Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs. Everything else is a product of Masashi Kishimoto's imagination.

Chapter Sixty-Nine

The three shinobi watched in surprise as Sai held Kabuto back.

They had been about to head back into the lair for Sasuke when Kabuto showed up. Apparently, he still trusted Sai, seeing as how he had not gone with them on his own accord. It was this that made it possible for Sai to get a hold of him before he could attack. Rei had to wonder what he was thinking, changing his mind like this. Could he just be trying to trick them?

"Bonds...I want to see what they're really made of."

At those words, Rei knew he wasn't lying. As blank as his face usually was, she could see that he was being sincere. In the end, they were able to subdue Kabuto and question him about where Sasuke was. Without hesitation, he told them, also warning them of the possibility that they could run into Orochimaru since his chamber was close to Sasuke's. Not that they would be deterred by that information. They already knew the risks they were taking by going after Sasuke and running into Orochimaru had always been likely.

Soon enough, they were back inside the lair, looking for Sasuke in two groups. Rei tried to keep her expression neutral, but inside she was full of anxiety and uncertainty. She didn't know what she would find or how she would react to Sasuke if they actually found him. Though she supposed the most likely outcome would be for her to act recklessly. Honestly, she never had been very good at controlling her emotions, even with all the training Jin gave her to help with that very problem.

She ran alongside Yamato and Sakura, ignoring the feelings of dread that were gathering inside her. So far they hadn't found anything pointing to Sasuke in any of the rooms they checked. Suddenly, Yamato stopped with a look of panic on his face.

"Naruto's chakra. Something's up, let's go."

"Right!" Sakura said while Rei merely nodded.

As they took off again she could feel Naruto's chakra, but also someone else. She frowned as she realized it was Orochimaru. It wouldn't be good for Naruto to fight him, even if Sai was with him. They had to get to them as soon as they could. Fortunately, when they arrived at where Naruto and Orochimaru were, nothing major had happened. Soon after they arrived, Orochimaru left, saying he would rather deal with Sai. Now they had to find Sai before the snake got to him. However, before they could leave, Yamato found a bingo book in Sai's things. To their surprise, Sasuke was in there, meaning Sai's true mission was to kill Sasuke.

Rei didn't know what to think. Should she be upset at Sai for hiding this and daring to go after Sasuke when they were trying to take him back to Konoha? Or should she feel glad that he was doing her dirty work for her? As much as she hated Sasuke at the moment, she wasn't entirely sure as to how she felt about him being killed by someone else.

'I can't let Sai kill him, I promised Naruto I'd help him get Sasuke, at least for now.' She thought, making up her mind.

Naruto wasted no time, making multiple clones and looking all over the lair for Sai and Sasuke. Rei hurried along with everyone else, running to find them before it was too late. Suddenly, there was a large blast that made them stop.

"It's Sai's chakra." She heard Yamato say.

It was true, she could feel his chakra, but she didn't think he was the one responsible for that blast. Which only left one other option.

"Let's go." She said before hurrying off.

She could hear the others following and soon she was running alongside her team. They stopped for a moment as they turned into a hallway from which they could see Sai standing out in the open. Rubble was strewn around him. Sakura didn't stop, she ran at Sai and they saw her wrap a gloved hand around his throat. After a moment, she froze and looked up. Naruto took off and Rei followed after him.

She could feel the residual chakra from the short fight that had just occurred. There was still a bit of dust that had been stirred, but none of that seemed to matter as she looked up and realized who it was that she was staring at.

"Sasuke..." She heard Naruto say softly next to her.

"And now Naruto..." Sasuke said and Rei felt a pang of pain somewhere in her chest at the sound of his voice.

He turned his dark gaze towards her and she felt her fists clench and her heart speed up.

"And Rei too. Does that mean Kakashi's here as well?"

There was no emotion in either his voice or his face and Rei felt a chill run down her back at what he had turned into. Had she too been like that after being with Orochimaru for so long? She was vaguely aware of Yamato stepping forward and speaking with Sasuke, but she couldn't focus too much on what was being said at the moment. There were too many emotions swelling inside of her. Anger, frustration, disbelief, sadness, longing, and it was the last one that surprised her the most.

At that moment, nothing around her seemed to matter, not her teammates, not her captain, nothing but Sasuke. She could only stare at him and wonder why things had turned out that way. Even with all the training she had gone through, she felt weak. Just remembering everything that had happened, all her attempts to convince him to stay, the battle - perhaps the most important one of her life - that she lost. And then she thought of Sasuke himself, who now stood there with a look of disdain and couldn't help but wonder what he had done all this time.

'Just how strong have you become?' she wondered.

'Have you gone so far that I can't reach you...?'

"I have other bonds that I carry," said Sasuke after something Sai had said.

His voice seemed to snap Rei out of her thoughts and she felt her hands curl into fists, trying to hold back the anger she felt.

"Fraternal bonds forged from hate...All my other bonds forced me to lose focus..."

Was that it? That was all Rei could wonder. Was that really all that their friendship had been, all he had seen in the bonds he had with his team was nothing but a burden, a weight that held him back. Thinking that just made it all the more painful.

"Why didn't you kill me back then! Is that what you call severing bonds Sasuke!"

Naruto had finally had enough. Rei knew he was close to his limit, knew he wouldn't be able to hold down his feelings for much longer, and she was glad. She didn't want to be the one to break down, they couldn't afford that, not when Sakura was already in shock and Naruto was close to the edge. For her team, the part that was left and the two people she would always treasure, she had to be strong.

Still, the reason for leaving Naruto alive was something she hadn't expected.

"I chose to spare your life at nothing more than a whim of mine."

That was Sasuke's answer, cold as steel and cutting through them with more ease than was thought possible for any sword. And then, he was gone, at least from his perch above them. His movements were so quick, so sudden, so silent and yet so very like him that no one registered it until he was close enough to Naruto to kill him, and she knew he could have. Was this just another whim? She wouldn't put it past him.

He spoke to Naruto, words that mocked him and his dreams and must have hurt the blond. No one moved though, no one knew what to do or how safe it would be to react. Slowly, Sasuke drew out his sword and Rei saw her own eyes reflected in them for a moment, wide and scared, but of what? Did she fear for her teammate? Or was it something else.

Before she had much time to think on it, Sasuke moved, and everyone followed. There was a flurry of actions, all quick and calculated, even in that moment of panic, almost like orchestrated chaos. The blade in Sasuke's hand moved to plunge into Naruto, but was stopped by Sai who stepped in and caught the Uchiha's wrist. Naruto flipped back, grabbing Sasuke's arm firmly while Rei and Yamato made quick hand signs, readying to restrain him. Sasuke was not to be stopped so easily though.

Unexpectedly, he used a new attack that struck everyone. It was an electrical discharge that made the air crackle and their skin burn, sharp pain hitting them like hot needles that sunk deep into their bodies, penetrating down to their very bones. It was quick, but effective. Chidori Discharge, he called it.

Naruto and Sai were thrown back, having been closest to Sasuke, but even Rei and Yamato felt it and only their training and high tolerance to pain, the product of years as ninja, kept them standing. Sakura was the next to act, rushing at Sasuke head on, something that was both foolish and admirable. She was determined to help this time and she had gathered all her courage for this attack. Rei knew it wasn't easy for her to even think of striking the one person she had always admired, maybe even loved.

Sasuke was not the same as before, however. He would not tolerate any weak willed attempts they threw at him. His sword was held firmly in his hand, ready to strike and covered in an electrical discharge. Yamato moved to save Sakura, his kunai out and ready to block, but it proved to be useless as it was sliced easily before the sword sunk into his shoulder, pinning him to a rock.

"This sword of Kusanagi is special," Sasuke said calmly.

"It cannot be blocked."

And Rei remembered hearing that from someone else, someone she hated and blamed for the loss of everyone she cared for.

There was a moment in which Sasuke and Naruto stared at each other and Rei knew something happened, though she couldn't be sure of what it was. She didn't care though, it was enough as she took out a kunai and rushed at Sasuke. She didn't intend to kill him, knowing a head on attack wouldn't work, but getting him to release Yamato would be enough for now. As she expected, his attention turned to her and for a moment she thought she saw something in his eyes. Then, Yamato managed to push the blade out, surprising Sasuke who backed away.

A dome of wood rose over him, but Rei didn't expect him to be trapped by it, she ran over it and jumped just as he emerged, breaking out of the top. He seemed surprised for a moment and maybe it was because of the rage that she showed. She tried to slash him, but he grabbed her wrist, which only made her twist, managing to free herself. She blocked a hit and ducked as his sword almost hit her, but he kicked her away and sent her crashing down to the ground.

Naruto was screaming, but she couldn't hear it, she was still injured from her fight with Orochimaru and she struggled to get to her feet. What she did hear though, was Sasuke renouncing his body and soul to Orochimaru if only that would help him get his revenge.

"Do you really think so then? That he will actually help you kill Itachi?"

Everyone looked at Rei. It was the first time she had said anything and it was hard enough for her.

"Are you really ready to renounce everything, to leave everyone because of your stupid revenge!" she screamed out, finally showing her frustration.

"A long time ago, you told me you would help me if I asked it of you. You said you would follow me. Tell me, would you follow me now?"

Rei stared at him and remembered that time he had told her who he wanted to kill. The time they stood on top of the monument to the Hokages and stared down at their village. A time that seemed so very long ago.

"A long time ago you wouldn't have asked it of me, not this?" she said quietly.

Sasuke said nothing.

"That's enough talk," said Yamato.

"With you here, I had hoped not to have to resort to my cruder methods, but unfortunately it's time to get serious."

Yamato was going to end things, they could tell, but not before Sasuke. The Uchiha made a hand sign before extending his arm, ready to attack, and then Orochimaru appeared and stopped him.

"Now, now, there's no need to use that jutsu now, Sasuke-kun."

Orochimaru's very voice sickened Rei. She felt rage like never before spread through her and before she knew it she was running forward, ignoring the calls behind her telling her to stop. She dodged Yamato's restraints and jumped to where Sasuke was, speeding up before she reached him, just enough so that she was able to get in front of him and kick him, but he blocked, though it was not as fast as he would have liked. He slid back and she flipped over him while making quick hand signs. Snakes shot out from her arm, a technique she hated, but one she needed at the moment. Orochimaru wouldn't let her harm his future container though and before she knew it, he was reaching for her, a promise of death in his pale arm that was about to grasp her, ready to break her neck, but Sasuke struck faster.

He rushed forward, a snake twisting around his arm, but he fought against it and kicked Rei back at the same time he swung his sword, severing the snakes. In an instant, he was before her even as she slid back, somehow still on her feet and their eyes locked for a second before his sword sunk into her. Pain exploded at her side, but only for a moment as it soon dulled, the charge from his sword numbing the area of her wound. She felt the blade being drawn back and then fell to the ground, exhausted and unable to move. Knowing, more than feeling, that blood poured out of her wounds. Sasuke stood before her.

"If you hate me, kill me, but before you try to, grow stronger."

She wouldn't forget those words, even as she watched him fade away they reverberated in her mind. She wouldn't forget, even as she lost consciousness.

End Chapter Sixty-Nine

Well, there you have it, a new chapter and I had to watch all of Naruto to get my inspiration back. I have been busy though and I just got over a cold. I hate colds. With a passion.

Anywho, thank you very much for your reviews, they mean a lot to me so please review if you have the time. You're also more than welcome to check out my original stories in fictionpress. Until next time!