Chapter 37. Ikigai

"Every failure, every heartbreak, every trauma we experience...it's just another reason to live."

|Sakura|

"I don't know why I jump to help you whenever you ask." Tsunade's voice floated into my ear as multiple footsteps drew nearer, "You called two days ago saying something about helping a student of mine, then this morning you had me ransack my house looking for my grandma's medical journal—just what is all this for?"

The door to my room swung open and Orochimaru stepped in with Tsunade close behind. Once her eyes met mine, I could see that she'd immediately recognized me, and her mouth fell open in shock. Unable to move, I remained seated and could do nothing but watch as she slowly approached me.

"Sakura?" She called my name hesitantly as if she was unsure of what she was seeing, "Is that you?"

Although I so desperately wanted to assure her that her eyes were correct, I knew my voice wouldn't be heard and mourned the inability to communicate with her in my head. However, before I could harp on the lost asset, Orochimaru spoke.

"It's not polite to remain seated when guests come around." He stated plainly, "Get up, Sakura-san."

Against my will, I placed my hands on the sides of the bed beneath me and pushed myself up.

"Now greet her." He ordered with a wave of his hand and I stiffly bowed to Tsuande before raising my head.

It was no surprise to me that Tsunade's face was now twisted in horror, but it hurt hearing her fear in her voice, "Oh Kami Sakura, what did he do to you?"

I was unblinking as she touched my face, and despite how much I wanted to lean into her touch, I remained unbending. She brushed her thumb across my cheek but she must have felt something because she promptly pulled her hand back before rubbing her fingers together.

"Why is she…decaying?" Tsunade questioned as she turned to Orochimaru, "And why are the whites of her eyes black?"

"Because she's not alive." He replied with a gleeful grin, "Yes, she might be moving and such, but I'd say she's more of a walking corpse than a living being."

In an instant, Tsunade was on him, his labcoat bunched up in her hand as she lifted him off the floor, her other hand pulled back into a fist, ready to fly. If it weren't for the fact that I couldn't blink of my own volition, I would have missed it.

"What did you do?" Tsunade barked as she tightened her hold on him, "Spit it out now or so help me Kami, I'll—"

"There's…no need for that." Orochimaru interrupted with a wheeze, his collar digging into his neck, "If anything, you should…be thanking me. I brought her back to life."

At this, Tsunade dropped him, her face going from outrage to bewilderment, "What?"

"She…committed suicide." He continued as he got to his feet, "Shot herself in the head two days ago."

"No, no, that can't…" Tsunade turned to me, "That can't be…"

Her rejection of the claim made me want to crawl into a hole and hide forever. I knew she would've found out eventually, but seeing her reaction in real-time was worse than I'd imagined.

"It is." Orochimaru insisted, fixing his clothing, "One of my colleagues happened to be by her house when he heard the gun go off. If it weren't for his quick thinking, she'd be six feet under instead of standing before you."

"Oh, Sakura!" Tsunade's lips quivered as she returned her attention to me, "It was because of what we spoke about, wasn't it? Something told me not to tell you the truth about Suna but I thought that you need closure."

'Please, Kami,' I begged, trying with all my might to lift my hands and grab her, 'Please let me move.'

I understood that my pleas had fallen on deaf ears when my body refused to listen to the commands I was giving it.

"Gomennasai, Tsunade but I didn't exactly bring you here to cry." Orochimaru continued before motioning to the small black briefcase she'd dropped on the floor, "Did you bring the journal?"

Tsunade nodded before picking the bag up and tearfully handing him a brown notebook, and once he had it in hand, he quickly skimmed through it and reached the end, "It's not here."

"What's not there?" She replied with a sniffle as she wiped under her eyes, and he pointed to the rhombus-like marking in the center of her forehead, the same one I'd asked her to give me after I'd finished studying under her.

"The instructions on unlocking the seal. Since your grandmother didn't write it down I can only assume it was passed down orally." He eyed her curiously, "How much do you remember?"

"I…" Tsunade glanced at me, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Noting her hesitancy to speak in front of me, Orochimaru beckoned me forward before hugging me from behind and speaking just past my ear, "Tsunade, now is hardly the time to be keeping secrets. If you're afraid of Sakura-san judging you, discard that thought now. You gave her that mark for a reason, now it's time to put it to use."

'Wait, what?'

"I didn't…" She bit her lip, "It was a last resort. If I ever got the call that Sakura had been in some horrific accident, I would—it's for emergencies only."

"Don't you think shooting herself in the head and being reanimated falls under that category?" Orochimaru chuckled as he let go of me, "Sakura-san, sit down. Tell me, Tsunade, how can I assist you? Do you need some blood or a sacrifice or—?"

Tsunade shook her head as I returned to the bed, "No, nothing like that. I just—"

A knock at the door interrupted her and a slightly panicked Kabuto stepped into the room.

"Orochimaru-sama, we have a problem! Sas—!" Kabuto cut himself off upon seeing Tsunade, and he swallowed before continuing, "Excuse me for the interruption but Toshiaki-san's condition is rapidly declining!"

Orochimaru's face managed to turn paler than it already was and he immediately turned to Kabuto.

"Why?" Came the obvious question as he stepped outside, "What happened?"

"We don't know!" Kabuto exclaimed as he followed him, "His heart rate suddenly jumped but now it's on the verge of flatlining. Guren's doing her best to keep him stable but…"

Once their footsteps and voices faded away, Tsunade came and took a seat beside me on the bed. She slipped her arm around my back and hugged me from the side. I wanted to cry because I couldn't reciprocate the gesture, but even that basic bodily function was denied me. I continued to stand there as an unmoving, unblinking figure, and she continued to hold me.

"Sakura, if you're in there, I will fix you." She promised, turning me to face her and look into her eyes "Gomennasai. I should've done more as your mentor, but I'll make it up to you; I swear."

Tsunade cupped my face with her hands before pressing her forehead against mine and after three successive deep breaths, shut her eyes and began uttering a chant of some sort. The words she murmured followed each other in quick succession, not allowing me a second to try and make sense of them, although I couldn't have even if I tried. I did, however, pick up on the black lines coming from the violet diamond in the center of her head.

As she continued to speak, they expanded even further down her face, and I could feel a gentle warmth coming from her diamond. To my surprise, I began to glow but if Tsunade had noticed a change in me, she refused to let it deter her. Instead, she continued to chant with more urgency, tightening her eyes at my transformation, and I too felt my forehead start to heat up.

Suddenly, panic engulfed me. What if whatever Tsunade was trying to do had the opposite of the intended effect? Would my spirit be returned to limbo?

Before I could fall down that rabbit hole, Tsunade furrowed her brows and lowered her voice, holding my face even firmer than before. At this point, the heat I was feeling in my forehead had spread to my entire body, and all of Tsunade's visible skin had traces of those black lines.

"Hundred Healings Mark – release." She finished with a quavering voice, and I felt something in me change.

I didn't have a chance to dwell on it as Tsunade leaned back, no doubt exhausted from what she'd done, but I caught her before she could fall too far. It was only when she was in my arms that I realized what I had just done, and I called her name with joy.

"Did I just hear you, Sakura?" She questioned with a ragged voice, "Hontōni?"

I nodded as I set her down on the bed, "You did it, Tsunade-san. Whatever you did, it worked!"

"Not…completely…" She gasped as she touched my cheek, "You're not…deteriorating but your…sclerae are still dark."

I made a mental note to look at myself in the mirror to get a grasp on what she was describing.

"Still!" I persisted in my optimism, "I can move and talk! That has to—"

I cut myself off as her appearance hit me. Of course there had to be drawbacks; could such a miracle be performed and have no cost? Tsunade's skin was now shrunken up and sticking to her bones. I watched with dread as her condition worsened, her face aging up and filling with wrinkles everywhere.

"Don't make that face…" Tsunade rasped as her hand fell to her side, "I told you I would make it up to you, didn't I?"

A tear slipped down my cheek and I shook my head, "No, not like this. Please, Tsunade, don't go."

"I won't…" She promised me with a heavy exhale, shutting her eyes, "I just need some rest…that's all…"

Despite her faint smile, I knew that she was lying to me, and I gave her hand a light squeeze before standing up and heading to the doorway.

'Orochimaru.' I immediately thought as I stepped out into the hall, 'He can help her. He has to.'

"Hello?" I called as I looked both ways, "Is anyone nearby?"

The hallway was pitch black and empty, yet for some reason, I had no trouble seeing in the dark. A faint light source on the far left was the only evidence of life in the strange laboratory, and since I had no other clues, I decided to head towards it.

I eventually came upon what I assumed was an operating room due to the bright red light just above the double doors. For a moment I hesitated, everything I'd ever been taught about operating etiquette coming to mind. To enter a sterile field without the proper equipment was a big no, and the last thing I wanted to do was contaminate a potentially life-saving surgery.

'But Tsunade-san's life is in danger too.' I reminded myself as I pressed forward.

I would apologize afterward; right now, Tsunade needed treatment.

"Orochimaru! Tsunade-san needs help!" I proclaimed as I entered the operating room, "She managed to fix me up a bit but—"

I cut myself off as I took in the scene before me; Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Guren were dressed in scrubs and focused on their patient lying unconscious on the operating table below them. In Orochimaru's hand was an eyeball but before I could begin to get weirded out by the ocular organ, I caught a glimpse of the patient's face and my body went rigid.

Pushing Guren aside, I came close to make sure I wasn't mistaken, and after confirming it was Sasuke, I moved on to the next pressing issue: his missing left eye.

"What are you doing to Sasuke-kun?" I questioned Orochimaru, tightening my fists at my sides, "Why is he here?"

Kabuto slowly raised his hands, "Sakura-san, don't do anything rash. We just want to help him, okay?"

I glanced at him before returning my attention to Sasuke and when I realized his hair was blond, everything clicked. The masked man in Otafuku who I swore had sounded just like him, the way he stared at me for some time before going to Sasori's side…

"Oh Kami." I staggered back a few feet, struggling to come to terms with the revelation, "Has he been here this whole time?"

I looked from Orochimaru to Kabuto and found their expressions to be suspiciously neutral.

"Answer me! How long has he—?" I cut myself off as something sharp pricked my neck, and although I shoved Guren away, it was too late.

"Nice job, Guren." Kabuto commended her as I fell to the floor, my eyes growing heavy, "Huh, so tranquilizers do work on the undead. Good to know."

"They'd better…" Guren groaned, clutching her side, "Next time you do it, the woman hits like an ox."

"Gomen ne, Sakura-san." Orochimaru apologized as he crouched in front of me, "I promise you'll get the answers you're looking for, okay? But for now, I'm going to have to ask you to sit tight."

Feeling my tongue start to go numb, I decided I would save my questions for later and used my last bits of consciousness to get my original message across.

"Tsunade…help her…" I mumbled as my eyes shut and I slept off, "Please…"

|3rd Person|

Kawaki kicked open the main doors to the condominium, startling the security guard at the front desk, but once he recognized him, the security guard's shock turned to anger.

"Oi, Kawaki!" The man roared, "What the hell is your problem? Can't you walk in like a normal person?"

Kawaki ignored him and shoved his hands into his pockets after calling the elevator. This angered the older man and he stomped over to Kawaki before grabbing him by the neck.

"Did you hear me, dumbass? Kick the door open like that again and I'll end you, you understand?"

"Garou." Kawaki calmly called Garou's name as he grabbed his arm, "Let go of me."

"What?" Garou raised an eyebrow, "Did you hit your head on the floor or something?"

Kawaki let out a deep breath, "I'm not going to tell you again."

Garou looked at him for a moment before tightening his free hand into a fist, "Yeah, I think you've got a screw loose. Don't worry, I'll knock it back in for you."

The threatened punch never got a chance to start because as soon as Garou finished talking, Kawaki grabbed his shirt and knocked their heads together. The collision sent a white-hot pain tearing through Kawaki's skull but he forced himself to power through it, a feat Garou could not manage. The bald man released Kawaki to clutch his forehead in agony, but Kawaki wasn't through with him.

Shoving the man to the ground, Kawaki climbed on top of him and hit him with punch after punch to the face. However, instead of a blind frenzied barrage, Kawaki's assault was more conscientious, with well-planned strikes. Each punch retained the same amount of merciless force as the last, and slowly but surely Garou's face began to show the effects of the well-coordinated attack.

"W-Wait…!" Garou choked out, "Please, gomennasai…just stop."

"Sure thing." Kawaki agreed as he got to his feet.

Garou watched him warily and his suspicion proved to be accurate because as soon as Kawaki had straightened up, he delivered a sharp kick to the side of Garou's head, rendering the man unconscious.

"I'll take this." Kawaki said to himself as he took Garou's pistol, "Arigato."

Kawaki stepped into the elevator and switched the safety off before tucking the gun in his back. He pressed the button for the penthouse at the top and leaned in so the retinal scanner could glaze over his eye. Once his identity was confirmed, the elevator doors shut and the machine whirred to life as it began the climb.

After a couple of minutes, it jerked as it came to a stop and Kawaki stepped out before proceeding to the light blue door down the hall. As usual, it was unlocked but the various pairs of shoes by the front informed Kawaki that the home was not empty, and he crossed his fingers in hopes that he wouldn't run into anyone on his way to Jigen's office.

Unfortunately, Koji happened to be sitting in the living room watching TV but when their eyes met, Koji simply nodded before returning his gaze to the screen. Thankful for the silence, Kawaki pressed onward to Jigen's office and flung open the large brown door once he reached it. A smiling Jigen sat behind his antique desk looking over some papers, and while the slam of his door called his head up, his smile didn't disappear from his face.

"Kawaki? What a surprise." Jigen stood up to meet him, "You left so early today, I thought I was going to have to find you again."

Kawaki raised a hand, preventing Jigen from coming any closer before shaking his head, "No, you won't. Because unlike you, I keep my word."

Jigen's smile faltered, "What are you talking about?"

"You promised that you'd let Nandaime live if I obeyed you." Kawaki swallowed down a hard lump, "You told me you'd leave him alone."

"And I did." Jigen nodded, "I only kicked him that night because he was being a pest but besides that—"

"Don't play dumb." Kawaki spat, grabbing his gun from his back and aiming at Jigen, "His apartment catching fire, the explosion…it's all because of you. You ordered the hit on him."

Jigen glanced at the gun before returning his eyes to Kawaki's, "If you're so sure then why are you asking me?"

"Because this is your one fucking chance to save yourself." Kawaki replied, clutching the gun tightly, "Give me one reason why I shouldn't blow your head off."

Jigen spread his arms, "Take your best shot."

"…What?" Kawaki gave him an incredulous look.

"If you expect me to beg for my life, you're not as intelligent as I thought." Jigen chuckled, "You've barged in here with rage and murder in your eyes. Since you've made up your mind, go ahead. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

Kawaki slightly faltered as he realized that Jigen was being serious; he didn't fear death or injury so if Kawaki were to shoot him, who would lose in the end?

"You can't do it, can you?" Jigen noted as he lowered his arms and closed the distance between them, "Of course you can't, because deep down you realize how foolish that would be. Killing me won't bring that man back. I told you, didn't I? Once you become the clan head, you'll be in control. Until then, I will help you let go of any distractions you can't shake."

It was with this last sentence that Kawaki's suspicions were confirmed. Jigen had not only confessed his involvement in Naruto's death, but he'd also made it clear that he did have a weakness.

"You're right." Kawaki nodded, moving the barrel of the gun to his head instead, "I should've let go a long time ago."

Jigen's face went pale and he moved to grab Kawaki but the teen stepped just out of his reach.

"You can't be serious." Jigen chuckled nervously, "You're going to commit suicide over some firefighter you've known for less than a week? Enough of this, Kawaki, hand me the gun."

"Take one more step and I'll do it." Kawaki warned, lifting his finger to the trigger, "Nanadaime wasn't just some firefighter, okay? I gave him a hard time the first two days but he never raised his voice or pushed my limits. He…He cared about me."

As tears rolled down Kawaki's cheeks, Jigen groaned, "I should have found you faster. The man's poisoned you with his weakness."

"He taught me that it was okay to show emotion!" Kawaki sniffled, pressing the gun against his head firmer, "And if you think that's a flaw, then there's no point in keeping me around."

"Wait!" Jigen ordered, cursing under his breath as he raised his hand, "I can bring him back. Just…just give me the gun."

Kawaki gave him a look, "You really must think I'm stupid. Once someone dies, they die, you can't…forget it, I'm just gonna join him."

Jigen launched himself at Kawaki, managing to grab and force the gun up just as Kawai pulled the trigger. The two fell back and Jigen knocked the gun out of Kawaki's hand before the two wrestled on the ground.

Kawaki kicked and flailed, doing his best to force Jigen off of him, but once Jigen got a hold of his wrists, it became much harder to resist.

"Get the fuck off me!" Kawaki roared as he kicked and flailed, "Get off!"

Despite Kawaki's resistance, Jigen managed to lock Kawaki's legs with his feet, and after a bit more silent struggling, grabbed his wrists.

"Enough!" Jigen roared as he pinned Kawaki's hands beside his head, "That is enough!"

Kawaki heaved tearfully when he realized that Jigen had complete control over him and Jigen regarded his tear-soaked, runny-nosed, red-faced son with disgust.

"You want your Nanadaime that badly then listen." Jigen hissed as he tightened his grip on Kawaki, "The Akatsuki have been working on bringing the dead back to life. It's actually their main goal, which is why they didn't mind giving shabu to us. I can talk to Pain and arrange for your Nanadaime to be revived, okay? Are you happy now?!"

Kawaki slowly nodded and Jigen released his wrists before straightening up. Picking up the discarded gun from the floor, Jigen unloaded the magazine before clearing the chamber.

"…We'll meet them tomorrow." Kawaki said, his voice barely audible.

Jigen turned to him with indignation and opened his mouth to erupt but Kawaki continued.

"Tell them to bring Sarada. I'll get her to cooperate with us, and in exchange, you make sure they bring Nanadaime back."

Seeing how downtrodden the boy looked, Jigen pursed his lips and decided to accept Kawaki's terms, "Fine."

"I mean it." Kawaki cautioned him, his voice regaining some strength, "If I find out you're lying or that they can't do it, I will kill myself. I don't need a gun to do it."

"I said fine." Jigen snapped before heading back around his table and sinking into his chair, "You help me, I help you, alright? Now get out of my sight."

Kawaki didn't waste any time leaving Jigen's office but just as he passed the door his stomach growled. Realizing that he hadn't eaten yet, Kawaki went to the kitchen to find something that would satisfy him, but he stopped right outside the kitchen door when he heard three familiar voices talking inside.

"…none of your business." Delta stated on the other side, "Now answer my question: what are you two doing with Jigen-sama's special bottles?"

"He gave them to us." Deepa informed her with a chuckle, "You should've seen the smile on his face when he learned about City Hall was destroyed. He told us to celebrate."

There was the sound of a wooden chair scraping along the floor, and Delta subsequently huffed, "I still don't know why Jigen-sama asked the Akatsuki to do it. We could've taken those bastards out a long time ago."

"Use that brain of yours, Delta." Code said, "Do you think Konoha will let this slide? It's only a matter of time till all of the Akatsuki are behind bars, and when that happens, there will be no group left in Japan that can rival Jigen. He's won."

Deepa snickered, "That means you should kiss your little boyfriend goodbye. Unless you plan on asking Jigen-sama to save him."

"Deidara? My boyfriend? Please, he's just a good lay." Delta replied, "And I'm not asking Jigen-sama to do shit. As long as he's happy, I'm happy."

Kawaki removed his hand from the doorknob and turned to leave, but what Code said next stopped him.

"Don't act like you're suddenly altruistic. It's because of your moaning that Father got rid of that fire chief."

Kawaki's chest tightened as he held his breath, determined not to miss any crucial information that might come next, but it was Delta's berating of the deceased Nanadaime that made him see red.

"Good, that fucker deserved to die." Delta spat, "He hit me in my fucking face! What kind of animal does that to a woman?"

"Didn't you hit him first?" Deepa wondered.

"It doesn't matter! No self-respecting man should put his hands on a woman. That's why that son of a bitch is dead, and once he's buried I'll go spit on his grave."

Kawaki slammed the door open, "No you won't."

"…What?" Delta turned to him with a raised eyebrow and a snarl on her lips.

"You're going to take that back," Kawaki repeated as he stepped into the kitchen and approached her, "Right now."

Delta held a hand to her forehead, "I'm going to pretend like I didn't hear that. Now get the fuck away from me before I hurt you."

Kawaki slammed his hands down on the table and lowered his face to hers, "Take. That. Back."

"Who the hell do you think—?" She cut herself off when Kawaki caught the hand she'd raised to slap him, and before she could blink, his other hand was around her neck.

Immediately, Code and Deepa stood up but before Code could yank Kawaki off of her, Deepa held a hand out, motioning for Code to wait.

"I could kill you right now," Kawaki whispered, sparing a glance at Code and Deepa as he spoke, "And I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it."

"K-Kawaki, calm down." Delta faltered as his fingers tightened around her throat, "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean—"

"I don't care what you meant. I never wanna hear you speak about Nanadaime again, you understand?" He questioned, interrupting her with a squeeze.

No longer able to just stand by, Code shoved Deepa aside before grabbing Kawaki's arm, "That's enough. Are you seriously going to pick some dead firefighter over your family?"

"We're not family." Kawaki glared at him, "And you'll be seeing him soon if you don't let go of me."

"I'd like to see you try." Code implored him.

Kawaki released Delta and focused on Code but before anything could occur between them, Deepa clapped his hands.

"Well, well, well." Deepa regarded Kawaki with an amused smirk, "Looks like the runt grew up! Too bad someone had to die for it, eh?"

Kawaki tightened his fists at Deepa's words but kept his focus on the clearly-hostile Code who had no intentions of backing down.

"While I'd love to see you two go at it, I'm afraid Jigen-sama would love the exact opposite." Deepa laughed, "Code, back off."

Deepa's command to Code caught him off guard, and he turned to the older male in confusion, "What? Why me?"

"You were just telling Delta to use her brain, how 'bout you take your own advice?" Deepa snickered before grinning at Kawaki, "He's not bluffing; if you push him too far, he'll kill you. Can't you see the bloodlust in his eyes? Ah, Kawaki, I'm liking you more and more now."

With a grumble, Code obeyed Deepa's orders and sat back down.

"Gomennasai, Kawaki~!" Deepa sang as he spread his arms, "The last thing any of us would want to do is upset you. And we certainly don't have bear any ill-will towards that firefighter, ne Delta?"

Rubbing her throat, Delta nodded her head and Code grunted begrudgingly. Eyeing the three of them warily, Kawaki backed up and exited the kitchen. His still-empty stomach growled again to remind him of his hunger, but he had no intention of heading back after what had happened. With a groan, Kawaki continued on to his room and once he reached the foot of his bed, he fell into his mattress with a sigh.

"Fuck…" The teen cursed as his stomach grumbled again, "I get it, I get it."

Rolling onto his side, he brought his phone out from his back pocket and scrolled through his contacts in search of a certain number. When he eventually found it, he tapped on it before bringing the phone to his ear and it rang two times before the line connected.

"Ichiraku's Ramen, how may I help you?" A familiar voice questioned and Kawaki sucked in a sharp breath as he tried to recall the woman's name.

"Ayame-san?" He tried in a low voice, not confident that he'd said the right thing, "It's Kawaki."

"Oh, Kawaki-kun!" Ayame brightly acknowledged him on the other end, "What's up? Nanadaime too lazy to cook again?"

"No, actually Nanadaime's…" Kawaki bit his lower lip as he got himself together, "I'm not staying with him anymore. I…I went home."

"Oh." Ayame paused for a moment, "Well, I'm happy to hear from you. Can I get you something?"

Kawaki found himself nodding although he knew she couldn't see him, "Could I get the meal we ordered last time delivered to me? The extra-large miso ramen with pork cutlets? I live in Otsutsuki Heights Building A."

"Sure! You're only getting one order right? That'll be 155 ryo."

"Okay. Please tell the guy to call me when he's here and I'll come downstairs." Kawaki requested.

"Will do!" Ayame assured him, "Food should be there in fifteen!"

Kawaki thanked her before hanging up and setting his phone down beside him. He placed an arm over his eyes and couldn't help but smile as he remembered Naruto's spiel about the goodness of ramen.

"Eating ramen every day can't be good for you," Kawaki stated as Naruto handed the delivery man a bill and brought the food inside, "All you're doing is eating noodles and water."

"Noodles and water?!" Naruto repeated with clear shock, "Ichiraku's Ramen has the same nutritional content as an MRE, ya know! And it's the official sponsor of the fire department!"

"Isn't that more of a testament to your meddling than its actual nourishment?" Kawaki mumbled as he pulled out a chair.

Naruto ruffled his hair before setting a bowl down in front of him, "I'll never understand your generation, ya know. How can you grumble about something you've never tried? Come on, eat up."

Reluctantly, Kawaki broke apart the chopsticks set before him and blew on the bowl for a few seconds before lifting some noodles to his mouth. The explosion of flavors on his tongue stunned him and he looked up at Naruto in surprise.

"Right?" Naruto grinned before digging into his bowl, "Ichiraku's is the best!"

"Gomennasai, Nanadaime," Kawaki whispered, wiping away the few tears that had slipped out of his eyes, "Hontōni, gomennasai…"

|At the Nagi Street Precinct|

Shikamaru didn't so much as flinch when the door to the roof creaked open behind him, and even when Sai reach his side, all Shikamaru did was give his superior a passing glance before going into his pocket in search of a lighter.

"Could I borrow a light?"

Shikamaru's eyebrows jumped at the request but he managed to contain his surprise before turning and shaking a cigarette into Sai's waiting hand. It was after Shikamaru had lit his and Sai's cigarettes that he spoke.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"I don't." Sai informed him, coughing after inhaling for too long, "But I've heard that it's a good stress reliever."

Shikamaru chuckled, "Whoever told you that was lying."

Sai shrugged before leaning against the railing, and he took a few more puffs of his cigarette as he stared at the people down below.

"Something bothering you, Chief?" Shikamaru questioned, deciding to pick Sai's brain.

"Too many things to count." Sai shook his head, "Naruto's dead, one of the Six is working against us, and the city's become an explosive testing ground. Hontōni, you couldn't have picked a worse time to return."

Shikamaru sighed, "Is there ever really a good time to come back? I personally think I took too long. Maybe if I'd reached out to you at the start of the year, Naruto would still be alive."

"You can't blame yourself for his death." Sai told Shikamaru, straightening up to put a hand on his shoulder, "I recognized Kawaki at the wedding but I didn't want to ruin the mood so I let him and Naruto be. Now Naruto's a corpse in the morgue."

Shikamaru's fist tightened at his side, "I swear when we get Jigen, I'll—"

"Careful." Sai interrupted him, releasing his shoulder before resting his back on the railing, "He has eyes and ears everywhere."

With a nod, Shikamaru returned to smoking quietly and a few minutes passed by before Sai spoke again.

"…What are you going to tell Temari?" Sai questioned Shikamaru in a low voice.

"Heh, the truth. The woman won't accept otherwise." Shikamaru smiled to himself as he envisioned his wife's no-nonsense expression, "She won't like it, of course, but she'll understand."

"I wish I would've done the same with Ino." Sai confessed, "She knows who I truly am now, but when it comes to the things I've done? The decisions I've made? I can't imagine she'd still want to be with me if she had all that knowledge."

"Then don't tell her." Shikamaru advised, "I think your misunderstanding something. Just because Temari knows of my…profession doesn't mean that I tell her about what I'm doing. Hell, we live by a code of secrecy, I wouldn't dare break it."

Sai nodded before covering his mouth with a hand as he yawned, "Speaking of secrecy, did you notice anything off about the Six as we spoke to them?"

"Tch, that task was like asking me to find a needle in a needlestack." Shikamaru clicked his tongue as he held his hands behind his head, "They're the city's top police; of course there's something off about them. Obito, Itachi, and Shisui's faces all twitched at the mention of Sasuke's spy mission, but that's probably due to familial worry if nothing else."

Sai nodded his head, "It's a good thing we implemented Plan B then."

"Aa." Shikamaru agreed with a yawn of his own, "Now we wait until Friday."

"Til Friday." Sai repeated as he straightened up, letting the cigarette fall to the ground before stepping on it, "Go home, Shikamaru. Your wife and son are visiting family out of town, correct? That means you have the house to yourself, every working man's dream."

Shikamaru scratched his head and chuckled, "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Nevertheless, Shikamaru followed Sai's instructions and bid him farewell before heading down to his car. He was halfway into his drive home when he realized he was still smoking, and he rolled down his window before flicking the cigarette out onto the road, but with how potent the smell of tobacco was, he knew he'd been too late.

"Great, just one more thing for Temari to nag about." Shikamaru mumbled to himself as the light turned green.

About fifteen minutes later he reached his home and parked his car in the Nara compound's parking lot, but he'd barely stepped foot in his house when his phone rang. Deciding to reserve his groan until after he checked the caller ID, he learned it was Temari calling him and promptly picked up, lifting the phone to his ear.

"We just heard the news after gettin' out of a three-hour play. Is Naruto really…are ya okay?" Temari immediately asked.

Shikamaru would've laughed at the Suna accent taking root in Temari's voice if it weren't for the dark subject they were discussing, "Aa, Naruto's…Naruto's dead. As for me, well, I'm just…"

"…Just?" Temari repeated when he didn't continue.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, "Nothing, I'll tell you when you two get back."

"Oh. Well, it's funny ya should mention that." Temari cleared her throat, "So, my brothers don't want us to leave till they know things in Konoha have mellowed out. So whaddya say? Is it safe to come back?"

He shut his eyes and sighed, "Hontōni? No. And the way things are looking, it's only going to get worse. I'm…I'm going back to my old job."

The line went silent for a bit before Temari spoke again, and when she did, her voice was hushed and distressed.

"Why? Are they forcin' ya? Do ya owe 'em?" She questioned, "Ya told me that ya left with their blessing!"

"I did." Shikamaru insisted, clearing his throat, "But I went back. Danger's been getting too close for comfort for a while now, but it was Sakura's mom's funeral that opened my eyes. Any one of us could've been gone to the bank that day, and with City Hall's destruction I can't just hope for the best anymore; I need to do something."

He could imagine Temari's pursed lips as she hesitated on the other end, "I—I wish we could talk about this face to face."

"Wouldn't've made much of a difference." He reminded her, "I still would've gone back. If anything, you'd just be feeling my absence more."

"Kami, why do you always…?" Shikamaru's heart tightened as Temari choked up, "Just—Just be safe. And maybe this is a selfish request but please look after yerself."

"How is that a—?"

"I know ya, Shikamaru." She whispered, "Yer the laziest man I know but when push comes to shove, ya sacrifice yerself for others. Please…please don't do that."

He tried to interrupt her, "Temari—"

"I need my husband, and Shikadai needs his father. Please, Shikamaru; promise me ya won't play the hero. Promise me."

"…I promise." Shikamaru vowed, swiping a hand across his forehead,s "I won't leave you two alone, I swear."

A moment passed between them before Temari quietly murmured, "I love you."

"I love you too." Shikamaru replied soothingly, "If Shikadai's nearby, let me speak to him."

There was some shuffling on the other end before his son's voice came through, "Oyaji, I heard from the others about Naruto-ojisan. Daijōbu?"

"Aa, I'll manage." Shikamaru assured him, pushing past the depressing reminder, "Listen, Shikadai, how old are you now?"

"Uh, fifteen?" Shikadai answered with a confused and somewhat concerned undertone, "Why?"

Shikamaru shut his eyes, "…Nothing. You and your mother will be staying in Suna for a little while longer. Don't get too lazy just because you're on vacation."

"Hah?" Shikadai laughed, "As if you're one to talk. By the time Ka-chan and I get back, you'll be one with the couch."

Shikamaru joined his son in laughing, "We'll see about that."

"Yeah, we will." Shikadai agreed, his laughter dying off, "Talk to you later, Oyaji."

"Aa, later." Shikamaru echoed his son's latter words before ending the call.

Before Shikamaru could begin to wonder whether he should've ended the conversation by telling his son that he loved him, he shook his head.

"I'm back with the agency, not going off to war." He chided himself, "I'll see him again."

But despite Shikamaru's attempts at self-encouragement, he couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom on the back of his neck, and the emptiness of his home only heightened his focus on it.

After grabbing a beer from his fridge, he sat down in his home office and cracked open the can before turning on his laptop. He navigated the web as he sipped from the cheap alcoholic beverage and only set the can down to log in to his email. Once he typed in his password and pressed enter, the screen changed to the last registered page he'd been on which was his sent mail, and there he saw the cause for his anxiety.

Two hours ago, six emails had been sent from him to the members of Konoha's legendary Six containing the same paragraph:

Please keep this information to yourself. The ANBU has identified the criminals responsible for the Konoha Bank and Shinobi Precinct Bombings, as well as today's demolition of City Hall. We have scheduled a press broadcast for this Friday, July 15th at Senju Park, but because of the nature of the information being shared, we advise you not to physically attend. Rather, tune in to the broadcast at …

And therein lay the only variation in the emails. Each of the Six had been given a different time for the broadcast and operating under the assumption that one of them was indeed a spy for the Akatsuki, some sort of attack was to be expected. Whichever time the Akatsuki made their move would reveal the traitor.

The plan seemed reasonable enough but Shikamaru's gut told him that something was off, yet the more he thought about it, the less clear the error became. With a sigh, he finished his beer and shut his laptop. Come Friday, all would be revealed, and he would find out whether his gut had been right or wrong.

|Hinata|

Zipping up my duffle bag became difficult due to the onslaught of tears rolling down my cheeks, so I momentarily gave up on the task and retreated to the bathroom.

"Oh Kami…" I whimpered to myself as I turned on the sink, "Naruto-kun…!"

I splashed some warm water on my face before my sorrow could overcome me. As I scrubbed off any traces of my tears, I thought back to the last time I had spoken to Naruto and what our goodbyes had been.

I had just found out that Sakura was the woman he'd cheated on me with, and he had learned of Toneri's proposal to me.

"Th-That's good." Naruto stammered, returning his outstretched hand to his side, "That's great, ya know. You…you always deserved better than me, and Toneri seems capable enough. He should be able to give you the love need. I just hope that…uh, well, I wish you the best. Hontōni."

"Arigato." I thanked him before walking away.

'I could've hugged him or…or…!' I shook my head when nothing else came to mind.

Who was I kidding? The hurt and betrayal I'd felt at that moment wouldn't have allowed me to end things on a mature note. I had been planning to talk to him later, but if I would have known…

Shaking my head, I shut the sink off before drying my face and looking at myself in the mirror. Aside from the slight red tint in my eyes, I didn't really look as terrible as I felt, so I left the bathroom in hopes that I could maintain my composure.

When I came downstairs, Toneri was hugging Himawari and after meeting my eyes, he gave me a slight nod before patting Himawari's back and urging her up. She turned to me with tear-soaked cheeks and a dripping nose, and I swallowed the immediate urge to join her misery.

"R-Ready to go?" I questioned with a stutter, my mouth quivering.

Himawari woefully nodded her head and Toneri opened the front door before stepping aside to let us out first. After locking the door behind him, the three of us continued to the car. I put my duffle bag and Himawari's suitcase in the trunk before coming back to the front, but when I slid into the passenger seat, Toneri tapped my thigh before flicking his eyes to the back.

I followed his gaze and found a trembling Himawari struggling to buckle up, so after giving him a silent thanks, I joined her in the backseat and gently removed her hand before pulling the seatbelt across her chest and clicking it into place. Her mouth quivered as she turned to me, and I hugged her before she could resume crying.

"I know." I whispered as I rubbed her arm, "I know."

The ride to Hanabi and Konohamaru's apartment was silent, with Himawari doing her best to keep her sobs to herself and me trying my hardest to do the same. Since their place was located practically in the heart of the city, Toneri dropped the two of us at the front before driving off in search of parking, and Himawari tightened her grip on my arm as we stepped into the building.

Thankfully they weren't too high up in their building, so after a short elevator ride to the fourth floor, Himawari and I found ourselves face to face with the newlywed couple. Hanabi squeezed Himawari as close as her pregnant belly would allow before passing her onto a waiting Konohamaru who scooped her up into his open arms. He lifted her with a grunt before hugging her tightly, and after giving me a small wave in greeting, he carried her and her suitcase into the apartment, leaving me and my sister alone.

"Arigato, Hanabi." I thanked her as we embraced each other, "Boruto's ankle is fractured but the doctors want to run a couple more tests so you might have to watch Himawari for a week—"

"I'll watch her forever if I have to," Hanabi interrupted as she pressed a kiss to my cheek, "But we can talk about that later. What about you, Nee-sama? How are you feeling?"

Shaking my head, I leaned into her shoulder and shut my eyes, and even as a familiar set of footsteps floated into my ear, I couldn't be bothered to lift my head from my sister. It was the stiffening of her arms around me that urged me up because I knew that the longer I delayed, the more likely it became that she'd say something out of pocket.

"Is Himawari inside?" Toneri questioned as he reached us.

I placed a light hand on Hanabi's shoulder, warning her against being rude, and gave him a nod.

At this confirmation, Toneri turned to Hanabi and bowed, "Arigato. I know this isn't an ideal situation considering how far along you are, so if there's anything I can do, any type of compensation I can give, I'll—"

Hanabi rolled her eyes, "Please, I'm pregnant, not disabled; I can look after a teenage girl just fine."

"Right. My aim wasn't to insult you, I just—"

"Oh Kami!" She groaned, and I tightened my grip on her shoulder but she shook me off, "No, Nee-sama, he needs to hear this. Toneri, I'm sure you already know but just to be clear, I don't like you. I never have and I never will, but Nee-sama is convinced that you've changed so I'm leaving her in your care. Your job isn't to kiss up to me, it's to love her, so if you make her cry or suffer, I swear I'll destroy you."

Toneri swiftly nodded his head, "I won't let you down."

"Mm." Hanabi hummed doubtfully before returning her attention to me, "Call me at any time, okay? It doesn't matter how late or how early, if you need me, I'll pick up."

We kissed each other's cheeks and I assured her that I would be in touch just as Konohamaru rejoined the three of us outside. He and Toneri shook hands before exchanging numbers, and Toneri urged Konohamaru to note every expense Himawari incurred for full recompensation.

"I can't thank you two enough." Toneri bowed before we left.

"Yeah, yeah." Hanabi waved him away, "Drive carefully."

Toneri insisted I wait in the lobby while he brought the car around and once I spotted him, I came out and climbed into the passenger seat behind him. He placed a warm hand on my knee and squeezed it before returning it to the wheel, and I met his silent inquiry with a nod.

"I'm okay." I told him as I sucked in a sharp breath, "Now let's go see Boruto."

|An Hour Later|

"The nature guide had just finished." Boruto's jaw clenched as he recalled earlier events, "Hima and I happened to run into Kawaki by Senju Park's south exit, but I guess it wasn't a coincidence since he was looking for us, ya know. Anyway, he looked…crazy, and he was speaking so fast that we couldn't even understand half of what he was saying. The half that we did understand freaked Himawari out, so I asked her to stay put and pulled him to the side. That's when he told me."

"Told you what?" Toneri questioned from where he was leaning against the wall.

I watched as Boruto's hands clutched his sheets, and upon the tightening of a particularly large vein in his forehead, I touched his leg and silently urged him to calm down.

"…He told us that Tou-chan was in trouble." Boruto answered after letting out a deep breath, "And that he'd overheard his dad Jigen telling someone to get rid of a pesky firefighter."

I held my breath.

"It didn't make sense at first but I could tell he wasn't joking, so I found Hima some friends to stick with before leaving with him." Boruto continued his recollection, "On the way to Tou-chan's house, he told me how Tou-chan and Jigen had fought two days ago, ya know. He said that Jigen never lets things go, and even though Jigen promised Tou-chan would be fine, he should've expected this or something like that. Like I said, it didn't make any sense, ya know"

"But when I saw flames coming from Tou-chan's apartment window, it was like…" Boruto swallowed hard and shook his head, "Kawaki didn't hesitate to run to the door even with all the smoke in the hallway, but the doorknob was too hot to touch with his bare hand, ya know. I gave him my sweater so he could try again and when he opened the door some kind of…grenade fell to the floor. Kawaki shoved me back a second before it went off, and now I'm here."

So much had been said at once, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't prevent my brain from harping on Jigen and his involvement.

'Jigen's the head of the Otsutsuki clan.' I thought to myself as I glanced at Toneri, 'Would he really kill Naruto-kun over a scuffle? Or did Toneri—?'

I squeezed my eyes shut to interrupt that train of thought before it could devolve into something more serious. What was I even thinking to accuse Toneri of?

Needing something else to well on, I shoved that notion to the back of my mind and guided my focus to my injured son. While the doctors had announced with happy surprise that he was in great physical shape aside from his fractured ankle, I wondered whether any of them had stopped to consider Boruto's mental health.

"You should get some rest." I suggested as I fluffed his pillows and helped him lean back into the bed, "It's been a long day, especially for you."

"Yeah but—wait, why are you getting in with me, ya know?" A look of confusion graced his face, but it was the subtle tint to his cheeks that turned my chuckles into outright laughter.

"Move over!" I ordered as I took in some air and climbed in beside him, "What? You turn sixteen and now you're too old to be in bed with your mother?"

Although his lips were puffed up with a pout, I could tell that he was more embarrassed than anything.

Nevertheless, he obeyed my command and gave me some room, "Well, yeah actually. What if one of the guys saw me like this? I would never live it down, ya know."

"I'm sure they'd move on in a week." I assured him as I planted a kiss on his forehead, "Now sleep."

With a sigh, Boruto shut his eyes and turned into my chest, and I pulled the covers over us. Toneri motioned that he would be outside and after I nodded, he switched off the lights and left us to ourselves. The room was silent except for the tick of the clock on the wall, and I knew that despite Boruto's willingness to comply, it would be too much to expect him to fall asleep immediately.

"You did a good job, making sure Hima was safe before leaving." I whispered against his forehead, "When I heard you were in the hospital, I thought that…oh Kami, but if it had been both of you I would've—"

I cut myself off as tears swelled in my eyes, and from the way his hold tightened around me, I could tell that Boruto was fighting back the same urge.

"…I love you, Boruto." I concluded with an exhale, "Thank Kami you're alive."

Although he didn't speak, his shuffling closer to me said more than enough, and I shut my eyes as the first bit of tears trailed down my cheek.

I ended up falling asleep with Boruto and after glancing at the clock, I was shocked to see that I had been travailing dreamland for almost two hours. The time having startled me awake, I slipped my arm out from under him before getting out of the bed and stepping into the hallway to find a tired Toneri sitting down beside the door. He smiled as he turned to me and I held an apologetic hand to my mouth.

"You should've come in." I told him as he rose to his feet, "That green couch in there has more than enough room."

"And interrupt a private family moment?" He chuckled sleepily, "I was fine out here."

Pursing my lips, I held his face in my hands and forced eye contact, "You're family too, even if he doesn't know it yet."

"Based on how things are going, no one will know for some time." He mumbled before sighing, "Forgive me, that was…I didn't mean it, I'm just—"

"No, no." I hushed him, understanding his frustration, "After…after Naruto-kun's funeral, I'll—"

He shook his head, "Forget it. Now isn't the time for this discussion."

"But I—"

"You lost your husband, Hinata." Toneri reminded me as he held my shoulders, "You should grieve him for a bit before worrying about me."

Blinking away the tears pooling together in my eyes, I attempted to correct him, "Toneri, you're my—"

"Stop." He gently interrupted me before pressing his forehead against my own, "I love you, Hinata. And I've loved you long enough to know how much you cared for Naruto. It's only natural that you'd grieve him, okay? Don't hold back."

I must have been unconsciously seeking his permission because that was all it took for me to break down. I tightly clung to Toneri as I wept into his chest and he responded in kind by wrapping his arms around me. He rubbed soft soothing circles into my back and murmured comforts into my ear as I continued to cry.

"Jigen-ojisama has always been the type to hold grudges, but I never would've thought he'd kill Naruto." Toneri confessed in a low voice, "And even after I…I need to see him. I'll find out why he did this."

"I-I'll come with you," I said with a stutter, pulling back to look him in the eyes, "We'll go together so I can—"

"Absolutely not." Toneri clutched my shoulders tightly and shook his head, "Gomennasai, Hinata; you know I'd give you the world but this is the one thing I cannot allow. Hontōni, I'd prefer it if you and Jigen-ojisama never meet."

I hiccuped, "But if we were to have a wedding—"

"Yes he'd attend but that wouldn't be because I wanted him to." Toneri clarified, "Trust me, my love, you don't want to meet him."

"O-Okay." I relented as I wiped my eyes, "I…I trust you."

His eyes lit up at the declaration and he hugged me once more before turning away, "It's half past six so he should be home. I'll try not to waste time so—"

Toneri cut himself off as a loud growl came from my stomach, and my cheeks immediately burned.

"I'll be fine." I waved him off as I looked away, beyond embarrassed by the sound, "Just be safe."

Toneri took my hand in his and urged me to look at him. His amusement was evident on his face, especially with the light smile gracing his lips but he didn't seem to be mocking me.

"My uncle can wait." He assured me as he led me to the elevator, "What kind of man would I be if I walked away from my starving wife?"

"I'm not starving…" I murmured as I followed behind him, "It's…the stress of the situation."

"Right." Toneri nodded, but I could hear the playful doubt in his voice, "I'm sure."

I bumped my head against his shoulder in silent protest and he responded by placing an arm around my shoulders and holding me to his side. Because Toneri wasn't particularly muscular, the firmness of his grip always surprised me due to how reminiscent it was of Naruto's hold.

'Naruto-kun…' I shut my eyes at the thought of him, hoping to avert another flood of tears, 'Oh Naruto-kun…'

|Sasuke|

I woke with a start and sat upright, panting heavily as hysteria surged through my veins.

"*Ochitsuke." A familiar hissy voice advised from my side, "You're safe. Or more importantly, you're alive."

I turned to my side and found a smiling Orochimaru holding a clipboard, and as he approached me, I took a quick look around the room before grabbing the unguarded scalpel from the drawer beside me and holding it up.

"Don't come any closer." I warned him, trying to conceal my heavy breathing.

"Now, now," Orochimaru raised his hands in a motion of surrender, "I may have healed your body but there are some things that can't be artificially restored, energy for one. We both know you're exhausted so let's not do anything unnecessary like fighting, ne Sasuke-kun?"

When I heard my name, I tightened my grip on the scalpel, "You know. Of course you do."

"Thanks to Suigetsu and Jūgo, yes." He nodded, "I can't say I would've found out on my own, and I wasn't too convinced until they brought me Karin's letter."

At the mention of Karin, I froze and immediately my thoughts turned to her, "Where is she?"

"I told you to relax, didn't I?" Orochimaru pushed me back down onto the bed as I struggled to stand up, "She's fine. After Suigetsu and Jūgo brought you down here, Suigetsu called her aside and the two of them went upstairs. They haven't been back since which means they must have left the compound."

The thought of Karin alone with Suigetsu rattled me but before I could begin to imagine the worst, Orochimaru's unmistakable chuckle snapped me out of my thoughts.

"You really are Uchiha Sasuke." He chuckled with a nod, "You make the famous Uchiha brooding face whenever you're thinking. It's a wonder you've managed to keep a poker face all these other times."

Clicking my tongue, I turned my gaze down to my body and flexed my fingers and legs, and while moving them, I realized something. Although Orochimaru was correct in noting my fatigue, the aches and pains that came with being crushed under five hundred pounds of concrete were noticeably missing from my body.

Unlike my previous treatment after going head-to-head with Killer Bee, I didn't feel the least bit sore. No, if anything I felt…rejuvenated.

I narrowed my eyes as I looked back at Orochimaru, recalling his earlier words about healing me, "What did you do to me?"

"Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun…" Orochimaru shook his head and chuckled with that hiss-laugh of his, "When somebody saves your life, you should be thankful, no?"

"What. Did you. Do." I repeated, not bothering to bury the malice in my voice.

He huffed before turning his back to me and heading to the closet in the room. When he opened it, I peered over his shoulder and saw an assortment of my clothes hanging above him.

"I have walked this planet for sixty-seven years," He began as he ranged through my outfits, "But it was in my thirtieth year of life that I attained immortality. What most assumed was an impossible task turned out to be quite simple. It was a matter of halting the aging process of the body's cells and restoring any defective areas to a livelier state. In your case, I have only done the latter, which is why you aren't feeling any inflammation or tenderness."

Setting aside his immortal revelation for another time, I tightened and untightened my first, "In other words, you've figured out how to speed up cellular regeneration to the point where even life-threatening injuries can be treated."

Orochimaru nodded, "Of course, this all depends on how quickly someone is brought to me. Even with all my techniques, I had never been able to bring someone back from the dead. Until now, that is."

"You…" I felt my heart stop as I processed his words, "You've done it? Sakura's alive?"

"In a sense. The process I used to bring her back was ritualistic and honestly quite primitive, but she lives. Although, I must tell you that she's…incomplete."

"What do you mean?" I furrowed my eyebrows at the adjective.

"The afterlife is something we know very little of, Sasuke-kun." He chuckled as he select a pair of green cargo shorts and a simple black t-shirt, "To meddle with the cycle of life and death is to go against nature as we know it. It's a wonder that Sakura-san came back at all."

"Okay, but what's wrong with her?" I recentered his focus to the original point, "Why did you say she was incomplete?"

"Perhaps it was wrong to say she was alive." Orochimaru reasoned before trying to rectify his mistake, "Sakura-san's current state is more undead than actively living. While my colleague managed to amend her deteriorating outward appearance, Sakura's sclerae remain somewhat dark, and after a few tests I've confirmed that she still doesn't have a pulse."

I took the clothes from him and slipped my arms out of my hospital gown, "Can you fix her?"

"As a matter of fact, I've just figured out how to." Orochimaru informed me as I pulled the t-shirt over my head, "Nothing comes without a cost, correct? In order for Sakura-san to truly be brought back, another life will have to be exchanged for hers."

"You mean…?"

"A life for a life." He clarified as I slid on my shorts, "Once Suigetsu returns, I'll have him and Jūgo nab someone off the street and—"

"Wait." I told him, not liking the thought of taking another innocent life, "I'll…I'll get someone. Just give me some time."

Orochimaru tilted his head, "No offense, Sasuke-kun, but it's a bit too late to start acting with a conscience, wouldn't you say?

"No, it's not. It's never too late" I answered before swinging my legs over the side of the bed, "Don't do anything unnecessary. I will find someone, okay?"

"Take your time." He raised his hands in surrender, an amused look on his face, "Once you say the word, we'll continue."

Nodding, I looked at the door before standing on my feet, "Is Sakura nearby? Can I see her?"

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Orochimaru questioned as he crossed his arms.

Although I didn't want to, I had to agree that meeting Sakura now would be a foolhardy decision with few benefits and many consequences.

'After.' I told myself as I held a long blink, 'When all this is over and she's back to normal, I…we have to talk.'

With this resolution in mind, I forced Sakura to the back of my mind and unwittingly made space for another buried subconscious wonder of mine.

I turned to Orochimaru in hopes of getting answers, "Deidara-san…did he survive?"

Orochimaru shook his head, "He was in the center of the blast; I'd be shocked if there was anything left of him. The others are a bit sensitive to his death, especially Sasori, so be mindful of your attitude around them. While you were asleep, I offered them the scenario of Deidara accidentally setting one of the bombs off and yelling to you in warning, but it's up to you to follow it."

"Arigato." It felt strange thanking him but I went through with it nonetheless, "But I don't understand – why are you helping me?"

"Who knows?" Orochimaru chuckled, but upon seeing my face pull into a frown, he waved a hand, "I find this whole spy scenario beyond interesting. You don't know it but you and I are much more connected than you think. If I didn't know better, I'd say Kami had brought us together."

Giving him a look, I pushed past him to the door and he called after me, "I said I healed you but aside from myself, I can't guarantee you a flawless recovery. If you start to feel any pain in your eyes, come to me."

With a nod, I proceeded out of the room and down the hallway to the elevator.

The smooth and silent ride to the second floor almost lured me into a false sense of security but finding my door slightly cracked when I arrived at my room returned me to my usual awareness. The odds of me being killed or harmed within the manor were low but never zero, and after considering every possible attack, I pressed the door open and stepped inside.

My shoulders slackened when I recognized Ren sitting on the couch, but the sense of dread I'd been feeling returned once my gaze dropped to the revolver in his lap. Any misgivings about his intentions with that pistol were squashed when he stood up and pointed it at me.

"Ren," I called his name as I slowly raised my hands to show him I was no threat, "What are you doing?"

"It was you." Ren said, his blank stare beginning to reveal traces of sadness, "You were the one who killed Nee-san."

I immediately shook my head before holding my hand out for the pistol, "I don't know who told you that but give me the gun and we'll—"

"You didn't deny it." He whispered as he switched off the safety, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I didn't kill her." I said, making it a point not to move as his finger went to the trigger, "Ran-san asked us to look after you, Ren. Why would she do that if we were going to kill her?"

He looked slightly taken aback by my question but pressed on with his belief, "N-No, I overheard Hidan-san talking to Kakuzu-san about it. He said you should've just killed me instead of taking me in. Why would he say that if you didn't kill her?"

Making a mental note to tell Hidan off, I continued trying to persuade Ren otherwise, "Ren, you know how Hidan is. He loves the thought of people being killed and he's not very fond of kids; don't tell me you took what he said to heart."

"I want you to tell me the truth." Ren demanded, dangerously tapping the trigger, "I'm not the best shot but there's no way I'll miss point blank."

'If anything, I'll wrestle you to the ground once that gun goes off.' I thought before blinking away the possibility, 'No, I can't let things end this way. He wants the truth…'

A lightbulb came on in my head and I swiftly put the plan into action.

"The truth is…" I paused as I considered my words, "I was there when your sister died, but I wasn't the one who killed her."

Sucking in a sharp breath, Ren raised the pistol as he inquired of the true culprit, "W-Who did?"

"A man by the name of Kashin Koji." I answered, the story piecing itself together as I spoke, "He's a tall man with white hair that reaches just above his shoulders, and he wears a mask around his eyes so I can't describe any facial features besides a thick chin strap."

"How did he kill her…?" Ren croaked, tears running down his face at a rapid rate, "And why were you there?"

"Koji strangled her." I shut my eyes as I recalled the moment Ran went limp in my arms, "It was…a quick death. Ren, your sister got herself involved with some bad people. I don't know exactly what she promised to do for them but when she didn't deliver, Koji came to make an example of her. And the reason I was there was for her…services."

Ren slightly lowered the gun, "What? But you and Misaki-san—?"

"Were fighting that night." I finished, slipping a bit of truth into the tale, "We'd been fighting for a while, actually. I'm not proud to admit it but I'd been with Ran-san many times before that night, and Misaki knew. She never said anything because…anyway, that's why I was there. I just wish I could've done something."

Having accepted my lies, Ren's shoulders slouched, "…Why didn't you?"

"Oyabun made a deal with Koji's boss," I explained as I pulled him into a hug, "If he overlooked this killing on our turf, an alliance would be formed, and we would help each other at a moment's notice. When Oyabun compared starting a war over one person's life to the benefits of such a strong partnership, the choice practically made itself. Gomennasai."

All I could do was pat Ren's back as he wept into my chest, and I held his head with a kind hand as he trembled. Once the quakes had subsided, he pulled back and wiped under his eyes.

"I'll…I'll kill him." He swore as his breath hitched, "Now th-that I know what he looks like, he's d-dead."

I shook my head and placed a firm hand on Ren's shoulders, "You will do no such thing. Your sister asked to me look after you, do you think she'd want you to throw your life away for the sake of revenge?"

He didn't answer and I sighed before holding my hand out. He reluctantly handed me the pistol and after switching the safety back on, I unloaded the magazine before emptying the chamber and confirming the gun was unloaded.

"Let's say you do manage to kill Koji, what then?" I asked, shoving the gun in my back pocket before continuing my attempt to dissuade him, "You think his group will let it go? They're not good people, Ren."

"And what about the Akatsuki?" He shot back, frustration evident in his voice, "Are you gonna tell me they're the good guys?"

I shook my head, "No, they're not. If you kill Koji, they will tell Oyabun to hand you over, and there is nothing I will be able to do about it."

"That shouldn't bother you." He scoffed, "Wouldn't be the first time you stood by and watched someone die."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and shut my eyes, "I'm not going to argue with you."

"Good." He spat angrily as he stomped over to the door, "I wasn't planning on it."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes after Ren slammed the door shut and I sank into the couch with a sigh.

"Fuck," I murmured to myself as I leaned my head back, "What am I—?"

The sound of the door opening drew my attention to it and I stood up to meet Ren. Instead, I found a red-eyed Karin, a smirking Suigetsu, and a stone-faced Jūgo entering the room.

"Yo, Sasuke." Suigetsu greeted me with a two-fingered salute as Jugo shut the door behind them, "Been a while, ne?"

*Ochitsuke means calm down/relax

A/N: Okay so I started feeling a tingling painful sensation in my lower back a week and a half ago and when I told my doctor he said that wasn't good. After a couple of tests and x-rays, it turns out I have two herniated discs and there's no real treatment for it besides surgery, which I'm gearing up for. To be honest I'm pretty nervous because I barely ever went to the doctor so surgery is a lot. Don't know what's gonna happen but I'm hoping for the best.

Again, sorry for two weeks of no content but hopefully these two chapters will hold over. My surgery's in three days and if everything goes well I'll be resting for four weeks. A long time, I know but what can I do? Love you guys (ɔ◔‿◔)ɔ