A Regrettable Course of Action

14 weeks later

Naruto's eyes snapped open, only to drink in darkness and the weak yellow light of a candle dying on its wax wick. He waited, frozen on the bed, blue eyes fixed on the body next to him. In the darkness, Saskue's pale skin seemed to emit a pearly glow. Even in sleep, Sasuke Uchiha was perfectly composed. He slept on his back, arms resting at his side. Naruto almost had to laugh at him. Really, only Sasuke could pull off sleeping like the Grim Reaper. He hardly ever moved as he slept; yet despite being in a seemingly deep sleep, the smallest thing would make Sasuke leap awake, ready to fight. Tonight, however, Sasuke stirred only a little as Naruto's breath hitched, and he cracked open an eye, brows furrowed.

"What?" Sasuke muttered, sitting up on his elbows. Naruto continued to lie still, curled on his side, breath in his throat. He was quiet at first, unsure. Then he smiled tentatively.

"It moved," he whispered, still waiting for another squirm, another anything. Sasuke blinked, and a fleeting look Naruto didn't have time to comprehend disappeared from Sasuke's features as quickly as it had appeared. Sasuke sighed, closing his eyes.

"You woke me for that?" he grumbled, sinking back into the bed.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault you're a freakishly light sleeper!" he retorted, secretly stung by Sasuke's indifference to this enormous milestone in this already strange phenomenon that was his pregnancy.

"I sleep like a ninja. You sleep like a moron," Sasuke shot back, though his lips twitched in an effort not to grin at the insult. They playfully grappled, and before long Naruto was met with a hard smack to the face with a pillow. His head snapped back, colliding with the wall. He cursed, rubbing the back of his head and glaring at Sasuke.

"Dammit, what's wrong with you?" he hissed. Sasuke chuckled, settling back down to bed. Naruto seized the moment. Sasuke expected him, but Naruto was planning on that. Naruto's sneak attack resulted in Sasuke falling off the bed with a muffled thump on the carpeted floor. Of course, however, Sasuke had landed with whatever grace he could muster.

Which hadn't been much.

Naruto snickered, stifling a loud laugh, but quickly quieted when Sasuke snapped to attention. Naruto looked, noticing the light seeping under the closed door to the bedroom. They had woken Shima and Fukasaku. Sasuke threw himself in the closet the minute Fukasaku rapped on the door and threw it open. Naruto quickly pulled the blankets up to his waist.

"Fukasaku!" he complained when the light hit his eyes. The old toad harrumphed, looking around suspiciously.

"I heard a noise," he grumbled. Naruto smiled weakly, rubbing the back of his head.

"I bumped my head," he explained, a little lamely. Fukasaku cast another glance around the small rectangular bedroom.

"If I go to the bungalow, and Sasuke isn't there with Suigetsu-" Fukasaku started a little angrily, but Naruto cut him off.

"I bumped my head! That's all," he insisted, praying that Fukasaku hadn't noticed the color that rose in his face. The old toad sighed.

"This is my house, Naruto, you will obey my rules," he said, like some old fashioned old grandpa. Naruto nodded a little sulkily, and Fukasaku closed the bedroom door. Sasuke remained hidden for another couple of minutes, leaving Naruto annoyed on the bed. Finally, Sasuke quietly exited the closet, sitting on the foot of the bed before stretching out besides Naruto. Naruto watched him for a minute, shoulders sagging as his thoughts drifted.

"Maybe you should go," he said finally.

"Why? Afraid that old toad's going to scold us in the morning?" Sasuke drawled.

"Sasuke," Naruto groaned. "He-"

"He doesn't trust me." Sasuke supplied flatly. He was sure this was because Fukasaku was either afraid Sasuke would act too soon, or because he was worried that eventually he would begin to feel remorse and confide in Naruto. Sasuke preferred to believe it was the first option. Not that he didn't feel slightly guilty, but he understood why it had to be done. While Naruto remained pregnant, the child was safe, but as soon as it was born…

A memory came to mind.

In the twilight, Naruto's blond hair seemed to glow gold, and the laughter that erupted from him rippled through Sasuke like a soft, endless hum. It warmed him, and pleased him to hear, though he was careful not to show it outwardly. He kept his features schooled, perfectly composed. He was watching Naruto and Suigetsu bicker and (safely) spar. Suigetsu never hit back, which ignited a fierce pride within Naruto that was amusing to watch. When Suigetsu dissolved into a puddle of water to avoid a hit, Naruto cursed loudly at the unfairness. In his display of outrage, he accidentally slipped in the wet puddle that was his new found friend, landing hard on his ass. Naruto had laughed so loudly at Suigetsu's curses and baleful complaints (that thanks to Naruto, the "Clutzy" ninja, his mouth would forever taste like ass) that a tear sparkled in the corner of his eye. Sasuke fueled their fire by calling them idiots, and the game resumed after playful banter. Although, the fierce gleam in Naruto's gaze made Sasuke anxiously await the veil of night and the end of the spar.

He was suddenly aware of a presence. Fukasaku emerged, smiling at the antics of Suigetsu and Naruto. The two seemed to know how to stir up a good laugh when things became too quiet and still. Sasuke seemingly paid Fukasaku no mind, but the toad did not miss the slight incline of his head; a silent invitation to speak.

"You may be allowed to stay with him here, but I do not want to find you in his bed in the morning. You will both treat my home with respect. Why, when I was young, I couldn't have more than a few moments alone with Shima prior to our mating!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He waited for Fukasaku to continue.

"Becoming intimate with another is a test of one's courage," the toad went on, "one's heart, and one's values. I know love. It is a dangerous thing." Sasuke silently agreed with him, slightly uncomfortable with the topic. He still said nothing. The toad continued, oblivious to his discomfort.

"You may care for him, but in the end, remember what's important. His heart, or your future? His heart, or your purpose?" Sasuke realized the point in the talk, although he'd wondered all along. Fukasaku was trying to sway Sasuke. The toad couldn't afford Sasuke changing his mind. It would reveal too much.

"You're afraid that if I become more involved, I won't finish the job."

Silence reigned. The toad did not look at him, only watched Naruto with the same affection a grandfather might have.

"Platonic love is just as dangerous," Sasuke told him. The toad grimaced, shook his head, and ambled away, muttering. Sasuke turned to see Naruto watching him, his blue eyes dark. It was obvious Naruto suspected something between Sasuke and Fukasaku, but had so far been unable to discover the secret, although Sasuke knew the blond had his suspicions. He met Naruto's gaze, and smiled. The blond's stony frown rippled into a hesitant grin.

For the past fourteen weeks, Mount Myoboku had remained a peaceful haven. Madara had not been sighted in the battle field since before Naruto was brought to Mount Myoboku, and this sent a sense of panic and paranoia through the Allied Forces. However, Madara's armies kept up their work. Terrorizing villages, plundering, murdering resistances, and preaching about the dawn of a new era. Conquered villages switched loyalties out of fear and lack of resistance and ninja to support them. A few had even been renamed in honor of Madara. However, the new territories Madara had seized still were not nearly large enough to put a real dent in the Allied Forces morale.

"Sasuke?" Naruto hissed, throwing a pillow at him. Sasuke caught it, and broke free of his reverie. He strode over to the bed, looming closely over Naruto.

"See you later," he whispered. Naruto nodded mutely, watching him. The fact that Naruto knew Sasuke was hiding something was becoming more and more apparent with his questions and looks. There had been moments Naruto had pestered him with questions. Sometimes it was right after sex, while they lay huddled, silent, and wrapped deep in their thoughts and awareness of each other. That was when Sasuke hated him bringing it up the most. Each time, however, Naruto was left disappointed.

"Am I ever going to know?" Naruto asked gruffly. Sasuke was silent, pausing to brush hair out of Naruto's eyes. They stole a moment to study one another.

"I've got to go." He turned away to the window quickly. He narrowly missed the pillow Naruto threw at him. He crept out the window, with enough time to notice the blue eyes, gleaming in the dark, the color as alive and violent as an angry sea.

Suigetsu pretended to be asleep when Sasuke snuck back in to the bungalow, his back to his friend; although Sasuke was practically noiseless. Suigetsu was surprised; he had expected Sasuke to have been gone much longer.

"I know you're awake. What is it?" Sasuke suddenly asked. Suigetsu stiffened in his bed. He clutched the pillow underneath him a little tighter. He released the tension.

"For the genius you are, I'm surprised you haven't come up with a new trick to sneaking out. The clones are getting old," Suigetsu said with a yawn. Sasuke snorted , but said nothing. All too quickly, the room was plunged into silence again.

Suigetsu stared at an obnoxious scratch in the annoyingly purple eggplant wallpaper that covered the walls, but in the early hours of morning, the color looked as black as the sky. He didn't even dare to think until Sasuke's breathing became shallow, but even then, Suigetsu was suspicious.

Fourteen weeks had passed. Each day, he pretended there was no ulterior motive. Sometimes, he even forgot about it. Tonight, though…tonight was different. He let out a breath, clutching the vial hidden in his palm tighter. Tsunade had successfully planted spies, and an assassin. Suigetsu would watch, listen, and wait until he could report anything interesting concerning Sasuke or Naruto to Tsunade. But it wasn't only Suigetsu watching from the sidelines. The little red toad apprentice had been easy to sway once he heard the terrifying tale of the child and Sasuke's possible intentions. He often returned from summonings with secrets from Tsunade, and sometimes, like tonight, he arrived with lethal knowledge.

For fourteen weeks, Suigetsu had been safe, well fed, and had even made a friend out the obnoxious blond who had curiously enraptured his team leader. But now...Now he was about to betray them all.

For good cause, of course! For an excellent cause!

What was he supposed to do? Allow Tsunade to take him captive, turn him in as a rogue and a world-wide wanted criminal (title courtesy of tagging along with Sasuke Uchiha) and allow himself to be executed for a little compassion?

Suigetsu wanted to believe in loyalty. He wanted to believe in friendships that existed without betrayal. He wanted to believe in fairness, but that was only a fairy tale. Something he believed in when his heart was young and naïve, and would open like a blossom to such morals. But no longer. It was time. The war, Tsunade believed, would soon come to its climax. With Madara still out of sight, she believed it was best to take advantage of his absence and work quickly…both with Sasuke and Naruto.

The vial was for Uzumaki. After three months of careful studies and experiments, Tsunade believed she had concocted a special drug that would irritate Naruto's natural defenses, and safely target and poison the child within without posing much harm to him. The complications that would arise with the drug would give the toads no choice but to hand Naruto over to Tsunade to be seen.

Once he was safely in Tsunade's hands, and it was revealed the child was dead, the toads would have no real say in Naruto's safety. Tsunade believed that after this tragedy, the toads would naturally look to Sasuke, who, she had learned, had been appointed by Fukasaku to do the gruesome task once the child was born. Without Naruto's child, and without Naruto's support once he realized Sasuke was the prime suspect, the toads (and Naruto) would give up on Uchiha, no longer having a reason to keep him. Or so Tsunade theorized.

Through the briefing he had undergone with Tsunade, Suigetsu was aware that this was all about a prophecy the Great Elder toad had made. Supposedly, Naruto and Sasuke's alliance was vital for the turning point of the war. He didn't see really see why. Sure, together they mad one hell of a formidable duo. Sasuke was a genius, and Naruto…well, Naruto was something else. The blond had talent, great strength and power, and for those who lacked insight failed to see, cunning.

Naruto could easily befuddle his image; making others think he was a fool of a ninja with his frivolity and bright, boisterous attitude. It made others connect him with the terms juvenile delinquent or hooligan. Suigetsu knew simply by observing him, however, that Naruto was more than that. To Suigetsu, it seemed that Naruto's brightness was a shield, cleverly hiding the slightly darker truth behind a friendly smile. True, the blond was what one would call a true friend (and Suigetsu envied that) but he was also one that wasn't to be trifled with without great caution.

He fingered the vial. Great caution. Suigetsu was strong, he was fast, and he could be cunning too if he wanted. Still, he was about to sabotage Naruto's carefully protected secret. Sasuke had never spoken of the child to Suigetsu again after Yama, and he found it interesting that Naruto didn't speak so readily of it either. The topic was altogether avoided in his presence; as if Suigetsu was supposed to be left in the dark about it. Sometimes, though, Naruto would mention it to him in an off-handed and casual way.

Suigetsu fidgeted.

Tonight. It had to be tonight. Suigetsu was sure Fukasaku would be aware of Sasuke's nighttime visit (although the geezer never did anything about it but bitch and moan). He was prepared. He had waited, focused on Sasuke's breathing. Uchiha made it difficult; it was as if he never truly fell asleep. It would have been better to sneak out while Sasuke was out, but then he risked being caught by Sasuke still.

An hour later, Suigetsu gripped the vial close to his chest and closed his eyes. He held his breath, feeling his body mutate and become fluid with a thought. Silently, like a butterfly leaving a chrysalis, he sank through the bed, leaving a perfectly composed water clone in his place.

Water was life, but tonight, it brought death. Suigetsu puddled himself on the floor and slowly spread out, sinking beneath the floor boards, catching one final glimpse of Sasuke, still on the bed, before disappearing. He seeped into the foundation, into the earth. He bubbled to the surface a hundred feet away from the bungalow, and solidified.

He coughed a little, shaking himself. Sinking through cracks and compact dirt had made him feel claustrophobic. Carefully, Suigetsu made his way through the swamp, on high alert. Through careful observation over the weeks, Suigetsu had discovered that Naruto always left a glass of water on the nightstand closest to the bed he slept in. All Suigetsu needed to do was add the drug to the glass. As he walked, his heart worked so fast from his nerves he wanted to laugh. He was amazed he had slipped past Sasuke without much of a hitch. Although he hadn't made a noise, and he had been amazingly discreet, he still had been expecting it to be more tricky somehow.

Suigetsu froze then.

The cottage was in sight, but he didn't move. He felt a small disturbance in the air as metal was silently unsheathed, all before the deadly length kissed his throat, and Sasuke made his presence known.

No words were exchanged. Suigetsu waited, either to drown in his own blood, or for Sasuke to speak. Crickets sang a fast paced lullaby, warning of the chill that was soon to enter the paradise that was Mount Myoboku. Their song pierced through Suigetsu, ringing in tune with the heartbeat he could feel drumming in his ears, and still he waited.

He didn't gasp, didn't wince, when the edge of the sword slowly slid along the pale skin of his throat, leaving a thin trail of red. It stung. It was a warning. Suigetsu wondered where he had gone wrong. Then he cursed himself. Perhaps the Sasuke in the bed back in the bungalow had been a clone the entire time. The Sasuke that had entered the room had never been the real one. He should have known, the minute he wondered why Sasuke hadn't stayed out later. Suigetsu almost laughed at his own mistake, his own foolishness. He knew the answer then: Sasuke had sent a clone to travel back in his stead. Fukasaku would be aware that Sasuke had visited; the clone was to ensure the old toad believed Uchiha to have truly gone from the cottage. Suigetsu allowed himself a grin.

"Sasuke, come on. You're no hero." He was ready for the sword's impact, and the sword's song for blood was sweeter than the cricket's lullaby. It made his blood roar with pleasure. Quick as lightning the sword swung back and pressed forward again, intent on decapitating its target. It sliced through Suigetsu with ease, but instead of spilling blood, only water gushed forth. Sasuke's eyes were spinning red with his Sharingan as Suigetsu's body dissolved, the head flying off his neck, winking at Sasuke as it spun in the air, laughing as it hit the ground with a splash, becoming a mere puddle of water.

Tendrils of water sprang from the ground beneath Sasuke suddenly, wrapping wet arms tightly around his legs and pulling him waist deep into bog mud. Suigetsu reformed behind him, arms wrapped around Sasuke in a choke hold.

"Listen to me-"

"Fuck you!" Sasuke growled murderously.

"Sheesh, you're a stubborn-" Suigetsu didn't finish, he was too busy staring at the sword point that was protruding from his chest, red and glistening. He blinked, confused, and belatedly realized he had never been holding Sasuke in the first place.

"Dammit, you're a real mindfuck, you know that?" he joked feebly, gasping as the sword was withdrawn. Suigetsu fell to his knees, breaths coming in ragged gasps, clutching at the puncture wound in his chest.

"You missed my heart," he choked out, surprised. It was true. The sword had missed the heart, narrowly avoiding puncturing a lung. Sasuke didn't answer. He stooped in front of Suigetsu, and reached down for something.

It was the vial. When Suigetsu had last pressed it to his chest, dissolving into water, he had kept the vial tucked away inside of him, protected in an inner pocket of water. He swallowed. Sasuke hadn't missed; he had only extracted what he had been looking for by pushing it out with the sword. The point of the sword was suddenly pricking the tip of Suigetsu's nose, and he laughed.

"You're no hero," he repeated. Sasuke said nothing.

"You said you'd kill it. I said I'd kill it, for my own reasons, nothing personal. The whole fucking world wants it gone. Do us all a favor, Sasuke, and just drop the drug in his water yourself." The sword point flashed across his face, under his eye, sticking deep into Suigetsu's cheek. It stayed there. Suigetsu ground his pointed teeth together in pain.

"You're Tsunade's bitch now?" Sasuke asked softly. Suigetsu laughed a little.

"Like I was ever yours? Look, the drug won't kill Naruto, so stand aside and let me take care of this, or do it yourself." The sword point bit deeper.

"What's the big deal?" Suigetsu said again, "You get to keep your hands clean."

"Shut up before I really kill you." Sasuke breathed. Suigetsu snorted.

"You're pissing me off. You take on the job of killing your own kid, not even knowing if it's really going to be the demon it's rumored to be, and now when someone threatens to take the job away from you, you get all heroic."

"Stay away from him. Naruto is my business, and mine alone. I will deal with my responsibilities."

"Then keep the vial!" Suigetsu challenged. Sasuke looked at the vial in his hand. His red eyes shot up to Suigetsu, who quailed under the swirling irises. Under this gaze, he was no match for Sasuke alone, and he knew it. He could nothing but sit there and wait.

"It won't kill him?" Sasuke asked softly. Suigetsu exhaled slowly, not realizing he'd been holding his breath. His heart was racing, mouth dry. He licked his lips, trying to keep a relieved smile from twitching on his lips.

"No," Suigetsu assured him. But Sasuke's sword point stayed in Suigetsu's cheek, and Suigetsu counted the seconds as fat crimson drops oozed down his face, plopping in a pool of boggy mud by his knees. Sasuke's eyes met his.

"You'll be the judge of that," Sasuke whispered icily.

Suigetsu could have liquefied his form. He could have grabbed the sword, risking the deep gashes that would have surely sliced through his roughened palms, and pitted his strength against Sasuke's.

But either he didn't try to, or there wasn't enough time. He was never sure which. He was frozen in horror, but not utter disbelief. The cork flew off the glass lips of the vial, and Suigetsu struggled weakly, frozen under the horror of Mangekyo.

Sasuke's hand shot out, painfully grabbing a handful of white hair, and yanked Suigetsu's head back, forcing the liquid down his throat. Suigetsu choked on it, and when the last drop seeped past his lips, Sasuke released his hold on Suigetsu's hair, tossing the vial, only to slide his sword and slice Suigetsu's cheek open, from cheekbone to the corner of his mouth. His former teammate howled in pain. Sasuke released him in disgust as he writhed. Suigetsu screamed, holding his face, curling in on himself in the boggy, bloody puddle.

"Now, let's see what your little drug does. If it kills you, it will have done you a favor," Sasuke hissed. Suigetsu moaned, hands slick with dark blood as he groped at his face. Curses flew off Suigetsu's tongue, so many curses. He damned Sasuke to hell. Wished him death. Called him a coward. A pussy. Said he couldn't wait until Sasuke's actions backfired and left him without Naruto.

He finally stopped shouting and looked up at the full, bright moon, begging for the pain to stop.

Fire. There was a fire coursing through his belly. He coughed, spluttering, blood streaming into his mouth from the grotesque gash in his face. Sasuke watched, impassive, the only display of emotion in his porcelain features was the rage betrayed by his eyes.

Sasuke watched as gradually, Suigetsu began to groan, then scream, and finally claw at his stomach and succumb to great, heaving sobs, the gash in his cheek forgotten. Suigetsu was glistening with sweat, hair plastered to his forehead and hanging limply at his shoulders. He rolled onto his stomach, and vomited. Again, and again. He cried out as more pain seemed to lance through him. He begged for water. Sasuke sneered and looked away as his former teammate attempted to lap up murky water. In a fit of rage, Sasuke stamped his foot in the puddle, splashing mud over Suigetsu's moon pale face. Suigetsu, on his hands and knees, suddenly collapsed, landing face first in the mud.

Sasuke grabbed him by the hair, yanking him up again.

"Am I dead yet?" Suigetsu asked weakly.

"Not yet," Sasuke breathed. Suigetsu felt himself being dragged unmercifully through the cold, wet ground. The landscape changed from bog to dew covered grass as Sasuke continued to drag him. Then they stopped. By now, his body was shaking with chills from a fever, and his gut felt like it had burst only to burst open again, and his cheek seared with pain and bled. His vision was blurring. There were voices, a yelp of surprise, a hiss of outrage.

Suigetsu succumbed to darkness.

You're no hero, Sasuke, he thought as he lost consciousness.