A/N: Hi ya'll! Hope you guys had the most awesome holiday season ever. Mine was ok and things should go back to normal or at least as normal as can be expected. Best Wishes to you and yours in 2009. (Good Bye to 2008!)

Normal

"Speech"

Thought/"telepathic Communication"

Kyuubi

WARNING: My New Year's Resolution is to write more, worry less, and get paid to write this stuff. Alas, I don't own Naruto. So I don't' get paid. Ever… Sad isn't it. Rated "M" for adult themes and situations.

Now on with the show!

Chapter 66: Prelude to Disaster

Dinner was turning out to be an interesting event. Sasuke and Myra were sitting at opposite ends of the long table. They weren't speaking to each other again. Sasuke wasn't speaking much at all. There was his usual one word grunt at the appropriate times. The entire gang had appeared from the wood work and joined together for dinner. It was the first time since the Chunin Exams of years ago that they had actually gotten together in one place.

There were a few extras at the table as well. Myra, sat next to Naruto listening to the stories of old times and past exploits. Several conversations started off with "remember that time when..."

Sephie was sitting nervously between Gaara and Kankuro. She was listening to the conversations of old times, shared memories, and was feeling a little out of place. There were a few, Shikamaru, Temari, and Kankuro in particular that would steer the conversation away from anything that had to do with any of Gaara's past. There was a time and place for Gaara to sit Sephie down and explain to her the ex-jinchuriki aspect of his life, but now was not that time.

Sai was sitting in the middle of the pack next to Ino, where it was safe. Myra had taken a long time to drag the anti social artist to the table of friends. And it was a disaster.

Earlier that afternoon:

Sasuke and Sai glared at each other. Naruto and Sakura exchanged nervous glances. Myra could feel the increasing tension in the air. Gaara and Sephie stepped back a few feet just in case sparks started to fly… literally.

Sai kept his blank emotionless stare. "I had heard you had been allowed back in the village."

Sasuke continued to glare. To Sasuke, Sai wasn't worth the energy to even grunt at. The Uchiha didn't like the pasty ROOT member the first time they met and he wasn't about to start.

Sakura smiled nervously. "Sai, what brings you out today?"

Sai blinked. "I had not had the time to be able to see anyone in a while so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to try and socialize in a large group setting."

Myra smirked. He was a horrible liar. He wanted to socialize, that part was very true; however, there was an ulterior motive to Sai's actions that he was trying to keep hidden. The Ravenheart girl again attached herself to Naruto's side. "So how do you know Naruto and Sakura?"

Sai looked fondly at Sakura. "A few years ago, while Sasuke-kun was a traitor, I was briefly assigned as his replacement on Team 7. I admit it was a tough spot to fill, but I think I did well. Naruto-kun, Sakura-chan, and I became friends. They have taught me a lot about friendship." The fake smile graced Sai's lips.

Myra felt Sasuke's anger begin to spike. "Is he trying to get himself killed?" Myra whispered to Naruto.

"At least he hasn't said anything about…" Naruto went pale when Sai opened his mouth and let the bomb drop.

"Sakura even attempted to teach me about dating for a while." Sai seemed to smirk in Sasuke's direction. The Uchiha's eyebrow twitched. "It wasn't as fulfilling as I had expected and I was disappointed." Sai regarded Sakura fondly. "I am glad that Sakura-chan and I we able to remain friends." Sakura looked as pale as Naruto did.

BOOM… The air started to crackle. Naruto didn't see Myra move. Sakura didn't see Sasuke move. They did hear the deafening chirping noise that was a tell tale sounds of Sasuke's Chidori. In a blink Sai was pushed back a few feet and Myra was standing where Sai had been. Sasuke's eyes, glowing red with anger, were narrowed at Myra. Myra was glaring right back at Sasuke, her eyes just as red.

Everyone else blinked and realized Myra had pushed Sai out of the way of the chidori aimed in his direction. Even Sai was dumbstruck by these events. The background faded for Sasuke. Shouts of concern and protests from the others never made it to Sasuke's ears. Myra had stepped in where she wasn't wanted and it pissed Sasuke off even more. The Ravenheart had her left hand firmly wrapped around the Uchiha's wrist, deflecting the still chirping Chidori to one side. Her right hand was curiously over his heart.

Sasuke felt the push on his chest and he was finding it hard to breathe. Myra's hand around his wrist was icy and cold. "There is no need for violence." Her voice in his head sounded eerily calm and even.

"Hn." Sasuke continued to glare at Myra.

"If you want to fuck him up because he made a crack about Sakura's honor, then by all means light him up like mosquito hitting a bug zapper. However, if you're going to shove lightening up his ass for insulting that ego of yours, then you'll have to go through me to do it." Her stare was intense and serious.

The pressure on Sasuke's chest increased. It was becoming harder to breathe and the pain was difficult to ignore. He let the Chidori fade, and with it his Sharingan. Sasuke saw Myra glance behind him briefly. Her eyebrow twitched upward slightly and then she stepped back. She released his wrist first and the pressure in his chest dissipated before Myra removed her hand from his chest.

She blinked, letting her sharingan fade and Myra turned on her heel walking back to the stupefied Naruto. "I find it interesting that Itachi is still alive."

Sasuke blinked at Myra just before Sakura was standing in his vision, making a grumpy face at him. The Pink one was trying to explain the short and uneventful relationship she had with Sai. Honestly, Sasuke didn't care about it. Sakura was with him now, so that was enough proof for him that Sai meant nothing to her. It was the implication that Sai was replacing him that had made Sasuke want to tear up that pasty bastard's face.

Sasuke had been pissed about it the first time Sai had mentioned it when Sai had briefly joined Orochimaru's ranks. He could have killed him then and be done with the pasty faced bastard. Sasuke grunted in annoyance and shoved his hands in his pockets walking away from the group. Sakura was hot on his heels.

He needed to think. Sasuke did his best thinking when he was alone. He turned to Sakura. "It isn't you. I need to think." He snapped at her.

Sakura stopped and hung her head. "O-okay. Um... Sasuke... I..."

Sasuke walked back to her and looked at her straight in the eyes. "I'm not mad at you."

She looked away from him. "You're actions say differently."

Sasuke let out a deep sigh. His chest still felt heavy from what ever it was Myra was doing. "Sakura, I need to think about stuff. It isn't you." He lied. "I just need to be alone for a few minutes. I will meet you at the restaurant in a little while."

"I didn't love him." She said finally. "He could never take your place."

Something about that small confession lifted a lot of doubt off of Sasuke's mind and made him feel better about life. He smiled at her. It was the first genuine smile Sakura had seen on him in a long time. "Hn." He grunted and pulled her close to him. "I'll be back I promise."

"All right." She closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest. It took a moment, but Sakura picked her head up and looked at Sasuke with concern. "What did she do to you?"

Saskue was taken a back. "What?"

Sakura placed a warm hand on his chest over his heart. "There is slight damage to your chakra circulatory system, specifically around your heart." Her hand started to glow a soft green. The weight on his chest started to lift. Sakura extended her senses over Sasuke's heart. The medic nin could tell easily what Myra had done, and it scared her. Any harder, and she could have force the Death Gate open. So this is what she can do? The mental turmoil was evident on Sakura's face.

When the glowing stopped Sasuke picked up her hand and kissed her palm. "You can heal my heart any day." It was cheesy and corny, but it made Sakura forget her internal turmoil and smile.

Back to the present

Sasuke and Sakura had talked briefly when he returned from his brooding. Sakura, though never actually coming out and telling Sasuke what she suspected, she did give the Uchiha several hints to the right direction. He had forgotten why he was angry at Sai, although he still didn't like the guy. He instead focused on Myra. She was slightly pale again, like she had been the day of the Chunin Exams. Things were beginning to turn over in his head and he wasn't exactly sure why. There was something strange about her behavior. There was something off about a lot of things.

Myra was leaning on Naruto for support like she had when she was exhausted. Sasuke scratched at his chest. It felt like his heart itched. There was something more he couldn't understand. How did she know Itachi was still alive? Sasuke hadn't talked about Itachi to anyone. When asked at the interrogation with Ibiki, Sasuke had answered flippantly and said, "He has been dealt with."

It was an answer that seemed to satisfy everyone. Sakura hadn't asked, Naruto hadn't asked and Sasuke wasn't going to volunteer the information. Yet the Crazy Bitch knew that Itachi was still alive. Sasuke picked at his dinner and growled at anyone that came near him, except Sakura. His mood had improved, but he was still angry. Sasuke still hadn't come up with any reason for him to be angry. Sasuke was just angry at the world for no particular reason. He had every right to be happy, yet there was Madara lurking somewhere. That was reason enough to be cautious, but nothing to be angry about.

0 – 0 – 0

Myra sat next to Naruto being unusually quiet. Her head was splitting itself wide open. She had pushed herself and it was an accident. Myra had reacted without thinking, placing her hand in the exact spot it needed to be. She was feeling a little guilty about it. Myra hadn't wanted to hurt Sasuke, and she would have healed the damage had the Fucktard not stormed off. She ate furiously and the added fuel would stabilize her chakra that was threatening to go crazy again.

This day had started like a dream and was turning into a bad date flick. As Myra ate she could feel her chakra begin to even out. She was still unstable, and realistically, she should be in bed or at the hospital resting. Myra shuttered momentarily at the thought of a hospital. It was never that she didn't like doctors or hospitals. She didn't like the emotions that were concentrated around hospitals. All those sick people with worried families or dead people with grieving families, it was enough to drive her over the edge of the little sanity she had control of. Dead children were always the hardest for her to deal with. There was nothing more heartbreaking then the spirit of a deceased child following living parents asking questions that could not be answered. Myra couldn't actually see the spirits of the departed without activating her Sharingan, but the empathy allowed her to feel the spirits none the less.

The image of the little girl Nakahara had murdered flooded her memory, along with the emotions of the little girl smiling at her when the girl realized her mother was on the other side waiting. Sasuke caught the images with a vague sense of those emotions and turned to look at Myra. Myra noticed his look of confusion, but he continued to ignore her. Some of her defenses had to be down if Sasuke could pick up on her stray mental ramblings. Sasuke felt Myra slam doors in her head and mentally throw up iron walls to keep him out. Moments after she did, Sasuke saw her smile sadly and look away from him. "I'm sorry." She said in an echo from behind her defenses.

Naruto brushed up against Myra and realized she had gone cold again. "Hey," he nudged her slightly. "Are you ok?" He was genuinely concerned for her.

"Yeah, I'm ok." She smiled.

"You wanna go home? You look like you did yesterday, not as pale, but you do look a little drained." Naruto put he hand on hers and gave it a little squeeze.

Myra sighed. "I've got a lot on my mind right now."

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Naruto tried to encourage her.

Myra placed a kiss on his cheek. "I know, but not here and not now. Naruto, I am having a wonderful time." She blushed ever so slightly.

Naruto squeezed her hand again and smiled at her. They went back to eating, but Naruto never took his hand off of hers. As Myra ate, her temperature increased and the color returned to her cheeks. When Sai left with the excuse "I have a mission tomorrow." Saskue's mood improved. Dinner wound down and couples went separate ways back towards the fair.

0 – 0 – 0

They had left the restaurant together and Myra seemed to be better since she ate something, which to a few at the restaurant rivaled that of her blonde boyfriend. Even Naruto had commented that "It's the most I've ever seen her eat."

Myra smiled at him. "I'm hungry today."

Once again that day, she wasn't a ninja, a death dealer, or even a Ravenheart. She was just a girl out with her guy having fun at the fair. This was what she wanted to do a few nights ago. She wanted to go out with friends and just be normal. Sasuke was still being a grumpy puss and scowling at everything and everyone (except Sakura). Sakura was trying to get Sasuke to "lighten up". Sephie and Gaara were having a quiet one sided conversation about the theory of Fruit Cake. (There is but one Fruit Cake and it is passed from family to family over the years.)

The group friends came to a kunai toss booth that had the most adorable (or at least to Myra) stuffed nine tail fox she had ever seen. "I feel violated some how…" Kyuubi grumbled in the back of Naruto's mind. The only thing Kyuubi got in response was roaring laughter.

Myra turned to Naruto with watery, puppy dog brown eyes. Now, Naruto had become accustomed to her pout, and he had even somewhat been able to defend against it. But this face of utter sadness screamed that the world would end in a fiery cataclysm should she not get that stuffed fox. She didn't even have to ask Naruto. He hung his head in defeat and walked to the booth. Sakura leaned over to Myra. "Can you say whipped?"

"Damn skippy." Myra laughed impishly behind her hand.

Sasuke was standing next to Naruto. "You are such an idiot."

"Shut up teme…" Naruto handed the man at the booth some money. "How many times do I have to hit the target to get one of those?" The blonde pointed at the stuffed fox.

"Oh him?" The old man pulled down the stuffed fox. "Have a thing for foxes do ya boy? I could tell you stories that would curl your nose hair about the Nine Tail Fox."

"Do I have to listen to the banter? Win the damn thing before I break out of here and kill the old coot myself." Kyuubi growled.

"Aren't you a bit jumpy tonight?" Naruto mentally jabbed.

"You would be a little upset too if you had been reduced to a fairy tale and a stuffed effigy."

"Think of it this way… Myra is going to hug it and squeeze it and call it George." The blonde snickered.

"Small conciliation prize if you ask me. You get all the love and what do I get? A small plush toy replica she will call George! I should never be associated with cute and cuddly. I am fearsome and evil. I demand respect!" Kyuubi growled.

"Come off it Fur Ball… If you had the chance to play cute and cuddly to be in Myra's lap getting a good scratch behind your ears you would play it for everything you could." Naruto grinned.

"… … … Touché … Are you sure you want to win if for her so badly?" Kyuubi chuckled.

Naruto turned around to glance back at Myra who was still pouting. The blonde boy cringed from that look. "How many times do I have to hit the target?"

"Ten in a row." The old man grinned.

"Sucker…" Kyuubi laughed.

"Whipped…" Sasuke scoffed.

Naruto picked up the ten kunai. "Shut up Uchiha…" The blonde snapped. Myra waited until the group was focused on Naruto's attempts to hit the target when she glanced behind her. She had noticed the ANBU following them for a while now, but it had only been recently that the five of them had gotten closer. If they were there to keep tabs on Gaara, that was one thing. They would keep their distance. If they were there to keep an eye on Sasuke, they would keep their distance. But they were getting too close for her comfort level. Something was very wrong.

After Naruto's forth or fifth attempt, Myra had her stuffed Kyuubi in her arms. She hugged the creature mercilessly and kissed Naruto just as mercilessly. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the display of affection. Sephie and Gaara were still debating Fruit Cake and Sakura glared at Sasuke jealously.

Myra had released Naruto, who despite loving the attention, needed air to breathe. Myra had a huge grin on her face until two of the ANBU dropped into sight. Myra knew they were there for her. It was obvious to her. She didn't understand why, but she was their target. "Myra Windfeather Ravenheart?" The one in the Cat mask asked.

Myra smiled. "Yes."

"You are to come with us."