Touru Hidaka put his fists on his hips. He stared at the cage in front of him. A pink-haired woman lay on her side, unconscious. He imagined it wasn't very comfortable for her arms to be pressed down by the Omokinzaku manacles. Of course, she wouldn't know. He had a medic double check that her breathing wasn't impeded and left it at that.

The Iwa captain made a face. This kunoichi from Konoha had made quite a lot of trouble for him. He had originally been ordered to this section of the river border between Fire and Earth countries to investigate rumors that the rogue ninja, Sasuke Uchiha had been seen in the area. While his squad split up to investigate he had come to understand that his superiors had an ulterior motive. As they gathered information their Iwa hitaiate would be noticed in the border towns and roads, making the locals accustomed to seeing them, where they had rarely seen any shinobi.

As far as his Tsuchikage and Earth daimyo were concerned, his squad were little more than pawns in their greater plans for annexing the area. Lord Hidesaburo probably hadn't really considered that they would even find, let alone apprehend the Uchiha.

Touru, like all other Iwa squad captains, had received instructions that if they crossed paths with Sakura Haruno they were to do whatever they could to incapacitate her or cut her off from any allies. It never once crossed his mind to take the instruction seriously. Why on earth would a shinobi as important to Konoha as this Haruno ever be sent so far from the negotiations?

And then she was there, standing beside the Uchiha. And just as inexplicably she simply...surrendered.

She had to know what lay in store for her. Just thinking about Iwa's interrogators sent a cold chill down Touru's spine. Haruno showed the same foolhardiness that her Hokage did. He wondered if that was a common trait among Konoha shinobi.

Touru pressed his lips together and crossed his arms. Still, this turn of events had raised his profile in the eyes of the Tsuchikage and a number of resources were being laid at his disposal. The complement of shinobi serving under him had tripled since Kishi and Toshi's corpses had been recovered. After that, other specialists were sent to aid him in tracking down the Uchiha. Communication between the Tsuchikage and himself was facilitated and Touru found he only had to nod in a certain direction and other ninja jumped to serve.

A more ambitious man might have adjusted rapidly to the power he had gained and used it to further his career. But Touru had rather liked his squad. And losing half of it...

The guard sitting beside the cage gave the captain a careful look before sliding his eyes shut again. Touru found he was growling softly and he forced himself to stop. Toshi had been a young, brazen fool. His elders always hoped he would learn and grow out of his impetuousness. But Kishi was older and carried an understated wisdom about himself. He was never a powerhouse fighter but he had saved members of the squad countless times with his genjutsu. It didn't surprise Touru that Kishi may have been more reckless when it came to his nephew.

Holding Haruno was the best vengeance he could get for his friends and squadmates right now. Asserting Iwa law would aid his Tsuchikage and getting some kind of justice for Kishi and Toshi might ease the pain that regularly struck his heart whenever he thought of them.

A messenger appeared in the tent opening behind him and immediately fell to one knee. "Captain Touru, I have a report.

"Lord Hidesaburo wants the kunoichi known as Sakura Haruno tried immediately. She is under a gag order by his direct command and will not testify on her own behalf. Therefore it doesn't matter if she is conscious."

Touru was surprised by this. It seemed...unnecessarily rushed. "What of the order to cross the river at first light?"

"Our Lord Tsuchikage decrees that you are to cross immediately. You must make for the village at Dosui Valley at once, the magistrate will be waiting for you with an advocate for the defense."

Touru's brow knitted together. If Haruno couldn't defend herself and her advocate was already picked for her...there really wasn't a point to having a trial. "May I inquire as to why Lord Hidesaburo is in such a rush?" Did he expect they would lose custody of Haruno?

"Lord Hidesaburo's reasons are not known to me, Captain. But," the messenger looked up at Touru with some anxiety etched around his eyes. "Our scouts noted that the Hokage is no longer among the Konoha complement."

"We expected that he would transport back to the daimyo's palace."

"Yes, but it seems they cannot sense the Uchiha either. The Konoha camp remains otherwise quiet."

Touru frowned. From bad to worse. Once he would have thought the rogue ninja would have tried to escape his former Konoha teammates but Touru now imagined he was compelled to stay near the Haruno woman. When he had come to the tent earlier and found the guards asleep he considered that the rogue might have been involved. But given his...reckless... public display of affection Touru had to assume that if Sasuke Uchiha had decided to visit his lover he would never leave her in the cage. In fact if the Uchiha had been anywhere near the camp Touru was certain he and most everyone else would be dead.

Touru frowned and pressed his lips together with a groan. If those Konoha shinobi weren't bothered by the fact that the Uchiha wasn't among them it could only mean that they knew where he had gone.

"You're sure no one else has left the camp?"

"Yes, sir. They have a standard three hour guard rotation through six points. The others are resting."

Touru grunted. The Uchiha's disappearance was suspicious. But it wasn't his place to do anything about it, especially when he had other orders from his Tsuchikage.

"Very well, good work. Everyone will divide up as I tell you, some will stay here and keep the eye of Kakashi Hatake away from the river. Send word that the jetty is to be put together quickly and quietly. The rest will cross with the prisoner as soon as everything is ready."

"Sir!"

Touru Hidaka explained how he wanted his company divided. He kept his troubles to himself but he didn't like being unable to tell where a dangerous man like Sasuke Uchiha might be.

-傷-

In the hallway, with nothing to distract her, Ino kept looking at Sasuke from the corner of her eye. Sasuke tried to ignore it but there was nothing to distract him. Shikamaru stood back with his hands in his pockets, content to let time simply pass by.

Finally he couldn't take it any more. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing!" Ino jumped slightly. "I mean... " She sighed. "It's been a very long time, Sasuke-kun. And I don't think for a minute that things are how they used to be or will ever go back to that. But no matter how much I recognize that I don't know you any more, I can't make myself think that you are a complete stranger to me."

"Hn." Sasuke wondered if they were supposed to wait a certain amount of time or if Naruto would retrieve them. He supposed that Ino would know best.

"I may as well tell you that if it weren't for Naruto and Sakura I wouldn't trust you at all." She nodded to the doors in front of them. "In there I have to make it look like I have confidence in you. I have to make everyone believe in Naruto, even though he brought you here." She tossed her head so her hair swung around her in haughty pride. "And I'll make it work. If I told the daimyo that the Nagano River would restore his youth, he'd believe me.

"But I still don't know if this is a good idea. Sometimes Naruto comes up with stuff that sounds crazy but works out really well. But sometimes his stupid ideas are just stupid."

Sasuke regarded Ino calmly. She hadn't said it but what she wanted was some assurance that they were on the same side. She was reaching for anything that she believed in to give her confidence.

"They have Sakura, unconscious and in a cage. I don't care about putting on a show or looking for an excuse for war. They're going to hurt Sakura as soon as they get the chance." Sasuke's voice was quiet and intense. His jaw hurt from the stress. "I won't let that happen. I don't want anyone to get hurt but if they touch Sakura..."

Sasuke was aware that he kept saying he didn't want anyone to get hurt, but he was imagining hurting a great number of people in order to free Sakura. He felt trapped. And confused. So he said no more even as Ino looked back at him like she was studying him.

She nodded slowly and a corner of her mouth lifted. "That Sakura... I wonder-"

Abruptly the doors in front of them opened and Naruto stood in front of the trio waving them in. "Hey, come on in! Come on, bas- uh, Sasuke, let me introduce you to the daimyo."

-傷-

Kakashi crouched at the door to the cottage and flicked the metal back of his glove with a fingernail. He was uncomfortable inside the cottage by himself where he couldn't smell the air. His reticence had the funny effect of discouraging anyone else from resting in it even though he had offered it to anyone who had a driving need not to sleep on the ground tonight. If the captain wasn't going to take his ease indoors no one else in the company would either.

His fingernail clicked against the metal guard again. Things were happening out where he could do nothing about them. Sakura was being held prisoner. The two least diplomatic members of his former team were working for a peaceful resolution. And he... he could do nothing but sit and wait to see what happened.

Under ordinary circumstances he could believe in Naruto's amazing ability to forge relationships and camaraderie where everyone else thought it was impossible. But he had never let go of his recklessness or his love of practical jokes. And it was those traits that could also make important people feel mocked and ultimately drive them away.

Worst of all, Naruto valued a good, clean fight and Kakashi felt like he had spent half a life time worrying his student couldn't understand that enemy ninja wouldn't give him a fair fight if they could avoid it.

This was the first time Naruto had to handle diplomatic negotiations by himself as Hokage. Everyone would try to use his inexperience to their advantage, whether from the Earth delegation or from Fire. And counselors from both Iwa and Konoha would probably try to exclude or control him. Kakashi could only hope that Naruto would control his temper. He could not be a little child and throw a tantrum when disdainful eyes turned away from him.

And then of all things... he had taken Sasuke Uchiha to the daimyo's palace. Sakura was right, the elders' heads would explode. And then when they pulled themselves together they would likely scold Naruto furiously for his stupidity. If Naruto could withstand their savage rebukes, could Sasuke tolerate what would surely be scathing invective against him? And what would the delegates do when confronted with an S-ranked rogue shinobi, one of the greatest villains the Five Great Nations had ever known?

Kakashi flicked the piece of metal again and grunted. Well, he was exaggerating a little. Fear of the Uchiha had fallen away somewhat in the years since the war. Other troubles had sprung up and people had largely moved away from the concerns of almost a decade earlier. But those who could remember the war were not going to forget the danger he posed and absolutely no one was going to be eager to trust Sasuke.

Kakashi wanted to tell himself that he believed in Naruto and it was his certainty that gave Kakashi reason to accept this plan. But if he was being honest with himself that certainty was only half of the reason. The other half was the look of complete desperation in Sasuke's eyes. He wondered if Sasuke knew it himself. He'd spent two days with an old teammate after being alone for so long and now he couldn't turn his back on her.

From what Pakkun had told him, it seemed that Sasuke had tried to settle down a few years earlier. To Kakashi it sounded like the years after the war left him adrift, drinking and womanizing to pass the time. Then when the opportunity for some stability and a family presented itself, he took it.

But the curse of shinobi life had found him even in the far mountains and he had lost everything once again. In grief, Sasuke had tried to throw away everything that was related to being a shinobi, even his pride. He tried to condemn himself to a life as a hermit, but from what Kakashi could see, that would never work.

Sasuke was like a man on the edge of starvation. He ate a little rice every day and made do with water. Then came a day when he had a taste of fresh fruit for the first time in years. Sasuke would never allow himself to think of it this way, but a man starves and suffers in terrible ways when he never has contact with another person in whom he can trust.

For just a moment Sasuke's suffering was lifted from him, and now he was frantically trying to keep it from returning. Kakashi could relate.

The wind shifted. It was nearing midnight and he could smell the river. He hadn't liked Sakura's plan to give herself up one bit, not without some collateral as incentive to keep the Iwa from hurting her. But Sakura hadn't thought of it and Naruto hadn't interrupted her and Kakashi had been busy keeping an eye on Sasuke as he looked more and more like he might just change his mind and kill everyone in front of him. Kakashi had gone along with it, placing his faith in Sakura and Naruto. But he didn't like it.

The Iwa camp was smaller than Konoha's but they had put up small fortifications to dissuade or at least slow down an attack. With their backs to the river, Kakashi could understand how they felt cornered.

Still, Sasuke's report of what he had seen in the camp troubled him. Touru seemed to have it in for Sakura but the fortifications and the kind of man power at his disposal was greater than usual for an ordinary squad captain. Also, his willingness to involve villagers indicated unusual haste. Kakashi imagined this little stand off had the Tsuchikage's personal attention.

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. The camp would have a guard rotation soon. A barn owl flew overhead, letting him know his scouts had nothing new to report on the Iwa camp.

Kakashi studied his hands. He was nearly 40 years old. Rather old to be heading into the field. Maybe, just maybe, if this all worked out and Sasuke came home and there was no war, then maybe he would retire from active duty. Taking missions like he was still a spry teenager was unbecoming. And if he never had to clean up after an impulsive, temperamental student again, it would be too soon.

Ahahaha! I really thought I'd get back to this over the summer and then life... hahahaha... Once I was ready to give this story more attention I realized the plot was falling apart on me so then I had to spend a lot of time putting it back together. But on the plus side I have a couple more chapters ready to go, so they should be up over the next few weeks. (I know that doesn't mean anything to people reading this later, when it's complete. It's more like my apology to the story. I didn't mean to leave it alone for so long!)

Thanks for reading, and I *heart* reviews!