Chapter 18. What Is Love…

"My heart aches, my blood roars, whenever I'm with you."

|Naruto|

"So, yeah." I said as I patted Sakura's arm, finishing my own recap of the weekend, "I'll be staying here for a while."

She nodded against my shoulder before lifting her hand to my cheek, and her gentle touch encouraged me to look down at her. Her emerald green orbs glimmered as they observed my face, and I couldn't help but lean in for a kiss. Our lips joined softly, and Sakura moaned against my mouth as I ran my tongue over hers. It should've been a sweet moment, one that would've transformed into another one of our sensual sessions, if not for the fact that my mind kept thinking about Hinata and what I had learned at her father's house.

I unintentionally found myself pulling away, and watched as Sakura's eyebrows slightly furrowed, but before I could offer an explanation, she had turned away from me.

"I get it." She said, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed, "I—We shouldn't be doing this right now."

"Sakura-chan, that's not it." I frantically began as I sat up, "I'm just—"

"Naruto, it's okay." She assured me as she zipped up her boots, and pulled on her coat before turning around and holding my face, "Being with you like this is enough, ne?"

Swallowing hard, I nodded, and she ran her thumb across my cheek slowly. She was right, it did feel good to at least have her here.

Once I'd let my job know I wouldn't be coming in today, I had packed a few things and drove over to Tanzaku Town. After finding a relatively cheap motel to settle into, I'd called her over so we could swap stories about our attempts at reconciliation with our spouses. I had hoped to hear that she too had failed with Sasuke, but I instantly felt guilty about my wish as she told me her story.

It turned out that Sasuke wasn't at the precinct like he had told her would be. According to one of his cousins, he had applied for a three-month vacation that had started the night he had told Sakura he would be working 24/7. As if that wasn't bad enough, Taiko also mentioned that Karin had put in a similar request around the same time, and that the two had worked together for years.

I had raised an eyebrow at the mention of my distant cousin but opted not to comment on it as Sakura finished her story. Although I was rightfully upset about what I had learned at Hiashi's house, it was safe to say that she had been hit with a brick of betrayal.

I blinked as Sakura's hand drew back from my face, and watched as she stood up, "I'll be back with something to cheer you up."

Immediately, I felt the urge to hold her, and shower her with the passion she desired of me. Here the two of us were, dejected and in pain, yet she had managed to set aside her own heartache to try and make me feel better.

I grabbed her hand before she could turn away, "Sakura-chan."

She raised an eyebrow slightly, "Yeah?"

'Do you know how much I love you?' I wondered as I stared into her emerald-green eyes, 'Do you know that I'd do anything for you?'

"Naruto?" She called my name, a concerned undertone seeping into her voice.

I shook my head as I let her go, "Nothing, I'll tell you when you get back. Be safe."

She smiled lightly, "Aa, I will."

Once the door clicked shut behind her, I sat down on the edge of the bed and held my head in my hands. To my surprise, I began to laugh, and it went on for a while before quieting down to a chuckle. Shaking my head, I shut my eyes as I went over what had occurred two days ago.

It was an early Saturday morning when Hinata and I got into the family Toyota and picked up Hanabi at her place before heading to Otafuku where their father lived.

"Hanabi? Hinata too? And even Naruto?" Hiashi smiled as he stepped back, "Come in, come in!"

"It's good to see you, *Otou-san." I remarked as I set down the crate of oranges we'd brought, "These are for you."

"And you came bearing gifts?" He laughed heartily, "This must be a real special occasion!"

I forced a laugh as Hanabi shut the door behind us, and we removed our shoes before entering the main house. A long, narrow hallway opened into a wide living room, and a small doorway by the left led to the kitchen.

"Are you three hungry?" Hiashi questioned as he made his way to kitchen, "I just finished making yakisoba!"

"No, thank you." Hinata pushed past me, "We ate before coming here."

She placed her hands on Hanabi's shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze, to which Hanabi nodded.

"Actually Tou-sama," Hanabi began, "There's something I have to tell you..."

I watched as they pushed him out onto the patio before Hinata slid the screen door shut. As she did, our eyes met, and I gave her a limp smile only to receive a thin line in return. I could be a dunce at times, but even I knew when I wasn't wanted. With a sigh, I turned around and went back to the living room.

Once there, I looked around to occupy myself. Aside from illustrious paintings and well-placed flower vases, there didn't seem to be any elements that made the place truly a home. At least, that what I thought until my eyes landed on a family portrait on the TV stand. A young Hinata and Hanabi stood in the center, while their parents stood on the outer sides. Everyone in the picture was smiling genuinely, although Hanabi's was particularly wide.

Loud voices interrupted my inspection of the photo and I got up, quickly heading to the source. From the kitchen doorway, I could see that Hanabi was teary-eyed, holding her cheek while Hinata stood in between her and Hiashi.

Although my first instinct was to rush out there and fulfill my promise to Konohamaru, something told me to let things play out a bit more, so I hid myself behind the corner before listening in.

"Tou-sama!" Hinata exclaimed, her voice full of disapproval.

"I don't want to hear anything from you!" Hiashi turned on her, "After all, this is practically your fault! You were the one who convinced me to allow Hanabi to move out. She's her own person, you said! She'll be responsible! Now look at her, 28 and pregnant! Unmarried at that!"

"It's not…It's not Hinata-neesama's fault." Hanabi tried to stand up for her sister.

"You be quiet!"

"I…" Hinata took a deep breath, "I will take some blame for this. Yes, if she had still been living with you, this probably wouldn't have happened."

"Then you see—!"

"But!" Hinata interrupted, "What kind of life would she be living? To still be with her dad in her late 20s? How would she even get married? You didn't allow her to date!"

"I allowed you to date." Hiashi spat bitterly, "And look what happened."

"Don't." Hinata warned him, and I perked my ears up, sensing I was about to learn something.

"I told you when you first brought Naruto home: This one's no good. But you didn't listen to me! Then you went off to college and came back your sophomore year saying you were getting married."

Hinata's voice lowered, "Stop it."

"I should have put my foot down." Hiashi's voice got closer, and I heard the screen door slid open, "I should've objected and demanded you two separate immediately, but I didn't because this one begged me not to. Was that the plan?"

"Tou-sama—"

"Was it? She'd help you get out of the house by marrying Naruto and you'd convince me to let her out without marriage?" Hiashi laughed scornfully, "Such clever girls, it worked, I'll give you that."

"We didn't plan anything." Hinata retorted.

"Oh really?" Hiashi stepped into the kitchen, "Then it must be divine punishment for both of my daughters to have been impregnated by fools."

"Tou-sama!" This time it was Hanabi who spoke out, "Konohamaru is not a fool, and neither is Naruto."

"He's his sworn younger brother, isn't he?" Hiashi hmphed, "And while you're so quick to say something, why hasn't Hinata denied it?"

"I-It's not true." Hinata stuttered.

Hiashi sighed, "You're my firstborn, you should know better than to try and defend stupidity. Be honest, that's why you married him, isn't it?"

"No, I—"

"He was young and dumb, and you had your mother's beauty…with a little wooing he was wrapped around your finger. And you knew my rule, once you were married you would be free from my control. So you jumped ship with him, ne?" Hiashi laughed again, "Wanted to pull a fast one on your father?"

"Tou-sama, please…" Hinata's voice broke.

"What? I'm telling it like it is. I was furious at the thought of having that idiot for a son-in-law, but you two made some cute grandkids so I took solace in that." Hiashi's voice drew nearer to my location, and I inched back, "But Konohamaru? Do you remember his grandfather? They don't have a hint of beauty in their bloodline yet that's who you chose Hanabi?"

"…I love him." Hanabi finally said, to which Hiashi clicked his tongue.

"Tch. Look what love got your older sister. Sure, Naruto became fire chief but that doesn't make up for what he is, or rather, what he's not. For Kami's sake, you were better than him, Hinata; you're still better than him. The princess of the Hyūga! And you've got some years left in you. You can still—"

"I can still leave, is that what you're going to say?" Hinata's voice was barely above a whisper, "Let's say…let's say I do leave."

"Nee-sama!" Hanabi interjected but Hiashi shut her up.

"Go on." Hiashi encouraged her, and I held my breath.

"L-Let's say I do leave," Hinata continued, "Who would you have me with?"

"Toneri." Hiashi answered without hesitation, "You remember him, right? Tall, good-looking, easy on the eyes…he never married you know, never got over you. And don't worry about Boruto or Himawari, I'm sure he'd be good to them."

"Don't worry?" Hanabi repeated, regaining her spunk, "Nee-sama, you can't seriously be entertaining this."

"I'm—"

"Naruto loves you!"

Hiashi laughed again, "You still don't get it, do you Hanabi? Love can only take you so far. Maybe in the early years she might have been blinded, but as time wears on, feelings fade. Ne, Hinata?"

"I don't believe this." Hanabi shuffled around, "So when are you going to tell him? When we're in the car or when you two get home?"

"Don't listen to her, Hinata." Hiashi dismissed her, "You've finally come to your senses, so you figure out the best time on your own. I'll call up Toneri and let him know about your decision."

"I never said I was going to leave him." Hinata finally spoke again, although her tone was weak and unconvincing.

Hiashi's voice was gentler now, "I know it'll be hard. The children will be confused and maybe angry, but they'll understand. Lions can't mix with sheep, the poor don't live with the rich, and the noble don't associate with the common. It was only a matter of time."

"And you." He must have been referring to Hanabi, "Although it's disgraceful, I can find you a clinic somewhere far away to take care of that mistake. Nobuo from the Taketori family is looking for someone. He's in charge of his family business, has a good head on his shoulders, and he's much better than that jumping monkey* you chose."

"You might be able to manipulate Nee-sama with that talk, but I love Konohamaru." Hanabi bit back, her voice filled with objection, "It doesn't matter how hard things get, I will never leave him because of some outdated speech about lions and sheep."

"You don't understand." Hinata said quietly.

"You're right, I don't." Hanabi agreed, "And Tou-sama, if you think for one second that I'm getting rid of this baby, you're out of your mind."

"Hanabi, if you think you're going to receive my blessing to walk around with evidence of your…debauchery—"

"I didn't come here for your blessing." Hanabi interrupted, "I came here to tell you what I already said before: I'm pregnant with Konohamaru's baby, and I will have this child."

Silence enveloped them, and I resisted the urge to peek around the corner and get a glimpse at the scene. However, before I could succumb to the desire to see what was going on, Hiashi spoke.

His voice was low and almost inaudible, but I caught his words by straining my ear, "I endured more than enough shame when your sister married Naruto, and I won't go through that again. With Kami as my witness, so long as that blunder is inside you, you are not welcome in my home."

There was a pause before Hanabi responded, "Then I guess I'll get going."

"Hanabi, wait." Hinata called, and I moved further down the hall, "Tou-sama doesn't mean that."

"I mean it to the fullest." Hiashi doubled-down on his stance, "And if you give birth to that thing, you are renouncing your ties to the Hyūga Clan."

"Well then consider it done!" Hanabi clapped her hands before storming out of the kitchen.

When she saw me, she continued walking but at a much slower pace. Once she reached me, I promptly wrapped my arm around her and escorted her to the living room. The face she wore now did not match the brave voice I had heard combatting her father. Her eyes were welling up with tears and the tip of her nose was just beginning to turn red as her courageous façade came crumbling down.

We sat down and she released all her pent-up emotions into my shoulder in a muffled cry. After what I had heard, I couldn't even begin to imagine what words I could use to console her, so I stayed beside her and continued to rub her back.

Eventually, Hinata rejoined us in the living room, though the cheerless look on her face led me to believe that any attempts made at getting her father to take back his words had failed. She sat down on the other side of Hanabi and effectively took her position as big sister. I slipped my arm out from under Hanabi as Hinata carefully nudged her into her shoulder, and I mumbled about needing to use the bathroom.

After spending a good ten minutes in the guest toilet, I stepped back out, hoping that Hinata had made some progress. Hanabi's crying had managed to reduce to sniffles, and it touched my heart to see the two women holding hands.

"We should get going." Hinata turned to me, addressing me properly for the first time that day, "Any later and we'll get caught in traffic, ne?"

I nodded and noted that Hiashi didn't come out to wave us off. Hinata opted to sit in the back with her sister and although I tried not take offense at the choice in seating, her responses to Hiashi's criticisms of me weighed heavily on my mind.

It didn't help that when we did get home, she avoided speaking to me, leaving me with nothing but time to overanalyze everything Hinata had ever said or done.

'Blessed Buddha, open my eyes.' I prayed as I laid down on the bed, 'What does she really feel?'

Shortly after I got comfortable, a knock come at the door. I got up expecting to find Sakura and whatever she had brought to cheer me up, and instead opened the door to Boruto.

"Boruto?" I questioned as I stepped aside to let him in, "What're you doing here? And why aren't you in school?"

"Why aren't you at work?" He tossed back as he entered the room, and I closed the door behind him.

I eyed him warily, "What's the meaning of this, ya know?"

He turned around and I found his typically light blue eyes to be dark and brooding, "Tou-chan, I'm gonna ask you one question and I need you to tell me the truth, ya know. Can you do that?"

I nodded, swallowing lightly in preparation for what he was going to ask. Considering where we were and who I had just been with, the scope of possible subjects was very narrow.

"Are you cheating on Ka-chan?" I watched his fists tighten as he spoke.

'He knows.' Was all I thought as I raised my hand and held my chin, "Boruto—"

"Yes or no, Tou-chan. It's a simple question."

I sighed heavily before answering, "Yes but—"

That was all I managed to say before he came flying at me.

*Otou-san literally means Father, it's a formal way of saying Dad

*Sarutobi literally means monkey jump

|Sakura|

"Order 63? Miso ramen with extra pork?" Ayame called, and I stepped to the front.

"That's me." I grinned as she handed me the takeaway bowl.

Ayame laughed, "I was expecting Naruto to be with you. After all, this is his favorite dish."

I rolled my eyes, "You're telling me. The same order every day after school; how could I forget?"

"But you were never a fan of ramen like him." Ayame noted as she put her hands on her hips, "What changed?"

"Gotta try new things," I shrugged nonchalantly, trying not to let her accurate instincts unnerve me, "Especially when I'm too tired to cook."

"I feel that. Are you stressed out because of what happened at the bank?" Ayame questioned.

"What…happened at the bank?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Her mouth dropped open, "You're kidding? You haven't seen the news?"

I slowly shook my head, completely clueless as to what she was talking about. I had gone to visit Naruto around 10 a.m. It was 1 p.m. now so what had I missed?

She switched one of the overhead TVs to the news and I read the headline: Konoha Bank Attacked By Armed Robbers, 3 Confirmed Deaths.

"Kami in Heaven!" I raised a hand to my mouth.

"That's why I was looking at you like you were crazy!" She continued, "I know the city's been a little rocky lately, but I never thought things would get this bad. Have to say though…" She lowered her voice, "The chaos is good for business."

I gave her a slight smile as I thought back to the numerous police cars, I had passed on my way here. I began to wonder if Sasuke could have been in any of them before I recalled what I had learned from Taiko at the station.

"I'll catch you later, ne?" Ayame drew me out of my thoughts as she returned to her work, "Next bowl's on the house!"

"I'll hold you to that!" I waved as I exited the restaurant.

As I was walking to my car, my phone rang, and I dug into my pocket to fish it out. In the process of doing so, I dropped the ramen, and with it fell a string of curses. When I finally managed to get my phone out, I answered with the anger I had worked up.

"Who is it?" I asked, letting out an exasperated breath.

"Hey Sakura-san, it's Shino. Sorry to bother you but I'm calling about Sarada's attendance."

My irritation fizzled at the mention of Sarada, "Yeah? What about it?"

"She hasn't been to school in the past four days and today makes the fifth. Truancy gives her at least seven days of absence before police get involved but since I know you, I figured it would be best if that didn't happen. Is everything okay?" Shino questioned.

It was news to me that Sarada had been skipping school, but I knew better than to reveal that to Shino, so I quickly brushed him off, "Everything's fine, um…don't worry about it, she'll be at school tomorrow, alright?"

"Sakura-san, if there's any problem—"

"Hontōni, Shino." I cut him off, "Thank you for calling but we're fine."

"Okay." His voice was laden with disbelief, but he made no further inquiries, "Have a nice day."

As soon as he hung up, I scrolled through my list of contacts and quickly tapped Sarada's name. The phone rang three times before going into voicemail and I sighed aloud.

'Is she still ignoring me?' I asked myself as I redialed her number.

It went to voicemail again and I rubbed the bridge of my nose before deciding to give it one more try. If she didn't pick up, I would just wait for her at the house. After all, she had to come home some time. Surprisingly, on the last ring, the line connected.

"Hello?" A voice I didn't recognize answered.

"Hi, is Sarada nearby?" I asked, assuming this was one of the people she was skipping with, "Can you hand her the phone?"

"Sarada?" The male repeated in clear confusion, "Gomen, I don't know who that is. I heard this phone ringing and found it on the road just now."

"…What?" My stomach lurched as I processed what he was saying.

"Yeah, it was on the ground like it was dropped, or maybe thrown? It's got a huge crack on the screen. Uh…I'm at Iburi Place, I'll be standing on the corner if you wanna get it." He offered and I pushed my hair back behind my ear.

"Yes, yes I'll be there in five minutes." I hung up and quickly started my car, buckling my seatbelt.

As I pulled out onto the road, I tried to think of the last time I had seen Sarada.

'Last week.' I recalled, 'Monday, when I'd checked Ino into Tsunade's clinic. Oh, Kami.'

Seven days. I hadn't seen my daughter in seven days because I was too occupied with things that didn't matter.

"They do matter though." I looked to my side and found myself sitting in the passenger seat, "We found out Sasuke-kun's not out fighting crime like he said he would be, right?"

I groaned, "Of course you would show up to talk about this."

"Remember, I'm only here because you want me to be here, whether you admit it or not. I get it; who could stay sane if they found out their husband lied to them so he could go on a three month long vacation with his mistress."

"That's not what we learned." I turned on my blinker as I made a right turn.

"Really? Taiko told us that he and Karin put in their requests for leave at the same time. You really think it's a coincidence?"

"I didn't say that, I—"

"Ora, Sakura!" She shook her head, "I'm here because you want to make sure you're not jumping to conclusions. Trust me, you're not. Sasuke-kun's been having an affair, just like you suspected. The only question is for how long?"

"Can we not talk about this?" I realized I had been gripping the wheel too tight and loosened my hold, "Sarada is Kami-knows-where and this discussion won't help me find her."

"It'll help you figure out what to do after you've found her." She sighed, "You and Naruto made a promise to try and fix your marriages. Now that both of you have failed, what are you gonna do next?"

"I don't know." I admitted, "Kami, I…maybe if we had never slept together none of this would be happening."

"Yes, and then you would've gone another year without action." She chuckled, and I glared at her. "Let's be honest, there's a reason you keep going back to him."

"What do you want from me?" I shot back as I stopped at the red light, "Do you want me to say I like sleeping with him? Fine, I do. He makes me feel good and he hits all the right spots. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Yes!" She grinned, "Finally, you're being true to yourself! Just make sure to set him straight."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't tell me you don't know." She furrowed her eyebrows, "Naruto's in love with you, and I mean seriously in love with you! Sure, he's having fun with you now, but he seriously thinks he has a chance!"

"No he doesn't." I swiftly denied, although I was beginning to see where she was coming from.

"You know it's true. And that bit earlier when he pulled away from that kiss? Why would you tell him that being together is enough when you know it's not? You're sending him mixed signals!"

"For Kami's sake!" I exclaimed, "Can we just focus on Sarada right now?!"

"Sakura—"

"Please!" I cut her off, "Sarada is my child; the only child I have, and I have no idea where she is. If I lose her, I…I'll have nothing. Then nothing will matter."

"…You're not…" She trailed off, trying to find the right words, "That's not true. You know that, right?"

I shut my eyes, "Let's just find her, okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, okay. Look, the guy's right there." She pointed out a man standing on the corner.

"Arigato." I nodded as I wiped my eyes, and by the time I finished, she was gone.

I rolled my window down as I pulled up to him, and I couldn't help but note his flowing long green hair and his yellow eyes that peered at me like a cat.

"You have my daughter's phone?" I asked as casually as possible.

He nodded and brought the phone out from his pocket. I sucked in a sharp breath as I confirmed it was Sarada's.

"Um, arigato." I thanked him as I took the phone, opening my handbag to grab him some bills, "It's not much but—"

He shook his hand at the money, "Don't worry about it, I'm more worried about you. That's your daughter's phone, right?"

I bit my lip and wondered if I should tell this complete stranger anything.

He noticed my hesitation and stepped back, "I didn't mean to pry, I just…I hope you find her."

I nodded and he turned and began to walk down the street. Rolling the window back up, I looked over the phone and touched the crack. I could still remember the day Sarada had asked me to get it for her.

"It costs how much?" My mouth dropped open in surprise.

Sarada grinned and tugged me into the store, "Ignore the price, Mama. Trust me, it's worth it."

"It had better be." I grumbled as I took out my card.

Shutting my eyes, my mind began to imprint upon me the seriousness of the situation. Sarada was extremely careful; she never left her house without her phone, and she definitely wouldn't have cracked it and left it on the road.

"Somebody took her." I said softly as I began to add up the evidence, "They took her and tossed the phone."

'Oh Kami.' I whipped my head around and tried to search for the young man who had given me the phone in the first place.

'Why didn't I get his name? Phone number, picture, anything!'

"She could be anywhere! And this could've happened at any time, I haven't seen her since Monday!" I burst into tears, "She could be hurt, or dead…"

"Hey, hey, hey!" She reappeared in the passenger's seat, pulling my hands away from my face, "This is not the time for a breakdown, okay? Go to Itachi-nii and tell him what's going on. The faster he knows, the faster he can mobilize his forces."

"But what if she's already—"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" She yelled, "Are you trying to speak it into existence? Somebody must have seen her! As a matter of fact? Call Sasori."

She took my phone from my handbag and scrolled through my list of contacts before tapping on his name, and I looked up at her questioningly as I wiped my eyes, "How would he help?"

She rolled her eyes, "He's a taxi driver whose job is to be constantly on the move around the city. Maybe he saw her and didn't realize. Besides, we can't start calling friends, you'll seem like a negligent mother."

"I am a negligent mother." I murmured.

"Beat yourself up later." She thrust the phone into my hand as it went into voicemail, "Leave him a message, then we'll go to Itachi-nii."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Sasori's cheerful voice filled my ears, "I musta just missed ya! Give me a few and I'll get back to ya!"

It beeped and I took a shaky breath before speaking, "Um, Sasori, it's Sakura and I…I don't know who to turn to right now. My daughter, Sarada, is missing. I was thinking that you might've seen her around; she's got black hair that touches the middle of her back, dark eyes, and she wears red glasses. I'm gonna file a police report but if you know anything, please, please get back to me…arigato."

I hung up and She nodded in approval, "Now to Itachi."

|Karin|

'Of course.' I thought to myself as I glanced at the two across from me, 'Of course it would be her.'

As it turns out, the mystery girl who had been brought along with the kidnapping target was none other than Sasuke's daughter, Sarada. She was still sitting by her unconscious friend, the same position I'd first seen her in when Sasori had carried me into the sickbay.

Sasori had warned Gekkō and Zetsu that the more faces Sarada saw, the worse off they made things for her, but their curiosity got the best of them, and the three of them joined me in the infirmary to bother the teenage girl who refused to speak.

Gekkō and Sasori had tried to engage her in conversation but when she persisted in ignoring them, they gave up. Zetsu, never one to go down without a fight, decided to flip the script and taunt her with threats of what they would do to her.

"You've seen many faces since you got here, that means you can point us out in a photo lineup." He chuckled, "Too bad you're not getting out of here, RIGHT?!"

She jumped when he raised his voice, to which the three of them shared a good laugh. I told them to leave her alone and they replied that they were just joking before helping me settle into one of the beds. The three of them hung around for a good thirty minutes before I finally dismissed them, assuring them that I would be fine once I got some rest.

Sarada didn't even look my way during the interaction, something that annoyed but also relieved me. Except for one hazy memory I had of meeting with her when she was younger, I had no history with her, and seeing how her ears didn't perk up at my voice, it was safe to say she didn't remember me.

"Hey." I called to her, but she didn't move.

I tried again, "Hey, girl. If you don't talk to me, I can't help you."

"…You can't help me no matter what." She said quietly, "I know their faces, I know their names…there's no way they're letting me go so it's either they keep me here or they kill me. And it's safe to say there's only one real choice."

"You don't know that." I tried to give her hope, "Listen to me, if you swear you won't tell a soul what you saw—"

"Really?" She cut me off, finally turning to look at me, "If you were them, would you take that chance?"

"If I had some assurance…" I trailed off weakly and she looked back at her friend.

"…I should've never gone with him. You need him, right? His dad's rich, he'll give the world to get him back." Sarada shut her eyes, "I haven't seen my dad in a month, and I doubt he'd be in a rush to go bankrupt over me."

Coming from her perspective, her assessment was well-deduced, and I was willing to bet that Sasuke hadn't informed his daughter about his leave of absence. Those feelings of abandonment paired with the less than friendly environment could only further justify her cheerless demeanor.

In turn, this only armed me with another bone to pick with Sasuke. Murder was unforgivable but subjecting your child to such pensive emotions was a taboo for a parent.

"I'm sure your father loves you." I managed to say, not wanting her to remain pessimistic.

She snorted, "I doubt it. He doesn't even love my mom."

A few weeks ago, this might have shocked me, but now that I had come to see him for what he truly was, my opinion of Sasuke could not have been lower.

Although I wanted nothing more than to never see him again, I knew that if I didn't inform Sasuke soon, Sarada's unexpected appearance would definitely bite us in the ass. I was sure she would react to his voice, and if she happened to do that with the wrong people in the room, we would all be in danger.

'I have to get to him before that.' I kicked off my covers before standing up, 'Maybe he can do something.'

While I was thinking, I walked right into Orochimaru and against my wishes, instinctively jumped back.

He did that hiss-laugh thing of his, "Don't worry, it's just me."

'That's why I jumped.' I thought, but nodded nonetheless, and lowered my gaze as I tried to step past him.

"Leaving so soon?" He raised an eyebrow, stepping into my path, "Gekkō and the others told me you had quite the scare, being taken hostage and all."

"I'm fine." I grit my teeth.

"No, you're not." He smiled as he finally got out of my way, "But at least you're not faking your smiles anymore. Did something happen?"

I thought of Daibutsu and swiftly shook my head, pushing the vomit back down my throat, "A lot happened."

"Hmm." He went to Sarada and rested his arm on her head, "Does this one have anything to do with it?"

"No." I said, goosebumps covering my arms as I watched him touch her face and neck, "Why?"

Orochimaru looked back at me, "I'm supposed to find out what she knows. Is it really such a coincidence that she was with our target? He's a high-profile figure, after all. I, and some others, are thinking she's a spy."

"She's a child."

His eyes shined eerily, "All the more convincing. No one ever suspects the young, I know this better than anyone. And though those fools said they got her phone…"

His pointer finger dropped from her neck to her chest as he smirked, "They didn't search her completely. She could have a tracking chip and a bug on her, and we wouldn't know until we woke up in handcuffs. Strip."

The way he'd uttered the word, so commanding, so forceful…it took me back to my childhood, if that could even be called a childhood, and it didn't help that Sarada's eyes widened at his order before she turned to me with a silent plea for help.

"…She doesn't have to strip, does she?" I asked weakly, pushing the sicky feeling down.

He sneered, "Believe me, spies know no bounds. I have to check everywhere."

"You're gonna give yourself away at this rate." Zōsui whispered into my ear, "Come on, this isn't Shiawase. The most he'll do is fondle her or something. And she might be into it, you never know."

'Like hell she is.' I cleared my throat, "Then maybe I could—?"

"…*tsuki?" I only caught the end of what Sarada said but whatever it was, it made him stare at her like a deer caught in headlights.

'Moon?' I thought to myself, 'What is that, a code word?'

"Misaki-san, could you leave us for a moment?" Orochimaru requested, at which I glanced at Sarada.

"Um…"

"Just for a few minutes." He had lowered his head to her height, fixated on her now, "You can wait outside if you like, and I'll call you in when we're done talking."

Sarada subtly nodded for me to leave.

"See?" Zōsui laughed, "She knows what she has to do if she wants this to be over quick. If only you had been that way."

'Shut the fuck up.'

"Sure." I agreed, "Take your time."

"I will." Orochimaru promised, and I shuddered at his unnervingly serene tone.

Once I was out of the sickbay, I ran to the open elevator and quickly hopped on before pressing the third floor.

"Come on, come on!" I murmured as the doors shut.

The longer it took me to reach him, the longer Sarada would be alone with Orochimaru, and something about his eagerness to search her made me dread the thought of leaving her in his care. Finally, the elevator opened, and once I stepped out, I turned down the left towards Pain's office.

When I reached the prominent black doors, I was surprised to see a brown-skinned man with dark blue hair standing by the front. His arms were crossed, and a menacing glare was plastered across his face, but some intimidation points were lost considering the fact that he was dressed like a jogger.

"Is he in?" I asked the man.

His threatening expression quickly dissipated as he shared a wide, toothy smile, which was somehow more unsettling than the glare.

"Yeah, but he's occupied at the moment." The man exhaled heavily through his nose, "Can you believe it? I get out of the slammer and come running just to find he's locked the door."

"But…" I stepped forward, "My husband's in there. I have to talk to him."

The man nodded at the spot across from him, "Get comfortable. The last time Boss locked that door, we went to war. Who knows what they could be talking about in there?"

I looked at the door again and thought of Sarada. If I went back down, I could keep an eye on things and give her some support, but I wouldn't be able to rescue her without Sasuke's authority.

Taking a seat across from the man, I hung my head and prayed to Buddha that they would be done soon.

"By the way," The man spoke again, "The name's Kisame. You?"

"Misaki." I answered, "Nice to meet you."

Zōsui leaned against the wall beside Kisame, "So, how far do you think he can get with her while you wait?"

I shut my eyes and tried to think him out of existence.

"Let's say he skips the foreplay and gets straight to the main thing." Zōsui chuckled, "That would've cost him 10,000 ryo at Shiawase. And I'm guessing she doesn't have any experience, so I'd charge double. Virgins are hard to come by, after all."

'Disappear.' I told him, 'I've gone days without you, why are you back now?'

"Orochimaru and Sarada might've triggered you into thinking about me, so I don't think I'll be going anywhere until you make sure she's safe." Zōsui rubbed his chin, "And the longer you sit out here, the worse things could get down there. Who knows? He could be pounding her right now and—"

"So, Kisame," I clapped my hands, cutting Zōsui off and trying to drown him, as well as some unpleasant images out, "How long were you in prison?"

Kisame scratched the back of his head, "Two years. It might sound like nothing but before I went in there were only five Gedo members: now there are nine, so it's safe to say I've missed a lot. You said your husband was talking to the boss?"

I nodded, "His name's Fujikage Toshiaki, he's one of the new Gedo members."

"Well then he's gotta have something going for him. Boss doesn't talk to just pick people like that. What color is his ring?"

"Um, red." I cleared my throat, "It has the kanji for vermilion on it."

"Ooo!" Kisame raised his eyebrows, "So Jūzō's legacy is officially gone, eh? That's great, that's great! I really can't wait to meet your husband."

I silently winced at another confirmation of Sasuke's crime, but continued to speak to Kisame all the same, "I hope the two of you will get along."

*Tsuki means moon in Japanese

|Sasuke|

"Oyabun..." I started respectfully, "I think the two of you need to sit down and talk, seriously."

Pain laughed before snapping his fingers, "I'll take your advice into consideration. We've wasted enough of your time; you originally came here for what?"

Although I didn't like how Pain had suddenly switched subjects, there was nothing more I could do, so I went back to my original goal of explaining what had transpired at the bank. I made sure to leave out Zetsu's questionable snacking habits as I reported our losses and issues. At the mention of Kie and Daibutsu's betrayal, his nose flared.

"It was only a matter of time…looks like Watanabe-san and I need to speak." Pain stood up, taking off his suit jacket and handing it to Konan.

She wore it and covered her face with her hands again. Pain glanced at her, and for a second, I thought he was going to admonish her. Thankfully he turned back to me and started for the door.

"Why Watanabe?" I recognized the name of the head of the nation's police, recalling that the two had spoken at the dinner.

"He's supposed to make sure there aren't any eyes on us. If they were planning to go to the police then he's not doing his job, and I'm not paying him for nothing." Pain opened the two black doors, "Arigato, Toshiaki. You've helped me out again."

Standing outside was a brown-skinned man with dark blue hair and sitting beside him was Karin. Their own conversation stopped as we laid eyes on each other, and Karin hastily stood up.

"Kisame?" Pain reacted first, reaching out to the man, "You've returned?"

The man clasped Pain's hand and grinned, "Only took two years."

Pain invited the two of them into the room and shut the door. Karin looked at me and mouthed the word "problem" but before we could get into it, she spotted Konan in the back. I couldn't quite describe it, but, as if she had caught sight of a ghost, Karin's face twisted in dismay.

She immediately went over to Konan and, left me to myself, giving me a moment to process what had just happened.

When I'd first knocked, Pain had cracked the right door open, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as he peered out into the hallway. However, once he saw that I was the one at the door, a smile spread out on his face.

"Toshiaki, perfect timing!" He pulled me into his office before locking the door behind us.

I spared a glance at the door before turning and that's when I saw her. I should've backed out immediately; every fiber in my being told me too, but I didn't, partly because I didn't want to risk offending Pain, but also because I was stunned.

Konan sat on his desk wearing black lingerie, her legs spread wide in a provocative position that made me freeze. Her eyes met mine and she looked away.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" He commented from behind me, and I eagerly faced him, glad to have something else to focus on.

"Oyabun, I…" I trailed off, rubbing the back of my neck as I thought of the most neutral statement I could make.

"No need to lie." He laughed as he walked back to her, and caressed her cheek, "After all, she also thinks you're attractive."

Konan spoke up at this, "I don't—"

Pain cut her off with a deafening slap, and I winced silently at the blow. She hung her head in defeat and said nothing more.

"…Sorry you had to see that." Pain apologized as he shook his hand, "She's gotten a little…bold recently."

I took the chance to ask what they were at odds about.

"Where to start?" Pain sighed, putting his arm around Konan, and bringing her close, "For one, she doesn't want Yahiko to be brought back anymore."

"Why?" I questioned, and his eyes locked with mine.

"Because she wants you." He stood up, coming over to me, "Which is why I'm relieved that I didn't have to send for you."

Grabbing my shoulders, he pushed me towards Konan, "She's all yours."

"…What?" I looked at him in disbelief, "Surely, you don't mean—"

"Oh yes." He nodded, "You've heard of her frivolous nature, and I told you it wasn't an unfounded rumor. I will admit I've never seen her lust after anyone as much as she's lusted after you."

Konan's hand was lightly holding my pant leg and at that comment she squeezed a little harder.

Pain clapped his hands, "Rather than have him come back to be heartbroken, I figured I could let her indulge this one time. I'm glad it's you she's taken to; I know you can keep a secret."

"Oyabun, I don't think…"

"What's the matter? You remember what I told you before, right? Her ears, her neck…behind." Although he was smiling, his voice wasn't.

An inexperienced fool would rely on his ears and take his encouraging words as a go ahead, but I knew better. Something was going on here, beyond Konan's apparent attraction to me. Somehow, in this strange lover's quarrel, I was being tested.

"I can't." I told him, "I have Misaki."

"Come on Toshiaki," He took my hands and slid them up Konan's thighs, "I won't tell if you don't…"

"I said I can't!" I broke away from the both of them and stood to the side, "Gomen, Oyabun, but I didn't come here for that."

"Hear that, Konan?" Pain went around the desk and took a seat before yanking her back and down into his lap, "As captivating as you are, his body is for his love alone. If only you could think the same."

She kept quiet and her expression said more than enough, but as her cheeks began to flush and her eyes fluttered shut, I realized Pain was doing something to her behind the table.

"What am I going to do with this woman, Toshiaki?" Pain asked as he kissed her cheek, firmly gripping her neck with his left hand, "Everything I do is for her, yet she only has eyes for other men…"

"Ask her why she does it?" I suggested, and he smirked.

"Well, Konan?" His lips dropped to her shoulders, "You heard the man, tell us why you do it."

"I…ah—" She bit her lip to keep from moaning.

"You…?" He continued to tease her, "Go on, answer the question."

"…Please." She begged him, her knuckles white from how hard she was gripping the table, "I—can't…!"

"Can't what?" He whispered into her ear, "You know Toshiaki's watching, waiting for an answer."

She shook her head and leaned back into his chest before moaning, "Hngh…!"

Pain laughed lightly as he lifted his right hand up, and I saw that there was a slight shine to his two front fingers. Realizing what had happened, I looked away as Pain ordered Konan to open her mouth and lick his hand clean, of which she obeyed.

Once she was done, Pain called for my attention.

"Such a tricky thing, having a pervert for a partner." Pain commented, "No matter what I do for her, she can't be satisfied. I can't imagine Yahiko ever loving someone like this."

At that, Konan murmured something, and Pain tilted her head up, "You said something?"

"…Admit it already." Konan told him quietly, "Say what you've been wanting to say for twenty years."

I perked up and observed them carefully, sensing something was about to go down. While this scene I had witnessed gave me a bit more insight to their relationship, I was still a bit confused about their push-and-pull dynamic.

Pain looked at me and laughed, an act I recognized as an evasive tactic, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Tell Toshiaki-kun what you really wish." Konan continued coldly, "That I had been killed instead of Yahiko."

The smile quickly slid off Pain's face as he looked down at her, "What are you saying?"

Konan looked at me, "Did he ever tell you how Yahiko died?"

I shook my head and Pain's mouth curved down as he frowned, "Stop it."

"Or what?" She replied defiantly, "You trust him so much, but you don't trust him to know these things?"

"No one knows anything except you and me." Pain held her chin tightly, "And it's going to stay that way."

Her eyes dropped back to me, and she hastily rushed an explanation, "Pain stabbed him. It was me or him, and he chose to stab Yahiko."

"That is not—!" Pain stood up, grabbing Konan by the neck, "That is not what happened, and you know it."

"So what did happen?" I promptly interjected, hoping to defuse the situation and bring him back to his senses, "Can you really not tell me, sir?"

Pain looked at me and released Konan before taking a deep breath. Konan speedily stepped away from him before raising a hand to her neck. She rubbed the area where he had held her as she caught her breath. In the meantime, Pain ran a hand through his hair before sighing.

"We were 18, just barely adults. Yahiko had formed a…neighborhood watch in our town. You can guess the name."

"Akatsuki." I said, and he nodded.

"But we weren't just kids playing police. We helped elders cross the road, fixed up the local park, picked up trash…we were doing good for our community." Pain clasped his hands together, "And Hanzō, the corrupt mayor of our town, didn't like that."

"It turns out," Pain continued, "Amegakure was being used as a pit stop for drugs on their way to the big cities, like Konoha and Kumo. Hanzō was aware of this and received a portion of whatever profits were made. Yahiko cleaning up the streets brought attention, and that was the last thing Hanzō wanted."

"One day we got a fancy letter saying we were invited to dine with the mayor, that he'd recognized all our hard work and wanted to congratulate us. We were such fools." Pain remarked bitterly, "Yahiko wanted to go alone but I advised him to bring Konan. When she couldn't be found I went with him, but when we got to his manor, we found out it was a trap. They'd kidnapped Konan earlier and when we got there, I was told to kill Yahiko, or Konan would die."

"So you did stab him." I impulsively concluded and Pain narrowed his eyes.

"After all you've heard from me about him, you really believe I was able to pick up a knife and kill him?" Pain questioned, to which I shook my head, "I took the knife in order to stall. With a few more seconds I could've thought of something, but Yahiko loved her so much…he ran into the knife on his own. And after that…"

I kept quiet, not wanting to comment on obviously tender memories.

"You think I want you dead?" Pain turned to Konan, "After everything we've been through, that's what you think I want?"

"I think you wish he was here instead of me." She answered in a low voice, "I think you wouldn't be trying to so hard to bring me back to life if I had died."

"You're wrong."

"Am I?" She kept her eyes on the ground, "If it weren't for me, he'd still be alive, right?"

"Is that really what you…?" Pain hung his head.

Karin elbowed me out of my thoughts and pulled me out of Pain's office. As we left, I looked over my shoulder to see Pain and Kisame conversing in hushed tones. Konan was nowhere to be found.

"I helped her to her room." Karin answered as if she had read my mind, shutting the doors behind us, "Instead of worrying about her, you need to be worried about your daughter." She said the last two words in a low voice.

"Sarada?" I said with similar volume as we got into the elevator, "Why?"

"She's here." She pushed the button for the first floor, "The kid that they were supposed to kidnap was a friend of hers and she was there when they grabbed him, so they had to bring her along."

I cursed as the elevator doors shut, "Did she recognize you?"

"No." She shook her head, "But the others have been talking and from what I've heard, I don't see anything good coming out of this."

The door opened as we arrived on the first floor, and we found ourselves face to face with practically most of the Gedo.

"What's going on?" I asked as we stepped out of the elevator.

"I have to Pain about the girl." Orochimaru answered, "I know her."

"I know her too." Sasori added and I decided to give him priority.

"How?" I asked.

"Ya remember that lady I met in the city?" Sasori asked to which Hidan and Kakuzu nodded, "Sakura-chan? She's her daughter."

I kept my lips pressed into a firm line at the revelation.

"You're kidding." Kakuzu commented.

"I ain't." Sasori's face wore a serious expression, "I thought she was kinda familiar, but then I got a call from Sakura sayin' that her kid's missin' and she's lookin' for her. The girl's an Uchiha so her picture's fixin' to be on every billboard in a 50-mile radius."

"We're fucked." Hidan wiped his face, "This entire day was fucked, but this takes the cake."

"Well, at least you didn't kill her." Kakuzu elbowed him, a smirk evident on his face, "You know the Uchiha don't joke about their own."

I overlooked Kakuzu's alarming statement as I turned to Orochimaru, "And how do you know her?"

"She's my son's girlfriend." Orochimaru laughed, "Small world."

'That boy at the train station.' I remembered, 'I knew they were related.'

"Anywho, we gotta talk to him so…" Sasori made a move to go past me, but I held an arm out, "Toshiaki-san?"

"He's occupied at the moment." I told them, "Someone named Kisame's back, and they've been talking ever since."

"Shark Soup's back?" Deidara questioned, and it was only then that I noticed he was here.

He was keeping himself standing with a crutch under his left arm.

"I brought him." Orochimaru responded and Deidara turned to him.

"Why didn't you tell me? I've missed that walking fish." Deidara grinned.

Orochimaru shrugged in apology, "He said Pain was the first person he wanted to see."

"Now's not the time for that." I interrupted, "While Pain's occupied, I'll handle this. I already have a solution, but you guys will need to act. Can you do that?"

Deidara shook his head, "I don't think a cripple would be very intimidating."

"I was into theatre when I was younger." Kakuzu chipped in, "Lying to make money seemed like the perfect career to me, but it got old fast."

"Just like you." Hidan snickered, but before the two of them could get into it, I snapped my fingers.

"Alright, listen up."

As I explained to them what they would say and how each of them would portray themselves, I didn't even realize that Karin had disappeared from my side.

|3rd Person|

Sarada laid her head on Tentō's chest and listened for his heartbeat. When she heard it, she lifted her head from him and stared at his still face.

The door swung open and in walked Orochimaru, Hidan, Sasori, and Sasuke wearing a plain white mask. His body language was more closed off than usual, and his arms were crossed, an attempt to seem intimidating and dangerous.

"I told you I'd be back, did I not?" Orochimaru laughed and Sarada's attention turned to the bag he held, "I have some good news for you."

He came further into the room and set the bag down at Tentō's legs, shuffling around inside of it.

"Ya ain't gonna ask what the news is?" Sasori questioned Sarada, prompting her to respond.

"What is it?" Sarada asked, her eyes flicking to Hidan as he shut the door.

"You get to go home." Orochimaru brought out a needle and a medicine bottle with a clear liquid, "On a couple conditions."

"…Like?" She swallowed hard as Orochimaru drew some of the liquid into the needle.

"Ya can't tell folks about us." Sasori stepped forward, taking her left arm and rolling up her sleeve.

Sarada nodded, "Of course."

Sasori gave her a look, "I was a kid once, so I know what that means. But seriously, for Sakura's sake, don't try and play the hero."

Sarada's eyes slightly widened at the mention of her mother's name, and Sasori smiled as he flicked her arm, "Remember, that's only if ya go yapping."

Sasori nodded to Orochimaru when he had found a good vein and took an alcoholic cleaning pad from him to wipe the area.

"T-That's it?" Sarada asked, uncertainty evident in her voice.

"Of course not." Hidan spoke this time, "Are you blind? We're gonna put a chip in you and if you mention anything close to us, it'll automatically release poison into your blood stream and kill you."

Her eyes widened as she looked from face to face, and Hidan and Sasori exchanged looks before bursting into laughter. Sasuke watched as Sarada tightened her fist and shut her eyes.

"You two are going to make the girl cry." Orochimaru clicked his tongue as he took her arm from Sasori, "Don't mind them, this is just something to keep you calm."

"I don't need it." Sarada tried to pull away, but Orochimaru's grip tightened and her gave her a look.

"The other condition is that you don't tell Mitsuki about me or about what happened." Orochimaru said as he inserted the needle, "That boy has quite the temper and he can be a…nuisance when he's angry."

Sarada watched as he emptied the liquid into her arm, "But you're his father, doesn't he—"

"You deaf?" Hidan interrupted, "What part of don't tell him do you not understand? Or do you hate your mother that much?"

Sarada promptly shut her mouth before taking the Band-Aid from Orochimaru, and after putting it on, she set her hands down in her lap. Soon enough her blinking began to slow and she looked up at him fearfully.

"It's okay." Orochimaru assured her as Sasori placed his hand on her back to keep her up, "You're just going to rest…"

Within seconds, Sarada eyes shut, and her consciousness was essentially asleep.

"What did you give her?" Sasuke questioned Orochimaru as Sasori scooped the girl into his arms.

"A modified anesthetic. She'll be out for three hours, enough time for them to get her to Mitsuki and back." Orochimaru answered, "You two should leave now."

"And yer sure he called her mom to let her know she wasn't missin'?" Sasori wanted to confirm as Hidan opened the door.

"Yes, he said he'd have her home by 9. It's 6 o'clock right now so she'll be waking up just in time." Orochimaru packed his stuff into his bag.

Sasuke touched Sarada's head, "Maybe I should go with them, make sure they don't screw it up."

"Oh no." Hidan shook his head, "You stay here and tell Boss how you took over. We've got this."

"Don't wanna be here for the fireworks." Sasori joked, and Sasuke shoved him lightly, "Try not to get burned, y'hear?"

Once they were gone, Orochimaru laughed, "Don't let their words scare you, I think you handled it marvelously; Pain will be impressed."

"I hope so." Sasuke nodded, "And your son, he can be trusted with the girl, right? He wouldn't…take advantage of her in that state, would he?"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, "You talk as if you're her father. Of course he wouldn't; he knows how serious this is."

"I'm only asking because that would be the last thing we need." Sasuke quickly added.

"I hear you." Orochimaru chuckled, tracing Tentō's face with his finger, "We've already got robbery and kidnapping to deal with, rape wouldn't help us one bit. And to an Uchiha of all people."

Clearing his throat, Sasuke looked down at Tentō, "So what's the deal with the boy? He's been out for a while."

Orochimaru winked mischievously, "That is a secret that I can only discuss with the real boss."

Sasuke set the mask down on another bed, "Alright then, guess I'll get going."

"So soon?" Orochimaru looked up, "I have to say, I enjoy your company. And to think, when we first met you were staring me down like an arch nemesis."

"Goodbye, Orochimaru." Sasuke bid him adieu before leaving the room and Orochimaru turned back to Tentō.

"You're very special my boy, do you know that?" Orochimaru told him as he lifted Tentō's right arm, three needle marks revealing themselves, "Your blood is very special, but the only question is…"

Orochimaru opened a fresh needle and connected the vial used to collect blood, "Is it your father's DNA that makes you special, or is it your mother's?"

"Either way," Orochimaru continued, inserting the needle into another vein, "I'm afraid you won't be going home anytime soon."