off…worries…" his gaze went back down and he suddenly leaned forward and took her nipple into his mouth, through her shirt. She gasped and thanked the heavens above she'd not worn a bra today.

Tenten was still bright red from having be found naked in the woods with an equally naked Neji on top of her. She'd been shielded for the most part, but it was still an unpleasant experience. Neji, however, didn't seem phased at all. She wondered if he was that used to nudity or if he was putting up at front. She walked over to him and noticed that the back of his neck was as red as Gaara's hair. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist.

He turned in her arms and she could feel him shaking. She smiled up at him and noticed that the color had finally reached the rest of his face and he was intensely red. She kissed him on the nose and laid her head on his chest. "It's alright, Neji-kun. They were bound to find out sooner or later." she noticed him glare at the door and wondered.

"That's easy for you to say. It's not your butt they were making comments about." he grumbled, making her giggle and then burst into laughter. She looked up at him with love in her chocolate eyes.

"But Neji-kun…it's a very NICE butt. One that is very grip-able and firm and gives you the power to do those wonderful things you do to my body." she said huskily, drawing slow, circular patterns on his chest. He smirked and looked at her, a glint in his eyes.

"Grip-able, huh? Why don't we test that theory?" Tenten squealed as Neji picked her up and threw her on their bed. She laughed and smiled as he started removing her clothes.

"Insatiable!" she giggled and shook her head. He smiled up at her as he threw her bra to the floor beside their bed.

"Completely." he growled and took her nipple into his mouth. All talking stopped there as they enjoyed each other's bodies.

Karin was worried. When Sakura had ordered them back to the mansion, she hadn't seemed herself. It was like something dreadful had happened and she was trying to hide it. She noticed Kankuro was fidgety as well. She walked over to him and kissed him lightly. He pulled her into his lap and sighed. After a few minutes, he sighed again.

"Well, sitting here worrying wont help anyone. I say you and I go and research this development a little more so that when Sakura and Gaara return, we'll have solid information." Karin's smile was radiant and made all Kankuro's worry dissipate. They walked out of their room to the library, where they proceeded to investigate this property.

Lacey, Lee, Ino, Kiba, Naruto, and Hinata were all in the main hall, watching the kids play together. Shino and Sai had their little one in the observatory, allowing him to play with the butterflies and the other insects that flocked to Shino. The sunshine was also good for Sai. Chouji, Michi, Cheela, and Eto were in the kitchen, talking and making a grocery list. No one had any idea that it would be late, late that night before anyone saw Sakura or Gaara.