To all those who have waited for this chapter, I apologize. I didn't mean to take so long with such a short chapter but I just kept rereading it and thinking, "Would anybody like how things are going?" Truthfully I don't think this is a great chapter, however, it is necessary for this story to move on… Hopefully you'll enjoy it. :)

To AshenMarsha: Thank you for being incredibly kind! You were the only one to review the last chapter and while it would have been nice to get more reviews, I think yours was kind of better than getting a thousand. XD Killer Bee's badassary is legend (wait for it) ary. LEGENDARY! Lol. Again, thanks! It meant a lot to me!

I do not own Naruto thus I don't own most (perhaps all) of the characters in this story. I do, however, own the right to my ideas and the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I am currently eating.

Hurray for Killer Bee and AshenMarsha! :)

This chapter is dedicated to Eddie. Thanks for being there for me, man! You left too soon but in a way you didn't leave at all. I'm starting to hear your voice in my head whenever I'm writing (which is a little creepy but worth it). Thanks, you black terminator you! :)

())(()()(()()()()()()()()(()()()()()()()())()())()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())()()

8:30 p.m., Friday, October Ninth, 1964

"Go to church now!" Ma yelled as soon as I walked through the door and into the realm of Ma's domination. A shoe and a couple other items were thrown at me. I dodge most of them with a confused expression. A Beowulf the Warrior book hit my side with a hurtful cause.

I glanced at the book then at her. Her back was to me but I could still see her angry shivers. "What are you talking about?"

Ma did not bother to spare me a look and continued to stare at the TV. Boxing was on; it looked like Ironhand A and Might Gai a.k.a. the Blue Turtle were battling it out. "I'm not a fool, Kazuhiko, I know where you were."

My eyebrows shot up into my hairline. She did?! How did she find out? Did she know what I did? Please, God, please don't let her know! My hands rubbed against one another nervously whilst I sent a prayer. May it reach God and fast!

"Y-you do?!"

Ma made a noise of confirmation as Ironhand A knocked Might Gai out cold. The sound of booing echoed in the background. "Killer Bee sent you on a 'job', didn't he? Don't think I don't know what things go on in the Mob. Your father taught me well enough." Her voice was void of emotion when she spoke. For a moment, I thought maybe she was not truly there but somewhere in the past with my father.

"Ma, I—"

"You don't have to say anything, God will attest to your sins. Just go." Something about her voice told me a beating was coming if I didn't go. But she seemed too lost to even stand, in my opinion.

I gazed down at the floor, ashamed. I knew it was not easy being her. With her daughter already having a son and still living at home, and her son a recognized (and high ranking) member of the Mob, there was no way it could be.

I never wanted her to go through this; I knew it killed her. I was supposed to be the one she could rely on but you cannot rely on someone whose very business was dirty.

I gulped unsurely. I did not know how to put this. Perhaps it was best to let her think I was on a 'job' but I could not do that to her. I may not tell her all that happened while I was away but the least I could do was put her mind at ease.

"Ma-"

"What are you still doing here? I told you to go to church god damn it!" she yelled. This time it was a magazine she threw. It landed on the floor in front of me with a smack.

I ran my hand through my hair. I didn't know what to do so I stayed silent, I grabbed my coat, and left. Ironhand A was talking to a group of reporters as the door closed. "If ya got skill, do it. And if ya don't, still do it. You better kick your sorry ass if you are too cowardly to do what you lov-"

The door shut and silence consumed the cold night.

"Ma, I didn't kill nobody. Ya gotta believe me," I whispered. The heat of my breath could be seen as it rose up before it disappeared. Maybe my message would somehow reach ma up in our apartment. It was a silly thought but I couldn't help but think it might.

:/line/:

The night found one low-life bastard at the catholic church down on Sprigs Street. Yeah, I went to church just like Ma told me to. I do not know why I did; it just seemed like the only place I could go. For once church was the place I wanted to be and not something forced upon me.

The church was empty besides for the priest and his assistants. They gave me no mind, only nodding at me when I entered. I liked that feeling of simple welcoming… no, acceptance. Why couldn't things be like this on Small Took?

I stared at the altar quietly. The last time I was here was two years ago when my grandfather died. Ma forced me to wear one of my grandfather's old suits since my own were too small. My cousins laughed at me, I recall. And who wouldn't? I was wearing a suit three sizes too big.

I kneeled in front of the altar, almost glaring at it. "Lord, why are things so fucking hard? Can't anything be easy? I don't mean to trouble you with my mortal inconveniences. I…. I just need some advice. I don't know what to do. Ma's mad at me and I can't even tell Killer Bee what I did; I can't tell either of them."

I gazed up at the cross hanging above me. "If you know what to do, come down here and show me 'cause I don't have one damn idea. I-I feel like I'm at a crossroad but the thing is, I don't know what lies at either path. Tell me what to do. I feel so damn stupid."

"As you should, dipstick."

I froze. I could recognize that voice from anywhere. It was the one person I did not want to see ever again. I looked up at the cross. "I didn't mean this," I murmured to it before turning around.

There stood Sakura in all her glory. She looked like she went through hell and back just to get to me. That made me even more nervous and yet I was incredibly angry.

I raised my hand in an awkward greeting. "Hey…"

Sakura glared. "Don't speak. I don't want to hear your Southerner voice. I'm going to tell you one thing and you better follow it." She waited for me to nod, ignoring my pissed-off face. "You are going to take me on a date tomorrow night at six. I don't care where we go but we're going. And don't tell anybody 'bout what happened the other night. I will not be known as a slut for sleeping you, understand?"

I glared at her. Behind my enraged façade, I was confused. On one hand, I hated her even more for trying to control me like she was the Southerner and I was the Northerner. It made me sick. However, I liked her guts for coming here. I watched her silently, her face was pink with rage, and her small hands were coiling and uncoiling in almost uncontrolled state. In some way, it was damn sexy. I debated on what I should say. Half of me wanted to tell her off and the other half wanted to just say yes.

Sakura placed her hands on her hips. "Understand?" she asked again, this time harsher.

I nodded to which she smirked.

"Good."

She turned to leave but I was not going to let her leave on such a high horse. In my dealings with women (i.e. Ma and Kin), I knew that I was probably walking into the threshold of hell. Despite that known fact, I still stood up and spoke coldly with demeaning undertone, "If you want to go on a date with me, Sakura, firstly don't try to boss me around. I ain't your slave. Secondly, don't come around here uninvited. This isn't the safest place for Northerners. If you want to come to my side, you gotta come with me. And finally, don't go to any places where Killer Bee's gang is or even talk to them if you see them. Those are my conditions."

Sakura frowned, clearly not happy. With tight lips, she sighed. "Fine," she told, waving her hand dismissively. She turned back around. As she walked towards the door, she called out, "Don't forget, my place at six. Meet me in the back." She then pulled up her hood and went out one of the double doors.

I sighed deeply and slumped down onto the kneeler. My head was in my hands. "Lord, you're one funny son of a bitch."

The priest walked by then, a lit candle in his hands. He just looked at me. With my ruffled coat, messed up hair and my fedora lying idly next to me, I must have looked a mess. The priest stared at me awhile longer before he shook his head and went back to his candle.

/:line:/

"Boss," Asuma mumbled quietly in greeting. He stood outside Killer Bee's office with only his head poking in.

Killer Bee looked up from his desk with a puzzled look. "What is it, Asuma? Didn't I tell you not to disturb me unless it was important?"

Asuma nodded, though he still did not go inside. Whether he was scared or not, Killer Bee did not know. All he did know was that if Asuma interrupted him for a reason not critical to the Mob or its members, he would not think twice about kicking Asuma sorry ass.

When Asuma had yet say anything, Killer Bee sighed. "What is it, Asuma?"

Asuma gulped, to Killer Bee's confusion. "You… uh… have a visitor."

Killer Bee raised an eyebrow. "You interrupted me to tell me I have a visitor?" There was rage, pure unchained rage in his words. The power of it made Asuma move back some (if that was even possible considering his head was the only thing inside Killer Bee's office).

Asuma coughed unsurely. "Yes. But this is a special visit."

Killer Bee's dark eyes narrowed. His eyes were like twin fiery coals. "What do you mean by special visit?" he asked. His voice was void of emotion. Whenever his tone got like this, someone ended up getting killed.

"Your little brat's ma is here. She wants to talk to you… one-on-one."

There was no masking Killer Bee's face from the surprise. Immediately, he darkened. Kiba was a special kid; one of the few people Killer Bee could ever trust and count on. He never had any problems with his mother, however, that didn't mean the two liked each other.

Killer Bee waved a curt hand. "Bring her in."

Asuma sighed in relief. It was clear to Killer Bee that Asuma was afraid he would go berserk. You might still be right about that, Killer Bee thought as Asuma left to get Kiba's mother. She might just do something entirely stupid.

())(()()(()()()()()()()()(()()()()()()()())()())()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())()()