A/N:Well its been a bit over a month since the last update…eventhough I said I'd be making shorter chapters to update sooner.. I kinda got carried away with this one? Its an important chapter, a lot of nuances and character conflict and just couldn't stop writing until I felt I did it justice. I hope the length hasn't bothered anyone. No ones complained yet so I guess I shouldn't try to fix something that's not broken, right?

Requiem for the Fallen

He couldn't feel anything, not even the rage that filled his body barely an hour ago. He was a shell now; an empty vessel. It was harder this time, actually seeing their demise that is. He'd dreamt of their bloody faces and brutalized bodies before, seeing it was…a fate comparable to death. Though it was nothing compared to what he'd do to the culprits. Even now he planned, and plotted their downfall. The informant had heard the jarring news and after a fervent investigation at The Station she'd produced two names.

"Hidan. Kakuzu."

Sasuke repeated the names aloud and in his head as he ran the whetstone against the length of his blade over and over, the song of steel offering some small amount of comfort. The crew offered what condolences they could, feeling his pain as well, but he wanted none of it. Once again the brutal violence of his past had caught up with him, and the only clear solution was blood. Blood for blood, and by the gallons if necessary. He was sure Suigetsu, Karin, and Jugo were also preparing for war in a similar manner; he hadn't a clue what the others were up to however.

Naruto had tried to talk the Uchiha down from his ledge, so to speak. The idiot spoke their names and for a moment Sasuke remembered that rage and sought to express it in the only way he knew how. His blade came close to nicking the short hairs under the chin of the tactless male, showing him how close he was to joining those whose names he spoke so freely. But he refrained once Sakura appeared and dragged the blonde away. She just stood there however, watching as Sasuke returned to his seat at the bow of the vessel and continued sharpening his steel in silence. She wanted to comfort him, but she knew words would never reach him, not now at least. He needed time. And that was the last thing they had. These Akatsuki bounty hunters were so well connected and had enough skill to locate, capture, and murder five well trained enforcers and it only took one day.

"We're coming for you next…"

The smug executioners voice sounded off in his head, making him scowl in anger as he roughly scraped the stone against the blade. Even when he closed his eyes all he saw was his sadistic smile. The dark haired man stopped his ministrations momentarily to place a lit cigarette between his grit teeth. Hidan, the man who took their lives and did so with a joyous grin. He would pay. Sasuke would make sure that when he was finished with the silver haired devil, he was begging to be sent to the hell he so deserved. He exhaled slowly as he scrutinized the fruits of his labors critically. "I'll be ready for you, bastard."

The hours drudged on and he continued his toiling, or so Sakura figured. She had been waiting, hoping that he'd tire himself out and submit to fatigue and join her in bed. The bed they'd shared every night since they arrived in Tokyo and their relationship became common knowledge. The same bed that had symbolized warmth and comfort for her now was cold and uninviting. She breathed in the evergreen and pine needle scent that clung to his pillow as she wrapped his dark sheets around her. She only took a small glance at the neon green lights of the clock on his nightstand to come to terms with that he wasn't coming to bed, at least not while the sun slept.

Sakura understood that what they'd witnessed was hard on all of them; she'd seen the death of fellow agents before, even been with them in their last moments. It was never easy, but Sasuke just shutdown. It wasn't so different from the days leading up to his resignation from Interpol. When that happened he lacked the power to do something about the vigilantes that escaped; this time however, he had all the power to avenge his comrades. Fury with purpose, but no direction. Sakura could feel the tears begin to sting her eyes at the thought of the lengths he would be willing to go to for revenge.

As distraught and grief stricken as she was for both the deceased and Sasuke, Sakura was also incensed by the whole situation. If what Hidan had claimed was in fact true then Sasuke and the other enforcers were the perpetrators of a horrific triple homicide. Interpol suspected it was more than just an act of senseless violence from the start and investigated numerous possible Yakuza clans for the hit. Despite what she knew about the Uchihas involvement with Orochimaru, she openly denied his involvement up and down. What a fool she had been. It was vigilantes killing each other for past crimes; gangland justice that only amounted to more spilt blood. If she didn't stop him, he too would become another statistic.

"We've been dissecting this tape for hours." whined the auburn haired detective, tapping his ballpoint pen against his notepad as he lazily leaned in his chair, "We're no closer than we were before, Gaara."

"We can't give up now, our case just got that much bigger." insisted the blonde, critically eyeing her computer monitor as she restarted the tape, "Even if they were criminals…it still happened in our jurisdiction and we have a duty to investigate."

The redheaded inspector paced back and forth in the empty squad room, eyeing the cluttered whiteboard for something meaningful. His elder sister was right. The killer had been identified as a man named Hidan, and his victims were all suspects in multiple ongoing investigations in Nagano. His eyes darted to old mug shots of the deceased, his gaze narrowing at the thought of losing his longest running case to a criminal and so publicly no less. Tayuya and her men had been near untouchable for almost a year, and now they had been undone by some cocky hitman with a hard on for blood and a flare for the dramatic.

Gaara frowned at the picture of the man at the center of all this death and destruction. Uchiha Sasuke was the link between these murders and yet he was absent all the same. They scoured the city day and night following their raid on the warehouse in the search of him, only to come up empty handed and waylaid by Tayuyas renewed interest in creating anarchy in his city.

"Where was this broadcasted again?" questioned the chief, stepping closer to the whiteboard for a closer inspection.

"Tokyo metro region. Chiyoda, Shinjuku, Chūō . The nerds in the lab say the footage was encrypted with a geotag belonging to a broadcast tower in Sumida, but that can't be possible." reasoned Kankuro.

"More than likely added to throw off our search and amplify the broadcast to the other wards." added Temari, rising from her seat and approaching the board, "Nearly five hundred people reported seeing the televised execution in Ni-chome Square alone."

"This Hidan, he wanted Sasuke to see this, at the very least hear about it. He's inciting him, baiting him into something he'll regret." surmised Gaara, snatching the Uchihas photo off the wall and staring absently at it.

"Think he'll bite?" questioned his older brother.

"What choice does he have? They were the closest thing to family he had left, and now…" trailed Temari, shuddering at what Sasuke may do for vengeance.

"He's coming for them. The Uchiha was always the vindicated sort, especially after his father's death." finished the redhead, adding to his sisters theory. He'd be willing to expose himself for them; be the most vulnerable he's ever been since going into hiding, "If we don't find him, stop him…this Hidan, his associate, and maybe even himself will end up dead."

"Wait…you want to protect a known criminal?" exclaimed Kankuro, finally rising from his seat in disbelief.

"We don't need any more bodies. We need the law to do its job. To protect and serve the people of this country." he retorted, somewhat begrudgingly. Inwardly he kicked himself for what he was essentially proposing. They'd technically be breaking the law if they sought justice outside of their own prefecture; never mind the facts that if his theory was true he'd have stumbled upon an international law enforcement conspiracy and a secret war between some of the world's most dangerous criminals. Hell, him and his entire unit may be branded criminals if he was right. Nothing dared, nothing gained he supposed. Shit, he was even beginning to sound like one of them.

Sasuke was a threat to society by all counts, but he was a known threat. The forces he was waging war against were the unknown however. A group so dangerous that they killed their own operatives while in captivity; a group so unpredictable that even Interpol was wary to admit their involvement in national tragedies. His superiors insisted he drop the case; let the animals sort each other out, as they put it. And quite frankly, he should've. Interpol clearly had a hand in the litany of high level crime erupting across Japan as well, and even went as far as to dodge his inquiries. Gaara scowled at the picture before crushing it in his grip. It was a sense of duty that drove him now. The world was going mad with civil unrest in Nagano, while the people cheered for those executed on live television in Tokyo. He would set it right.

"Believe it or not, there are worse things out there than Uchiha Sasuke." admitted the redhead, dropping the crumpled photo as he turned on his heels and retrieved his service revolver and shield, affixing both to his person before making for the door, "This Hidan, is just the tip of the iceberg."

Day broke like any other, or so Sakura figured seeing as no light could penetrate the heavy steel of the ship, much less Sasukes windowless room. She stirred in the dark room, rolling to her side only to find more mattress, and no warmth. The events of the previous night emerged once again and she knew that Sasuke most likely hadn't slept at all. When she spotted the florescent lights of his clock on the nightstand she shot up at how late she'd slept. It was well past noon! Frantically she went about her routine, stumbling her way around the room and taking a quick shower, all the while muttering to herself about how no one even bothered to wake her.

She finally emerged from the cabin dressed smartly in a dark pair of slacks and a poorly tucked blouse and made her way to the galley, prepared to berate them all for forgetting her. But she never got a chance to. The room was devoid of all life, the sink was empty, the stove was cold and not even the scent of Narutos ramen lingered. Panic began to sink deeper and deeper as she checked all the usual places. Her old quarters, empty. The engine room, empty. Even the bridge. Sakura all but burst through the hatch of the patrol boat once her dread had reached a fever pitch.

"Sakura-chan, you're finally awake!" beamed Naruto waving to the rosette from the trunk of the black SUV. Figures he'd barely bat an eye at how late it was, much less her absence. Sai barely even ceased rummaging through the front of the car to acknowledge her arrival.

"What's going on, where is everyone?" Sakura inquired as she climbed down the ship and towards her fellow agents.

"No clue. It's the strangest thing really; they were gone by the crack of dawn." responded the blonde, halting his own search to stroke his chin in thought.

The dread that filled her prior to finding her teammates returned once she heard the news. Unconsciously she began nibbling on her bottom lip, all the dreary possibilities of Sasuke and the others whereabouts flooding her mind.

Has he abandoned us? Did he blindly run off to kill Hidan and Kakuzu? Is he throwing his life away to avenge his comrades and join them?

No. He would never; or so she told herself, shaking the thoughts off. Though she couldn't even fully convince herself that that was true. Sasuke had always been committed to his causes, especially when they struck a personal note. Even when he was still on the right side of the law he had been the same. Spending entire weeks in the squad room, catching brief naps in the station or his squad car. Once he put his mind to something he didn't stop until the deed was done. So much so that around the local watering hole Sasuke and Naruto had become known as the Immovable Object and the Unstoppable Force; not that the nicknames were ever used in the face of the former.

"What are you two looking for?" she asked, peering into the trunk full of weapons parts and mismatched electronics.

"Sai said he put a tracer on the sedan Karin was using to meet the informant. We're gonna use it to figure out where Sasuke and the rest went." explained the azure eyed agent, picking up a handful of the trunks contents and eying them annoyingly, "But someone forgot where they put the receiver."

"You've been spying again Sai?" questioned the rose haired woman, her tone more accusatory than surprised at her comrades actions.

"Our situation is a precarious one at best; not to mention Sasukes mental state has only deteriorated since we arrived in Tokyo." defended the pale man, placing odds and ends on the hood for a closer inspection, "And now with the death of his former team…I fear he may do something drastic."

Glossing over her fellow agents admission of fear, Sakura shook her head dismissively at the notion of Sasuke the perfectionist acting in a reckless manner as Sai had suggested.

"Sasuke knows what's at stake here, he would never—"

She was cut off when he made a gesture with his hand for silence and produced a handheld device akin to a GPS that began beeping intermittently. The three crowded around the machine, watching as the blip on the map moved through the outskirts of Shinjuku. It was moving quite fast too. They all watched for several more moments as the device struggled to keep an accurate bead on their swift movements.

"Where are they going?" Naruto wondered aloud as Sai pinched the touch screen to zoom out.

"Hmm, it would appear as if they're moving towards the port."

"So they're coming back." Sakura sighed, holding back her smile of relief at the first good thing she'd heard all day. It was silly for her to be giddy knowing that Sasuke hadn't abandoned them, abandoned her; but she still worried about him. Deep inside her heart she could feel him slipping back into darkness, and what Sai had said about him possibly doing something drastic was a fear she also shared. She feared that if she didn't reach him soon, talk him down, he may be lost to her again. His past crimes had come back to haunt him, and quite frankly they haunted her as well. The devious things he'd done that had made him who he was today, were also shaping her.

The pinkette was brought from her musing when the device began beeping rapidly, signifying its proximity to the tracer. Her anxiousness quickly trumped her calm demeanor, making her hastily made her way to the thick steel sliding door of the warehouse. She struggled somewhat getting the wheels to crawl underneath its weight, but eventually it began sliding easily. And just in time too; the superblack SUV came to a skidding halt inside just moments after she finished opening the door. She could tell something was wrong the moment they hopped out of the vehicle, dressed darkly from head to toe

"You sure have one hell of a sense of timing Pinky." praised the man who wasted no time removing his ski mask as the rest revealed themselves.

"S-Suigetsu? What's going on?" asked Sakura her gaze darting between the cerulean haired man and his companions who busied themselves in the trunk. Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw Jugo and Sasuke haul from it and throw to the ground, "W-who is that?"

No one answered, only continued to remove duffle bag after duffle bag from the same trunk and throw them beside the bound and gagged man. He was bleeding profusely from his brow; but still he struggled against his bonds, squirming on the concrete floor like a worm or a fish out of water.

"Him? Tch!" jeered Suigetsu, striding over to the captive man, squatting down and unzipping one of the duffle bags near him to reveal the countless stacks of 10,000 yen banknotes. He pulled out a few and grinned widely at the battered man who scowled through his gag up at him, "Zangai, master of money and murder. Not to mention our ticket to those bounty hunting bastards."

"This is insane Sasuke! You can't just kidnap people and rob them!" challenged Naruto, angrily marching over to his counterpart with his teeth bared. Sasuke stared back at him with an uninterested gaze, his eyes accented by the darkening circles underneath as he placed a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

"Can't I?" he retorted icily, moving to raise his prisoner to his feet. The man fought back, flailing, but the heated glare Sasuke threw his way set him straight, "He's a means to an end. Same goes for the money."

Naruto had to restrain himself from throttling the shadowy man. This was far from what he envisioned when his former partner waltzed back into his life and enlisted them. His campaign against Akatasuki was demanding more from him, from all of them, and if that meant breaking his initial promise of refraining from overzealous violence, he'd do it.

Sasuke always had a penchant for bending the rules when it benefited him or his cause. Besides the competitive rivalry between them that had developed in the Academy, it was the contrasting natures of the two that made them perfect partners. But now he treaded in dangerous waters. He had been Konohas best undisputed interrogator and one of the forces best negotiators, but with the uncertainty of this mission growing by the hour he was struggling to stay within his moral boundaries under the pressure. Struggling for survival. And if there was one thing Naruto had learned over the years at his side, it was that a desperate Sasuke was a dangerous Sasuke.

"Karin, get a chair for our guest."

Sakura's heart sank into the pit of her stomach at the request. Sasuke cared little for Zangai's comfort, he had shown that already. If her fears were truly coming to fruition than that meant one thing. He intended to interrogate the man, until he got what he wanted. She couldn't stand in the background and be a bystander any longer, she needed to do something.

"Sasuke-kun don't do this, please…t-there has to be another way!" she practically begged, grabbing the sleeve of his free arm as he attempted to transport his prisoner to the aforementioned chair. He stared down at her wide emerald eyes and for half a heartbeat his resolve faltered.

"There is no time. No other way." he responded after a brief pause, his voice firm and laced with uncertainty and finality as if rehearsed but still unconvincing to himself. Despite her protest he continued his task of attaching his hostage to the chair, making sure his binding was tight enough to secure him and be uncomfortable as well. Sasuke removed the man's gag, despite the multitude of curses and toothless threats he threw his way and to everyone in the warehouse. Sakura tried again to reach the two but this time was held back by the gentle giant. She peered up at his face and caught a hint of sadness in his kind eyes.

"I'll make this brief because I haven't got all day." began the raven haired man, rolling up the sleeves of his turtleneck as he circled the bald man. He took a long drag of his smoke before letting it fall from his lips and stomping it out underneath his boot. He exhaled slowly as he knelt down to eye level with his prisoner, "Has either Hidan or Kakuzu contacted you yet?"

Zangei refused to answer with words, deciding that hacking his phlegm in his interrogators face was a sufficient answer. The Uchihas demeanor remained stoic even as he wiped the viscous fluid with the back of his gloved hand and rose to his feet. Without warning he unleashed a heavy haymaker to his captives jaw. Before he could recover he delivered another blow, this one sending a spray of blood to the concrete along with several teeth.

"I told you I haven't got time to play games!" he snapped, gritting his teeth as he tore off his gloves and threw them to the floor. He ran his hands through his dark tresses in an attempt to gain some semblance of control before addressing him again, "You've refused me once. Do not make the same mistake again."

He inclined his head towards Karin, sending her a silent signal causing her to move from behind Zangei to her superior's side. Sakura drew a sharp breath of air when she witnessed the redhead hand him a rather sharp looking fixed blade field knife.

"Advanced interrogation methods rarely lead to any valuable information Sasuke." chimed Sai, no longer content with silently analyzing the escalating situation.

"He doesn't have a say in the matter, and neither do you." he shot back at his carbon copy as he approached the chair once again, "There's over fifty million yen in those duffle bags, isn't that right Suigetsu?"

"You bet there is." responded the shark toothed man, grinning as he inspected the fortune.

"The Zangei I remember would never keep so much money onsite for no reason. It just isn't safe, case and point." surmised the Uchiha, pressing the blade against his swelling cheek and slicing it open. The bruised blood flowed from the wound like a crimson waterfall as he flinch away from more of the blades wrath, "That's the price they want for the bodies then."

His tone turned cold and seemed to chill the very warehouse itself from the way everyone shivered at the words. The silence he received in turn was enough to confirm his assumption. Sasuke could feel his stomach do somersaults and his blood climb several temperatures at the mere thought of their remains being sold like to the highest bidder. The crimson eyed man had to turn his back on the battered exchange officer, fearing that he'd kill him without warning if he looked him in the eye. He wanted this man dead. He wanted him to suffer, but not before he served his purpose.

"Where and when are you meeting them?" he asked through grit teeth and downcast eyes, clearly battling to keep his fury contained. The captive spotted the way his hand trembled from strain against the worn grip of the knife and gulped in fear. He had warned him not to test him again, and it was always wise to heed threats from an Uchiha. It all came down to whom he feared more; the man who destroyed his bar and almost killed him last week, or the most dangerous shadow organization in the world.

"I'm fucked no matter what aren't I…" he mused to himself, spitting out the blood that pooled in his mouth before scowling at his interrogators back," There's…an abandoned construction yard just outside Chiyoda City we use for exchanges, I-I'm the only one who knows about it—well besides those two."

"What time?"

"Midnight tonight. Give or take ten minutes, they're always late though." he divulged, suddenly becoming an open book once the floodgates opened.

"Are you happy now? Please just let him go." urged Sakura, pushing past Jugo and reaching for her dark haired lover, er hand hesitantly covering his own. Gradually the white knuckles wrapped around the bloodied blade loosened and fell with a clank against the concrete.

His eyes rose to meet hers, and the small smile she prepared for his act of mercy greeted him. However it quickly subsided when she saw his crimson orbs and he spoke as coldly as his persistent demeanor.

"No."

"What—!"

"He stays my prisoner until the drop is made. This scum is as much to blame as Hidan, he'll pay the price as well." spat the Uchiha, nonchalantly shrugging from her hold and rummaging through his pocket for a smoke. He did his best to stray from her emerald eyes, lest his resolve waiver, "Jugo, patch up our guest and—"

Without warning the cancerous stick was knocked from his mouth when the pinkette agent slapped him hard across his cheek, the heavy contact echoing through the warehouse and penetrating the thick silence.

"Bastard!" she seethed, her fists shaking with rage at the man before her. She stared him down with fiery viridian eyes; his response was a steely scarlet gaze of his own that promised all but bodily harm for her actions, "Listen to yourself. What gives you the right to decide who lives and dies?"

"Sakura-chan—"

"We've followed you this far, but what you plan to do..." Sakura continued, her voice piercing his stoic demeanor as sharply as any blade would his flesh. As the silence persisted the warehouses occupants moved to keep the confrontation from growing anymore violent; inadvertently creating sides. Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu flanked Sasuke, their eyes trained on the group that had formed opposite them, "If you go through with this Sasuke…you'll be no better than they say you are. A murderer."

"I always knew you all weren't strong enough for this. Too stifled by your delusions of right and wrong." he started, his eyes undaunted by the display of camaraderie and insubordination as he continued the staring contest with the main misanthrope. What she started with her attack, and punctuated with her words made what he needed to do as clear as day, "It's my call. If you can't stomach this any longer, leave."

Before anyone could rebut, their dark leader left the lines of battle without another word. He disappeared into the ship's hull, punctuating his exit with a slam of the hatch.

"You couldn't leave well enough alone, huh Pink—!"

She was in no mood, and she showed it. Her punch was forceful enough to send the blue haired heckler to the floor in pain.

"What's wrong with all of you?! Don't you ever stand up to him?" she barked, her eyes darting between the two members of Taka still standing. Karin had already backed away in fear of what the heated agent might do next. Her eyes landed on the ginger haired giant silently pleading with him to do something, anything, but go through with his leaders plot.

"We don't get to choose who dies, Sakura-san. The only choice we make is to survive." he responded adamantly. Sakura's lips parted to protest the hulking mans rhetoric, but knew that ultimately no words she spouted would shake his loyalty. Wordlessly, he went about completing the half given task from his superior. The pinkette furiously shook her head and cursed the dark haired man who had dismissed her so callously. Unwilling to accept that the die had been cast and this man's life was forfeit; she fled.

Sakura raced past the two and towards the office on the second floor, followed by her fellow agents. Inside the confines, she fell to her knees and broke down into soft sobs, still fighting the display of weakness that seeped through the cracks.

"It's ok Sakura-chan…we'll just…" Naruto began, draping and arm over her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her, but even he found it difficult to commit to Sasuke's ultimatum. He didn't like the situation any more than Sakura did, but leaving meant losing their friend for a second time. He couldn't swallow that tough of a pill.

"I doubt he'd let us walk out the front door seeing as we know his operation inside and out." chimed Sai, tapping his pale chin in thought. In actuality it was a nervous tick he developed working with the two. He was always thrown into emotionally charged situations with them and it wasn't something he was used to; much less equip to adequately deal with.

"W-we aren't leaving…" she finally spoke, winning out in her battle against her tears. Sakura rose to her feet and wiped the salty solution from her rosy cheeks, mustering her best tough look before addressing her teammates, "We're still agents of the law. If we let Sasuke and Taka disappear, we'll not only have failed Tsunade-sama but the oath we took."

"What are you saying Sakura-chan? We help him? Stege some sort of coup?" questioned Naruto, his voice laced with shock.

"We do our jobs, Naruto. That's what we do." she answered firmly, her conviction coming across clear as day. The agents all exchanged nods of solidarity as they began planning for the evening.

Sasuke sat in the galley furiously cleaning his firearms. The usual solace he found in the monotony of the routine escaped him however. His thoughts all converging on the way she looked at him. As if she had seen the real him for the first time. Disbelief, betrayal, anger, disgust, and disappointment, all rolled into a single emerald stare.

"Murderer."

The word was just a whisper in the recesses of his mind at first, but soon grew in volume, as if feeding off those whose lives he had taken. The word took form, shadowy specters with broken bodies and bloodied faces. Sasuke shook his head to drive off the ghost, but with little effect.

He continued assembling his weapon through the deafening madness. He growled to himself as he jammed the firing pin into place only to have it recoil off the spring and land at his feet. He didn't bother reaching for it.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his temples but none of it helped. The rose haired woman's words were too much to take. The world had slandered his name, his family name, and he couldn't care less, but having Sakura do so hurt more than any tattoo or wound he ever sustained. Thankfully he was momentarily distracted from the woman that clouded his when a knock came from the galley vestibule.

"Excuse me Sasuke-san, the prisoner is ready for transport. Should we continue preparing for tonight?" inquired the soft spoken man as he ducked inside the room.

Sasuke waved dismissively at his subordinate, nodding his approval. He was in no mood to delegate tasks to his team; hell, he could barely stave off what he believed was an impending psychotic break. As the quiet man made to leave Sasuke called out to him, "Jugo, wait."

"Yes, Sasuke-san?"

There was a brief pause before the Uchiha found the right words. Words that would not make him look weak or incapable of leading. Words that wouldn't shake Takas faith in him. But he never found the words and was forced to bare it all to his quiet confidant.

"Do you believe… I'm doing the right thing?"

Jugo was slightly taken aback; Sasuke had only consulted with him on issues that required his level head such as tactics. To confide in him on his personal matters was unheard of coming from the secretive leader.

"I believe you have our best interest at heart."

"Tell me the truth Jugo." ordered Sasuke, it was unlike him to spout some yes man-esque response. Clearly he had some less than agreeable thoughts on the situation.

"Rebuffing Sakura-san and Naruto-san was ill-advised. Without their aid, the entire mission is in jeopardy." he finally responded, and rather bluntly too. Sasuke lowered his head and scowled. He knew already that what he did would have repercussions, but in the heat of the moment self-preservation is paramount.

"What would you have me do?" questioned coal eyed man, his eyes finally meeting the larger mans amber stare. Sasuke didn't care how vulnerable he looked or sounded in front of his ginger haired psychiatrist, he just needed someone to tell him how to fix the crumbling world around him.

"Survival is important to us all, Sasuke-san." lectured Jugo moving to take a seat beside his superior, "One day, we'll have to live with how we did so."

Sasuke lowered his gaze to his lap as he digested his confidant's words of wisdom. For the last two years he had been plagued by the things he'd done in the name of survival. But he lived with them; they were his burden to carry and his alone. Now however, the burden had fallen on others to shoulder alongside him. Those who shouldered his burdens were put in harm's way; that alone was evident in the wake of the enforcers' deaths.

Naruto, Sakura…they were in the line of fire now, somewhere he didn't want them, and yet he was the one to put them there. He put them all there with his thirst for retribution. The cycle seemed endless. That's what this mission was about. Breaking that cycle of death and destruction that followed him like a shadow. The realization struck him like a lightning bolt causing him to stiffen.

He could not break the cycle through the same means that created it. He needed a better way. That was the path Naruto and Sakura had tried to steer him on, but he was thicker than a concrete slab at times. They pleaded with him to find another way, and he refused. His closest companions had become his enemies in that instant.

"Thank you Jugo." he said, showing his gratitude with a pat on the shoulder. The giant nodded in kind and made to leave but stopped momentarily when his leader spoke again, "I will make this right. That I promise."

"I would follow you though Hells gates if need be Sasuke-san. I am not the one who needs that promise."

Sasuke would never understand the mountain of a man's loyalty to him, or why it ran so deep. Perhaps it had been the similarities between himself and his predecessor, Kimimaro. If it had been his cause Jugo surely would have turned on him by now. It didn't matter. None of the past mattered. Attempting to destroy his violent past is what put him in this position now. The only way out was to create a future, a fresh start.

Once again he bowed his head to his feet and eyed the forgotten firing pin. Tonight he would begin anew. Cleanse himself of all the bad blood and sacrifices made to make it thus far. He would bury his past, so that he could build a future.

Sasuke retrieved the greased metal and put it in its rightful place, earning a satisfying click as he slid the barrel and slide against the trigger frame. He scrutinized the completed weapon, searching for imperfections. Everything would need to be perfect for them to succeed tonight, and for him to keep his promise.

Time flew for the former enforcer as he prepared for the impending battle. Clad head to toe in his dark cloth armor and armed with his chosen weapons of war. Pistols tucked in their holsters under his armpits, extra magazines stored in the pockets of his dark slacks, and as always, a small combat blade hidden in his boot. He looked himself over in the small mirror of his bath only to find that he looked like death itself. Other than his clothes; the lack of sleep and chain smoking had done a number on him. His eyes were bloodshot and the dark circles that manifested made his obsidian orbs look sunken and lifeless.

"Sasuke-san, it's time." called Jugo from the other side of his cabin door with a knock.

Yes it was time. Time to meet his fate, no matter what it may be. As he left the bathroom he spotted something on his bed. There rested beside a box of nine millimeter ammo lay the sleek lacquered sheath housing his katana. That blade had been with him almost as long as his vendetta had. At one point it represented his willingness to impose Orochimaru's will. But with the Snake of Shinjuku dead it had become something different. It became a symbol of his own will to bring his brothers actions to light and make him pay. Another knock came, jarring him back to reality and the matter at hand.

The Uchiha quickly grabbed the weapon and exited his room, promptly greeted by his comrades, dressed in a similar fashion and armed with their trusty weapons. He led them from the bowels of the ship to the surface. The warehouse was silent save for the muffled sounds of their captive in the trunk of the SUV.

As they made their way to the vehicle, Sasuke looked up at the window of the office above him. There he spotted the agents…those he once called friends staring down at him with hard eyes. Sakura's gaze was particularly unsettling. It was the kind of look one might expect a mother to give their child after they've done something wrong; as if trying to decide on a punishment. Their eyes met briefly through the glass partition, before she turned her back to him. The simple action made her mood clear to him and frankly, it hurt.

There was no time to make up for the words they shared earlier, it would have to wait. The SUV was loaded to the brim with the sacks of money, Karin's larger than life sniper rifle, everyone's weapons, and of course, their bound and gagged bargaining chip. He continued his muffled protests until Suigetsu buried him in duffle bags. Sasuke gripped the wheel firmly and breathed deeply as he turned the ignition; this may be the last ride he ever took.

As they pulled away Sakura returned to the office window, silently watching them drive off into the night.

"So, shall I start tracking them?" chimed Sai.

The summer night was cooler than usual, the breeze turning into strong gusts as it whistled between the steel beams of the construction site. Sasuke leaned against the bumper of the vehicle, the high beams casting a long shadow against the dirt. He took a long drag of his half smoked cigarette as he checked his watch.

"Karin, are you in position?" inquired Sasuke into the mic in his sleeve, as he exhaled into the night's sky. He craned his head towards the seventh story of the bare tower thirty yards behind him. In the darkness of the night he spotted a diminutive red laser that flashed several times.

"Hai."

"Listen carefully Karin. If you have the shot, take it no matter what." There was a moment of silence and he knew that she was contemplating all the possible scenarios where that could be more harmful than helpful, "No matter what Karin. That's an order."

"…Hai."

The dark haired man flicked his cigarette through the air, rapping his knuckles against the hood to draw the occupants' attentions, "Bring him out." As per his request, both Jugo and Suigetsu escorted the captive to the front and presented him. The two held the man firmly as Sasuke retreaved the blade in his boot and sliced the bindings of his hand and the gag in his mouth.

"Don't run. Don't scream. Just act normal and you may live to see the sunrise." warned the Uchiha lowly, making sure that his voice emphasized the seriousness of the situation. The bald man opened his mouth to speak, but settled on a simple nod instead.

"Where do you want us Sasuke-san?" asked jugo.

"You stay in the car until we retrieve the money. Suigetsu, with me. Don't make a move until my signal." Sasuke ordered, placing his blade back in its rightful place. As everyone moved into positions, Sasuke could feel his heart begin thundering in his chest and the hairs on his neck stand on edge. The quiet before the storm was something he had become accusomted to, or so he thought. This was different however, something foul was in the air; something foreboding.

Soon enough lights appeared in the distance. They kicked up the dry dirt as they approached at a break neck speed, before coming to a sudden stop. Sasuke's lips twisted in a disgusted frown as the vehicle became distinguishable. It was a hearse.

"You're late again Kakuzu. What's the excuse this time?"

"I don't need any of your shit Zangei. Driving halfway across the damn country with this fool was more than enough." sneered the tall man that emerged from the driver seat.

"What's better than riding cross country to collect your due? Just admit it, you love it old man." shot back his companion who exited with a wide grin. Sasuke suppressed a growl at the sight. Oh all the ways he imagined wiping that grin off his face.

The scarred man scoffed the notion and turned his attention back to the task at hand, "What's with the muscle? Expecting something nasty?" he asked, narrowing his dark green eyes to try and make out the figures flanking the exchange officer.

"With you two? Never. But you can never be too careful. Especially when you're transporting over fifty million yen." he responded quickly, doing his best to keep his usual demeanor of business as usual.

"Let's see it then."

Zangei snapped his fingers; his way of ordering Sasuke and the others to retrieve the money. As they convened at the trunk, the three each grabbed a duffle bag using the large bags to conceal their larger armaments. Both Sasuke and Suigetsu hiding their katanas, while Jugo hid his shotgun. They exchanged brief nods before closing the trunk and returning to the front of the SUV and threw the bags to the dirt between them. The hunters were so focused on the bags of money they hadn't even noticed the weapons, giving them time to hide them behind their backs.

"Fifty-five million yen, as agreed. Now the bodies, if you would." urged Zangei, feeling sweat begin to bead down his bald head. He could see from the corner of his eye that Sasuke's grip on his katana had tightened.

The two suited bounty hunters exchanged testy glares as if silently ordering the other to do the deed, and refusing to do so themselves at the same time.

"I make the corpses, not transport them!" argued the sliver haired man.

"Tch! Useless kids these days. You're helping me carry the big one though, bastard weighs a ton." conceded Kakuzu with a twisted scowled as he went to the hearses trunk. As he went about the work Hidan inspected the bags of cash with little interest.

"So, any word of the littlest Uchiha?" inquired his amethyst eyes squinting against the high beams. Kakuzu returned touting two bodybags, one slumped over each shoulder and laid them next to the money. Sasuke grit his teeth as he unzipped to reveal their faces. Even in death Sakon and Ukon were grinning.

"N-not since he roughed me up a week ago. Bastard really did a number on my bar too." responded the bald man nervously wiping the sweat as it slid to his eyes.

"I can see that. Those wounds still haven't healed." he mused critically, scanning the exchange officer for lies, "Think he's still around?"

"Are you kidding? A-after that little video of yours he probably turned tail and went into hiding." suggested Zangei, laughing half-heartedly as he swallowed the lump in his throat. The tanned bounty hunter returned again and laid the next two bodybags with the others. Rather than revealing their faces he slapped his partner on the back of the head and ordered him to help him carry the last parcel. As the two bickered by the trunk Suigetsu turned to his leader, clearly anxious to spill some blood.

"On my signal, kill Kakuzu. Hidan is mine." he whispered dangerously.

When the two returned they were still arguing about this that and the other. Finally they rested the last oversized bag beside the others and began unzipping them one by one. Jirobo, Kidoumaru, and Tayuya.

"I wish I could've seen his face when I slit his girlfriend's throat." chuckled Hidan, smoothing back his silver-grey hair with a grin as he rose to his feet, "The way her blood rushed out." he gestured with his hand, emphasizing the spray of blood, "She was a squirter alri—!"

Sasuke had heard enough. Without notice or a signal he grabbed one of his handguns and unloaded the entirety of magazine into the man's chest cavity. Before his partner could react, he was blown off his feet by a combination of Jugo's twelve gauge and Suigetsu's Desert Eagle; joining Hidan on the floor.

"A little warning would've been nice!" exclaimed Zangei, who had crumpled to the floor in the fetal position fearing getting caught in the crossfire.

"Oh fuck off. Just be grateful you're not dead like these fuckers...yet." jeered Suigetsu as he nonchalantly approached the two corpses.

"Jugo, secure the bodies and load them up." ordered the obsidian haired man, holstering his weapon. He moved to inspect the hunters' bodies with Suigetsu, but stopped when he was close enough to see something startling, his eyes widening marginally.

"What the fuck? Where's the blood?" wondered Suigetsu aloud as he leaned over the body of Kakuzu. Before either of them could react, the supposed cadavers sprung to life and attacked.

Suigetsu was quickly overpowered by the more physically imposing man, being lifted off the floor by his collar and taken to the ground. Sasuke barely faired any better. The silver haired demon lunged wildly towards his prey, all the while laughing like a madman. The Uchiha reached for his loaded pistol but wasn't fast enough, stopping midway when his assailant grabbed his wrist and wrestled control of the weapon from him. He was fast, even faster than himself. Now Sasuke was staring down the barrel of his own gun.

"I knew it had to be you, Uchiha." sneered Hidan, moving to put Sasuke directly between himself and Jugo's high powered shotgun. While holding him at gunpoint he began removing his blazer, revealing a two-point harness with two hunting knives attached at his hip and grey sleeveless compression shirt he wore underneath, "Figured you'd come for that bitches body."

"You bastards ruined two perfectly good bulletproof suits. Do you have any idea how much those cost!" snapped the scarred man after disarming the smaller man. Roughly he hauled Suigetsu to his feet and trapped him in a headlock, "Guess you'll just have to be my vest now boy."

"Sasuke I don't have a shot!"

Sasuke scowled at how easily the tables turned, putting them in a precarious position. Crimson began bleeding into his irises as his grip tightened around his polished scabbard. He could make an attempt for drawing the blade, but he was more like to receive a bullet in the head for such a movement.

"Lay down the weapon big fella. Wouldn't want your boss to lose his head on account of an itchy trigger finger." advised Hidan, his violet eyes gleaming with mirth.

"Do as he says Jugo." ordered Sasuke, doing his best to keep calm, or relatively so. The quiet giant listened to the order and placed the shotgun on the ground, kicking it off to the side.

"You're lucky I detest these things; guns." he commented, idly scratching his head with the barrel, "So boring. Not to mention cowardly."

So that was his game then. Hidan was trying to bait him into something that would work in his own favor. Unfortunately Sasuke would have no say in the matter. If he learned anything from Kotohime's intel and the video, it was that Hidan was a sadist with a sick obsession for drawing blood.

"So blades then." It wasn't a question, closer to a conclusion crossed with a challenge. The older man's lips quirked into a smirk as he hurriedly discarded the stolen weapon and drew his blades, watching with a wide grin as his opponent drew his katana from its sheath.

"Why don't you help this pipsqueak out big guy? I doubt he could take me on his own much less with his bare hands." taunted Kakuzu, finally releasing a red faced Suigetsu who fell to the floor and scrambled for distance.

The hairs on the back of Sasuke's neck rose stiffly and he could feel a familiar heavy presence manifest behind him. Something had flipped the switch inside Jugo; whether it be the state Suigetsu was reduced to so easily, or the grave situation didn't matter. All that mattered was that that raw aggression was pointed in the right direction. It wasn't long before the ginger haired man charged Kakuzu, using his body like a battering ram against the towering man. The seasoned bounty hunter faced the charge head on, sliding back nearly a foot as he held his ground.

Sasuke's attention was directed back at his own opponent when he whistled sharply and lunged with his knives. He was quick enough to parry one of the hunting knives, but at the cost of the other biting into his upper arm. Almost immediately the blood began to flow, moistening his sleeve as it made its way to his hand. Fueled by the sight of blood, Hidan attacked again, laughing all the while. The two kicked up dirt as they danced around each other, Sasuke doing his best to avoid the slashes and stabs that sought to disembowel him. He realized soon enough that the only way to beat his superior speed was to battle it with impeccable timing.

The Uchiha's crimson eyes flashed as he spotted an opening after surviving a flurry of grazing cuts. Seizing the opportunity presented, Sasuke thrust his blade into the hunter's right pectoral. It bit deep, but not deep enough to give Hidan pause; in fact, he was smiling. The man grabbed the blade with his bare hands and forcefully pried it from his flesh.

"You'll have to do better than that!" taunted the demon, resuming his attack on the dumbstruck Sasuke. His ferocity only doubled, sending the Uchiha into full retreat. The blood seemed to fuel him, while the exertion and blood loss tired Sasuke, "I shouldn't be surprised you fight as poorly as those dead bastards did!"

That triggered something primal in the pit of his stomach to rise and rip its way through his throat. The roar erupted as he slashed at Hidan with enough force that when he moved to block it the blade still reached his shoulder. Still, he grinned.

"Ora ora! That's what I want! Show me what those eyes can do!" he urged, ignoring his fresh wound and striking back, delivering a gash of his own across Sasuke's chest. The two clashed again, this time Sasuke used a powerful knee to his abdomen to break them apart, giving him a small reprieve.

"You and your brother may be nonbelievers, but those eyes are a gift from Jashin." he proclaimed, circling Sasuke as he looked for an opening to begin their dance of death anew, "The two of you have brought nothing but death and destruction to this world with those eyes; Jashin would be proud."

"Shut up!" Sasuke barked, taking a page from Jugo and charging the other man. Hidan caught the reckless attack easily with his knives and began pushing the obsidian haired man back. The steel blades scrapped against each other as Sasuke tried pulling, but to no avail. Roughly he was slammed up against the driver side of his SUV. The silver haired bounty hunter had him trapped now. He was so close that he could smell the coppery scent of blood and festering smell of death wicking off him. Hidan continued forcing Sasuke's katana back until his own hunting knives rested on each side of his prey's neck.

"I think I'll take those eyes as my prize." mocked the hunter, his amethyst orbs gleaming dangerously in the nights darkness, "Oi Kakuzu! Can I keep the eyes?"

"Baka! That's the most important part of an Uchiha!" shouted back at his partner as he finally gained the upper hand against Jugo in their battle of grapples on the floor, promptly trying to choke him out, "Hurry up over there already!"

Suigetsu rejoined the fray after finally regaining his faculties, rushing to Jugo's side, brandishing his katana. Kakuzu shot him an annoyed glare as he dismounted from the passed out giant and took on the smaller man, "Don't know when you're out matched do you Suigetsu?"

"What can I say? I'm a hardhead!" he exclaimed slashing wildly at the scarred man, effectively turning his blazer into tatters of cloth.

When the two began bickering again Sasuke took his chance. He shoved off the distracted man with what little strength he had in his battered and bleeding arms to create space. When he stumbled back in surprise Sasuke lunged with his sword aimed for his midsection. The steel pierced through fabric and flesh like tissue paper, reaching through the other side of his now stunned attacker. Blood began flowing from the corner of Hidan's mouth, and his grin turned into a menacing scowl as he met those crimson eyes.

"You'll pay for that bastard!" he bit out through bared teeth, impaling himself further to close the distance on him. Sasuke returned the scowl and held firmly on the bloodied grip of his blade, driving deeper into his abdomen. Hidan fought back against the defenseless Uchiha by driving one of his blades deep into the space between his shoulder and neck. Sasuke grunted through the pain and pushed on, twisting the blade to try eliciting a reaction other than delight from the sadistic bounty hunter.

His only response was him grabbing Sasukes own hands with his free one and pulling the two closer before driving his last knife into the same spot on the opposite side. This time Sasuke couldn't restrain the pained cry that tore through him. His grip weakened and his vision began to fade as the blood drained from him. Hidan backed him against the SUV again, nearly impaled to the hilt on Sasuke's katana, yet still in control.

"Sasuke! Sasuke please come in!"

Karin's voice was faint in his ear as he drifted between consciousness and the darkness. He always figured, or convinced himself rather, that when death came for him; as he knew it one day would, he'd be ready for it. Now, all he wanted was more time. More time to atone for all that he had done. More time to set things right.

He wished he could've given Tayuya and the others the burial rite they deserved. He wished he could pay his respects to his mother and fathers graves one last time. He wished he could see Sakura's smile again.

He was brought back to consciousness when the roar of an engine and screeching tires, followed by a thud of bending metal filled his ears. Hidan cocked his head in the direction of the commotion, surprised to see his partner slumped over in the dirt several feet from a midnight sedan with a dented bumper and shattered windshield. Hidan scowled annoyingly at the interlopers as they emerged from the vehicle with guns drawn, and began shouting demands to drop his weapons.

"Sakura…" rasped Sasuke, spotting a pink silhouette through his half lidded eyes.

"Tch! Fat chance!" returned the bloodied man, violently jerking Sasuke so he would be his shield if worst came to worst, "Shoot if you like, but I doubt Sasuke can take much more."

"Sasuke I have the shot, but…"

"Let him go!" ordered Sakura, doing her best to mask the quiver in her voice as she kept her weapon on target. Sasuke looked dead on his feet in front of the man.

"Shoot." croaked Sasuke, his throat raw and dry. Through sheer strength of will he stayed on his feet holding onto the blood drenched grip of his sword for dear life.

"Eh? What's that, you want to die by their hands huh?" taunted the silver haired man, glaring daggers into Sasuke's dull blood red stare, "I'll take you to Hell and deliver your still beating heart o Jashin himself…you'll be my greatest sacrifice yet."

He punctuated his pontificating by tightening his grip on the protruding hunting knives, fully intent on ending their exhibition. Sasuke barely felt the blades serrated bases bite into him at this point. Behind Hidan in the distance he could see a telltale red laser flash repeatedly. He smirked weakly, knowing that these may be his last moments alive. If the bullet pierced him and killed them both at least he avenged his comrades in arms. A shot rang out like an explosion in the quiet of the night and Hidan jerked forward, impaling himself fully to the hilt. His eyes bulged as a river of blood gushed from his mouth. The powerful fifty caliber round pierced the soft tissue of his spine and exploded in his black heart.

"Forgive me, J-Jashin." he whispered breathlessly as he slumped to his knees dying before even hitting the dirt. The slick blade slid from his lifeless body, still firmly held by Sasuke. His legs finally gave way and he fell to his knees. Thankfully the katana held him up and prevented him going face first into a pool of Hidan's blood. Sakura and Naruto rushed to his aide while Sai secured the barely breathing Kakuzu, and Suigetsu attempted to rouse the unconscious giant.

"Sasuke! Sasuke, come on hang in there!" pled the cherry headed agent; trying to keep him conscious as she raised his head to assess is condition. He was coherent, but just barely. He had lost so much blood already that she was frightened to even attempt to remove the blades stuck in him. He spotted the five packaged bodies of his comrades and made to move to them, but was wracked with pain.

"Don't move Sasuke you'll only make it worse!" urged Naruto, trying to keep the weakened man upright, "We need an ambulance!"

"I'm on it." responded Sai, returning to the sedan and hailing the authorities on the radio. Karin soon joined the fray and assisted in getting her large comrade to regain consciousness.

At the sound of the cops being called they looked to their leader for guidance. They wanted to stay, for him, but that would mean allowing themselves to be captured, "Sasuke…"

"Go. I need…to stay with them." rasped the Uchiha, fighting to his feet despite their protests and the pain that accompanied the movement and each one after as he limped towards the fallen. The two agents supported his short march all the while insisting they take him to a hospital. Jugo nodded to his superior as they passed one another and exchanged tired looks before the core members of Taka piled into the SUV and made their escape.

Using his katana as a crutch, he sank to his knees beside the corpses, staring dully at their lifeless bodies. Even though he had avenged them, narrowly avoiding death himself, he still felt guilty for inadvertently putting them in the line of fire. He hung his head low, feeling all of the memories he shared with them rush forward along with every catalogued emotion associated. Hot tears spilled forth and trickled to the floor as he held his sobs back through bared teeth, "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry Sasuke…but we need to get you help." Sakura whispered, kneeling beside him and gently touching his shoulder. He could already hear the sirens in the distance. Bearing the pain through grit teeth he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small matchbox. Sasuke's bloodied fingers trembled as they pulled several matchsticks.

"Jirobo." he struck the matches and watched the flames grow quickly before throwing them into his comrade's plastic casket. It promptly caught aflame thanks to Kakuzu's concentrated embalming concoction. The sickening smell of charring flesh filed the night, obscuring the moon with black smoke. He pulled another matchstick and repeated the action.

"Sakon."

"Ukon."

"Kidoumaru."

"Tayuya." he bit out sorrowfully, hesitating momentarily before tossing the burning sticks into her bodybag. His tears had long since dried from the flames and now the flashing lights of the authorities could be seen in the distance. As the flames licked the sky he raised his head to watch the smoke, "They are the fallen, and we do not speak of the dead…for the dead are forever with us."

Sasuke was pulled back from the growing flames by Naruto and Sakura just as the ambulance and police escorts arrived. Sai was the first to flash his Interpol badge and explain the situation to the paramedics as they approached the officers hot on their heels.

"I'm sorry about this Sasuke but—" she began, pulling out a pair of handcuffs from her holster.

"It's the only way." interjected Naruto sadly as he helped his oldest friend to his feet.

"Do what you have to." he whispered weakly. With the task complete he felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and slowly succumbed to his countless wounds. The katana slipped from his as held his wrists out to the rose haired agent before him. He could see the distress in her eyes through his sweat drenched bangs. He pushed his wrists closer, silently urging her to do her duty.

"U-Uchiha Sasuke, you're hereby placed under arrest by order of the governing body of the International Criminal Police Organization." declared the agent as she wrapped the cold steel of the cuffs around his wrists."

Well there it is. Wasn't short like I intended, really took on a life of its own. Which I can say for the entirety of this fic. If I went back in time and told myself that I'd be writing 11k word chapters and killing off characters left and right, I'd think my future self had far too much to drink. Regardless, this is where writing this rollercoaster of a story has come so far. As always criticism and praise alike are welcome and encouraged. Thanks for reading!

Next Chapter: Saviors Sonata

Until next time! Sayonara!