Stage Thirty Three: Finale

As I finished, my attention was returned to the constant beeping of medical monitors, the slow throb of an IV in my hand, and the sounds of the breathing of the two people who stood before my bed. "This is my story; everything that happened from the Chunin Exams to now. Beyond what happened those last few days with Deidara, I have not hid anything from you, Lady Hokage. Do you have questions?"

Tsunade-sama sighed. "Fortunately, for the length of that story, you gave answers to every question that popped into my mind as you went along. I have no doubt in the validity of your tale, having known Orochimaru for most of my life; your recital has been pretty accurate to my memory.

"Thanks to Sasuke, your condition isn't critical; you have minor injuries, but nothing that can not heal given time. I have also concluded, and it came to quite a relief to me, as well as it should to you, that you have not conceived.

"Your information on the Akatsuki and Orochimaru has proved to be valuable indeed, and I am only disappointed that I didn't hear of this sooner." She turned to Neji, standing between my bed and the window, facing her. "Why did you not come forward when the possibility of an attack came to your attention?" There was suppressed anger in her voice, attempting to keep the calm out of respect for my current conditions.

"I refused to believe the prospect of the event in question. I knew nothing of this girl. Even with the proof of her protector plate, I refused to accept the possibility. I was more focused on her being emotionally unstable at the time. She was running away from something, or someone. By the time I realized the extent of her truth, Orochimaru was already upon us, and Sasuke was gone. To tell anything then would only make us her enemy, when clearly she needed a stable place to turn to. We are her ally, and have always been. I saw no reason to turn our back on someone who showed interest in helping us, even though the action was in vain."

Tsunade took in his answer, while regarding us. Neji had placed his hand on my arm sometime in the telling of what happened; something I had not noticed. I was told he was the only steady visitor I had since being admitted to the hospital in Konohagakure. I was sent flowers as soon as word reached the Kazekage, but they had wilted and been replaced several times before I woke up. Temari would come by when she had time, but that was rare.

Lady Hokage sighed again. "Now the only question remains is what to do with you. You betrayed this village, but clearly the punishment for treason would break our alliance with the Sand." She looked at the many vases on my night stand. "Keeping you here would risk bringing the entire Akatsuki down on this village, but sending you back to Suna would only move the problem there. An attack on our allies is as bad as an attack on our own soil. If you were left to Orochimaru, he would kill you, and no doubt Lord Gaara would raise hell for allowing this to happen. If you were given to the Akatsuki, then the tailed beasts would be controlled solely by them, which cannot happen at all costs. Trusting you would be just as hazardous as not."

"Lady Hokage," Neji interrupted, "Tsuki would be a fine asset to our Anbu Black Ops squadron. Her chakura levels are unmatched by any shinobi I have seen. Placing her with our highest level of shinobi would ensure that she is safe from the Akatsuki, and using her to protect this village would keep them from wrecking havoc. Orochimaru and Sasuke would be led straight to our gates. Instead of exposing ourselves to go to them, force them to come to us on our terms. The advantage would be with us. She has an intimate knowledge of how they work as a team, and can expose their weaknesses. If we have any hope in achieving a victory, it would be with her by our sides."

Tsunade looked at him. "You're risking quite a lot for her, Neji. She betrayed your village, and you're going to the trouble of keeping her alive and in the very place she nearly destroyed. I cannot deny the validity of your suggestion, but I still am unsure if she should be trusted."

"She is here, isn't she? Everything she just told us proves that she no longer feels obligated to serve that monster. Does that not give enough reason to trust her?"

Tsunade sighed for the third time. "Don't disappoint me, Neji. If anything backfires, you're responsible. She is your charge now." With that, she left the room, leaving Neji at my side and myself to ebb away into the darkness. For the first time, I felt safe enough to succumb to sleep. I had a home, I had a purpose, and I have a friend.

Neji was still there when I woke up again. He smiled at me lightly. "You're awake."

I nodded. "How long was I asleep?" I asked.

"Long enough," he answered. He put his hand on my arm again. "I knew you'd come back, eventually."

I looked him over. He sported new garments, and these suited him more than the boyish outfit he wore when I saw him last. His hair had grown even longer, but kindness now could be seen in his milky eyes. "I guess I knew I'd end up here when I left the first time. I've been a missing shinobi ever since."

He looked mildly surprised. "How can that be?"

"When I went back to Suna, I was presented my file from when I attended the academy there. I filled in all the blanks they had, listing the Leaf as my affiliated village. I was defiant of Orochimaru then, and they'd know I wasn't theirs. They may not have had a Kage, but they did have ways of verifying that information."

"They wouldn't put forth the effort to check it, especially since you left wearing a leaf band. It would make sense to them, for that to be true."

I sighed, leaning back against the pillow of my hospital bed.

"Lady Hokage says you're free to go when you wake up. We can take you home, if you'd like."

I smiled. "I would like that," I answered. I pulled the IV out of my hand and got up from the bed. I felt a little weak from the travel; or maybe the events had caught up to me, and I was finally feeling their weight. Regardless, I felt heavy. "Let's go, Neji. I'm tired of being here."

We walked out into the streets from the hospital. I wasn't familiar with this part of the village. He led the way, for the more part. I didn't know if he knew where my apartment was.

He looked at me. "May I ask a personal question, Dentsu-san?"

The honorific took me off guard, suggesting the nature of the question could be a little offensive. "Go ahead," I answered.

"About Deidara; do you love him?"

"No, I don't. Why do you ask?"

He smiled at me. "You told me love wasn't a part of your destiny when I saw you last. I just wondered if maybe you'd changed your mind." He looked at me cautiously. "You realize we have to take him out, right?"

I sighed. "Yes, Neji, I know he will die for his crimes." We reached the edge of the Hyuuga compound. "That doesn't stop me from enjoying his company."

"You're on our side now. It can't be that way anymore. Likewise with Itachi; they're the enemy. They will be destroyed, one way or another."

"I've always accepted Itachi's death as granted. Deidara's will just have to join it. "

"I'm glad that's settled," he stated in a rather final tone of voice.

"I'd better be going, Neji."

He smirked at me. "Do you have somewhere to go?"

"I have an apartment not too far from the academy. I'll show you where it is sometime." I returned his smirk.

"You'd better not forget."

"No, Neji. You'd better not forget, "I rebutted, looking him in the eye. "You owe me a sparring match."

A grin spread over his face. "I remember all too well. There's daylight left to burn, Tsuki-chan. Let's kill two birds with one stone and settle this once and for all: who's stronger, me, or you?"

"You're on, Neji," I growled playfully. We walked toward my old apartment, laughing the whole way there.

FIN

Now that the story is over, please feel free to tell me what you thought of it. I love reviews! I might return to it after Sasuke has taken over the shinobi world as we know it, but then again, I might not. Needless to say, I'm open to suggestions. Please, feel free to comment here or message me. I'm on pretty often, so let me know and I'll respond. Also, feel free to read any of my other stories, as there will be an onslaught of new material added to my profile on a regular basis, both short, one-five chapter stories and lengthy ones such as this. Thank you for your time. I appreciate you taking the time to read my story. This has been Love Me or Die.