Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

A/N: Hey people! Thanks for pointing out with Sasuke's past age issue…I kinda mistype it (smiles guiltily). Either way it's been fixed now. Arigato!

CHAPTER 6

"So he's in Konoha? Dosu," asked a brown dog demon who is standing on a cliff overlooking Konoha village. "This place seems so peaceful; it's hard to imagine that someone like Orochimaru-sama came from that village, so when are we going to strike?"

A bandaged badger demon steps into the clearing and answered, "Don't be too hasty Zaku, it may seem peaceful in these areas, and the Konoha pack is one of the strongest packs around."

"But their Harvesting Festival is coming soon, won't their security be laxer then?" asked a female fox demon as she fingered her long black hair.

"Yea, and there will be fireworks, we can just snatch him under their noses when they are watching it!" exclaimed Zaku.

Dosu glares at him and replies, "Even so, we must be cautious, Sasuke-kun is a newcomer in the pack and there's no doubt that he is continuously observed, one wrong move and we can all end up dead! Besides, you mustn't forget that Sasuke-kun happens to be one of Orochimaru-sama best fighters, his abilities rival Kimimaro and Kabuto, and there's no doubt that he will be expecting us. After all, Orochimaru-sama trained Sasuke-kun himself specially."

Zaku snorts, "I don't see what is so special about him just because he's an Uchiha!"

"And there's still another matter, after all, their alpha male of the pack happens to be the infamous Kyuubi," said Kin matter-a-factly.

"There're many factors that can result in the failure of this mission, and we all know the consequences of that failure."

Zaku and Kin look and Dosu fearfully and gulps. Failure is not an option in the Sound pack and Orochimaru is never known for his kindness.

Dosu stands up and look onto the red horizon, "Let's go then, to Konoha!"

*****

The Harvesting Festival is approaching in less than a week. Everyone is busy with the last minute preparations. Pack members of different rank run around the den with different duties at hand. Decorations are place in every corner of the houses brightening up the den instantly. Stalls of all kinds are build on the streets, promising a huge buffet on the night of the festival. As the grown pack members busy themselves with numerous affairs, the youngsters are skipping around the den with excitement for the largest festival of the year. There is also a huge rush of last minute shopping for yukatas, the traditional clothing that is required to be worn of the Festival Night.

"Sasuke, what do you think of this one?" asked Kakashi as he holds a yukata in front of him with a smile beneath his mask.

Sasuke, who is standing in a corner of the store trying to be unnoticeable as possible twitches. 'We have been doing this for the pass 3 hours! Isn't he slightly bored about this? Besides, why is he asking me anywhere?'

"It's fine Kakashi."

"That's what you have been saying for every single one I've shown you!"

"If you don't acknowledge my opinions, why are you bothering to ask me?"

"Come on Sasuke! Those aren't sincere, besides, I need to look nice for my dear Iruka-chan!"

"Then why don't you ask him to come shopping with you?"

"I need to surprise him Sasuke, one shouldn't bring a mate for shopping if you want to surprise him, didn't you know that? Besides Sasuke, you're my co-beta, it's your job," replied Kakashi as he wags his wolf tail in front of him.

Sasuke is highly tempted to bite that annoying tail off as his fuming level gets higher and higher. A co-beta is an assistant to a beta; each beta often has co-betas working under them because of the huge amount of their duty. Unfortunately, Sasuke, being Kakashi's only co-beta is now force to attend to these matters.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and mumbles, "Why am I agreeing to this?"

Flashback

Kakashi and Sasuke (forced) were now seated at the Ichiraku Ramen stand eating their lunch. Sasuke tried to look what's under Kakashi mask, but failed, somehow he managed to finish his meal before Sasuke can even get a peek at it. 'How does he do that?' groaned Sasuke in frustration. He had been curious about it since he was a young cub, looks like he had to keep wondering about it.

Kakashi then placed down his chopsticks and asked, "I'll go straight to the point Sasuke, why are you hiding yourself?"

Sasuke averted his stare and looked down on his almost untouched ramen and snapped, "It's none of your concern, Kakashi."

Unfazed, Kakashi continued, "It's it for someone's sake?"

Sasuke didn't reply.

"It's Naruto isn't it?"

…………

"You still love him aren't you? You didn't want to force him to make a decision between you and Haku, you just wanted him to be happy not knowing the truth."

"Shut up…"

"By doing so, you're hurting him, by the looks of it, he still harbors some feelings for you, and he still wants you back you know…"

"It's better this way…he's happy with his mate, there's no need for me to step in and ruin it all. I'm dead, remember?"

"Everyone missed you Sasuke…now your appearance gave them hope that you are actually alive. No matter how long you've left, you're always a part of this pack…" said Kakashi in a quiet tone that startled Sasuke greatly.

Kakashi's white wolf ears perked up as he heard a soft whisper from Sasuke, "I can't…I can't come back anymore… You don't know what I've done in Sound…It's unforgiveable… I'm a murderer…"

Kakashi's visible eye widen slightly and placed a comforting hand on the distressed Uchiha, Sasuke was trembling… he seem afraid… He later spoke in a comforting tone,

"It's alright Sasuke… there's nothing to fear…you're safe here…"

Hearing this, Sasuke's head shot up and panicked, "No…no…he's coming! No matter where I run…he will always find me! I don't want to go back! I don't…"

"Who? Who Sasuke?"

Sasuke gave him a distressed look and whispered, "Orochimaru…"

And now, Sasuke regretted deeply of confessing out loud to Kakashi in his distressed state. Kakashi seemed to hover around him all the time; obviously he elected him as his co-beta to keep an eye on him. Kakashi-sensei actually is a very trustworthy demon and a good teacher, not that he will admit that. Besides that, he was fairly certain that Kakashi hadn't reported his true identity to Naruto yet; otherwise the dobe fox will be running down the streets and shouting his name at the top of his lungs.

After he calmed down from his little hysteria, he managed to learn that Naruto did not mate with Haku on his own free will at first. He did so to prevent a pack war with Mist 1 year ago; their mating had created an alliance between Konoha and Mist. However, Naruto managed to warm up to Haku and eventually accepted him as his official mate. Sasuke did not blame him for that, Naruto had to move on and not drone on his 'death'. As long Naruto was happy, he will be too.

That statement was a downright lie and he knew it. He's actually slight angry at Naruto for not waiting for him, just one more year…one year and they could be together again. Naruto was the very reason he survived his trials in Sound, he promised himself, no matter how much he suffered, he will live and return to Konoha. He had fulfilled that, but finding that Naruto and everyone else had moved on without him gave him heartache. It hurts…knowing that Naruto loved another and he felt lonelier that he ever had in the pack.

He clutched his heart, if only he hadn't been kidnapped… if only the Uchiha massacre didn't happened…if only he was still by Naruto's side… Sasuke wiped the warm tears threatening to fall from the corners of his onyx eyes. Sasuke then looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

It was the wolf demon Hyuuga Neji, his expression unreadable. Sasuke raised his eyebrow with confusion in his eyes and asked,

"What is it Hyuuga?"

"Let's take a walk, Uchiha, I need to talk to you."

Sasuke glared at him for mentioning his true name in public and glanced around suspiciously for any out lookers. Neji gave a short chuckle and said,

"Don't worry, no one heard us, I assume that you wanted to escape Kakashi's death grip?"

Sasuke gave a hesitate nod and followed Neji out to the streets. The streets busy with pack members running about with decorations and building stalls for the festival tomorrow. Neji remained silent as he led Sasuke to a quieter spot of the den. Neji knew of his identity 5 days ago with his chat with Kakashi. He was on guard duty back then and managed to overhear the entire conversation. Needless to say, he jumped onto the pair and confronted them. And after several threats and some slight begging form Sasuke, Neji promised to keep Sasuke's identity a secret. But that doesn't stop him from following Sasuke all the time obviously trying to keep him out of harm's way; eventually both of them had developed a bond due to their similar personality and preferences. Although both of them had spent awfully a lot of time escaping from fan girls who had gone even persistent as the festival approaches…

The wolf led him to an isolated area of the den while Sasuke followed in confusion. The Neji today seemed different, he seemed oddly tense than usual. Finally, he stopped suddenly as they reached a clearing. Neji spoke with his back facing Sasuke,

"Sorry Sasuke, but this is the only way that we can solve your dilemma and his as well."

"Neji? What are you talking about?" asked Sasuke but he stopped abruptly when he saw a familiar blond figure that hunted his dreams at night.

Naruto.

Neji turned around and gave him a knowing smirk as he walked away. 'He's so dead when I get my claws on him,' thought pissed of Sasuke.

While he was plotting Neji's demise in his head, he didn't notice that Naruto had slowly approach him. As Naruto spoke, he broke him out of his blood and gore daydreaming.

"Sasuke,"

"Naruto, what do you want?"

Naruto glanced at him with worry in his blue orbs, resulting a skip in Sasuke's heart, and gave a sigh and spoke,

"Why?"

"You have to be more specific Uzumaki," snapped Sasuke as he folded his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me who you really are?" asked Naruto with his volume slightly rose.

The surrounding temperature seemed to have seemingly dropped with a cold autumn breeze blew past them. Sasuke shivered slightly, cat demons were not known to be resistant to cold. Sasuke gave a soft sigh as he saw Naruto was waiting for an answer. To be honest, he's been expecting this confrontation for a while now, he knew that Naruto as the alpha would have plenty of resources to find out his true identity.

"Because I don't want you to know."

"WHY?" shouted an enraged Naruto, he's eyes gotten a red tingle in it.

"Is there any meaning if you do? I'm dead remember?" replied Sasuke with the coldest tone he could muster while averting Naruto's stare.

Suddenly Naruto grabbed the front of Sasuke's clothes and pulled Sasuke against him, forcing Sasuke to look into his blue deeps. The fox demon growled as he saw surprise written in Sasuke's face. Sasuke's face was heating up with a rosy blush as he felt Naruto pulling him closer. He's heart beat quicken at a rapid pace as he felt Naruto's warm breath on him.

'The freah scent of summer…he hasn't change a bit…"

However, Naruto's voice broke him out of his retrieve.

"Teme! You're very important to us, to me! Everybody misses you a lot when you were gone! We are all very sad! Sakura-chan cried for days! It's meaningless if you are around to grow up with us! You…you are my most important friend!"

Sasuke's heart clutched, 'Just a friend…that's what I am to you isn't? You don't need me anymore…' While thinking so, he tried to hold back the tears in his eyes.

Making up his mind, Sasuke furiously gave Naruto a hard shove, creating a greater distance between them, Naruto took a few steps backwards, staring at Sasuke with surprise on his face. Sasuke shook his head dejectedly and said coldly,

"Friend…is that what you only think of me dobe, in that case, why did you give me this years ago?" he waved his silver bracelet in front of him as his voice volume gotten higher.

Naruto widen his blue eyes as he saw the flash of silver and the painful expression on Sasuke's face, he was obviously fighting back tears.

'Sasuke…'

Naruto lowered his head and mumbled, "I'm sorry, Sasuke, but that time have passed, besides, I have a mate now…"

"Is that it Naruto? Am I just a mere phase to you? What am I to you? Answer me!" Sasuke was practically screaming now, his usual cool composure crumbled under the built up bitter emotion and frustration for the pass few days. His chest hurts and it felt hard to breathe, he was certain that his hot tears were flowing uncontrollably now. 'Why? Why? Why had I tried to hard to survive in Sound? Why didn't I just end my suffering by dying? Why did I return to Konoha? Why couldn't everything return back to normal? Why Naruto…'

Without realizing it, he was pulled into a hug in Naruto's tanned arms. Naruto was rubbing smooth circles on his tense back in an attempt to calm him down. He could felt Sasuke's sobbing and hiccupping along with the warm tears that were soaking up his jacket. Naruto's heart tighten, it's painful to watch his ex-lover and best friend crumbled down like this, regardless the fact that Sasuke was gone for a few years and he was aware of Sasuke's encounters in Sound from Neji, but that Uchiha pride still run in his veins. But to see him breaking down like this was just…sad.

Gently, he pulled Sasuke out of his embrace and wiped away his flowing tears with his thumb softly. His heart gave a jump as he saw Sasuke leaned into his gentle touch. He glanced at Sasuke, he looked awful when he managed to have a closer look, Sasuke seemed thinner, like he's been skipping meals, his eyes were red and puffy from crying and there were dark bangs under his eyes, obviously he had trouble sleeping. But the worse of all is his eyes, Sasuke's onyx eyes in his memory contained a fiery sparkle and untamable, however his current eyes were filled with despair, sorrow and other raging emotions.

Naruto held Sasuke by his upper arm firmly and said,

"I'm sorry, Sasuke… I really am… But you will always be my best friend… you always are…"

Sasuke feeling calmer now from his emotional outburst whispered sadly, "You're going to leave be behind too aren't you? Naruto."

"Sasuke, please…" said Naruto as he desprately tried to make Sasuke understand but he was cut off when Sasuke grabbed and placed something in his hand. The silver bracelet… Naruto widen his eyes as he saw it and he tried to speak, however, Sasuke beaten him to it.

"You should give that to someone else Naruto, it's not my place to wear it anymore… I guess it's time for me to move on too…"

"Sasuke… don't do this…"

Sasuke looked at Naruto's cerulean orbs with a great effort, and replied,

"I'm glad I've met you Naruto. I hope that we can still be friends."

"Sasuke…"

"I'll see you around Naruto… good luck to you and your mate."

With that, Sasuke turned around and headed back to his given apartment leaving Naruto staring at his wake. Once Naruto was out of sight, he ran back without stopping until he was safe to let out the sorrow of his bleeding heart in the comforts of his own bed. Elsewhere, Naruto clutched his chest as it suddenly felt very heavy after seeing Sasuke's departing back.

'Forgive me…Sasuke…'

A/N: How was that ppls? Sorry it took so long; I guess I just ran out of inspiration. Well, the fic had been focusing on Naruto and Sasuke for now, don't worry, others will appear in the next chapter. Please review!