Authors' Note: Once again, we'd like to thank you for your reviews, we're always happy to see any constructive feedback!

Chapter 3. The Lesser Evil

(By Oliver Vertran and Victoria Alfieri)

"You didn't have to drink that much… you know?"

Naruto groaned quietly, rubbing his face before reaching out to take the glass out of his friend's hand, giving him a small grin that was full of appreciation and rue at the same time.

"Thanks, Shikamaru…," murmured the Seventh, drinking all the refreshing liquid at once. "Could you get me more? Please?"

"I'm afraid that was the last pill," the man shrugged, trying to hide his rather apparent amusement,"Besides, you deserve what you're feeling right now."

The Hokage gave him a deadpan stare before sighing meekly and leaning on the back of his seat.

"Considering what Sasuke told me… If you were there, you would've gotten even more wasted than I, duh."

"Uh huh?" The Nara crossed his arms on his chest and eyed the other ninja skeptically. "Doesn't sound very convincing so far. Care to elaborate?"

Naruto glanced through the window to the right from his secretary, slightly narrowing his eyes at the peaceful and welcoming clouds on the horizon.

"It's just as we presumed. The drastic increase of murder rate in Gaara's country has a very good reason behind it… Or rather, a quite nasty reason."

Shikamaru nodded curtly.

"I told you it couldn't be a random occasion. So, what exactly did Sasuke find out?" The man now sounded worried and excited at the same time — his typical reaction to something mysterious and dangerous that demanded a touch of the sharpest mind.

"As surprising as it sounds, the threat doesn't come from ninjas this time..."

The Nara blinked in confusion, as if he were unsure if he had heard his friend correctly.

"You're not making any sense, you know?" he finally said crossly, his fingers knocking nervously on the surface of Hokage's desk as Naruto paused for some reason.

"Yeah, I guess… But, that's how it is. This time it comes from civilians, and nobody in Land of Wind they've questioned so far knows how exactly, and by who was it started. All we know for now is… Well, it's a religious cult of some sort."

"A cult? In Sunagakure?" Shikamaru frowned. "Not something unheard of, isn't it? They've always had issues with various sects and fanatics."

"True, but…," Naruto sighed, glancing cautiously at the door for a moment. "Everything I tell you from now on is top secret information, so keep it in mind. Basically, this cult turns out to be very big, stealthy and potentially incredibly dangerous. They…," Naruto frowned as well, clenching his bandaged fist a few times, "They call themselves Vileblood, and they kill people for no apparent reason. All kinds of people, both civilians and ninjas."

"There is always a reason if you look closely enough," the bearded man snorted, to which Naruto only nodded.

"You're right, of course. And yet their police cannot figure it out so far. A random follower — and they never reveal, nor admit their allegiance in public if they get caught — targets another random person; kills him or her — for the sake of committing some nasty ritual, obviously, as they take a lot of their blood; and then they just kill themselves. Two deaths, no motives, no backstory. Nothing. Every time it's the same scenario, and nobody has a clue about what's going on."

Shikamaru's eyes widened more and more at his words as Naruto kept talking, but then the dark haired man winced and shook his head.

"Damn it… Now I get it why they're so confused. And… considering that the rate of deaths only grows every day… Holy shit, it's really—!" He seemed to be rendered speechless.

Naruto nodded again.

"Yep. That's not the worst thing Sasuke found out, though."

The Nara's face paled as he giggled nervously.

"What could possibly be worse than an exponentially growing spontaneous wave of murders and suicides? Wait, not even gonna bother guessing. Shoot it."

"He and Boruto also traveled to Land of Water after Suna, because Sasuke believed that the traces of this cult were leading there, to the Mist. He was right, but only partly; whoever had started this cult wasn't particularly interested in causing an uncontrollable mass murder like that. Their intention was, and still is to start a war between Five Great Countries, and it looks like they're about to achieve that. Also, the assassins who are targeting our families — they were hired by these people, too."

There was a long moment of oppressive silence inside the room that was lit by the gentle rays of the morning sun that was so not matching the anxious atmosphere the place was sunken into that the situation began to seem surreal to Shikamaru. Each of the shinobi was deep in their own thought for a while; it took him a few minutes to finally open his mouth and utter quietly yet vigorously:

"Naruto, this is—whoever these people are—they're trying to destroy the world. And I mean it, they want us all drown in blood! There is no other explanation; they clearly don't want money or power, for all they've trying to do until now was causing as much havoc and terror as possible!"

"Pretty much," Naruto shrugged apathetically, taking his pen and swinging it in his fingers. "It's not like there is anything we can do about it at the moment. I've already ordered to close our borders for civilians, both ways. Officially it's not been announced yet, but… Yeah. We're very close to a martial law."

Slightly taken aback by his rather cynical attitude that was not something usual to see coming from Naruto, Shikamaru slowly nodded then — after all, he could understand the reasons behind his behaviour.

"Yeah. At this rate we should consider this cult something like a plague. Basically our highest priority should be not letting it infect our country. But, all the trade agreements—"

"Are frozen for the time being." The Seventh's voice was incredibly firm. Another bad sign, thought Shikamaru grimly.

"Gokage are going to be furious considering that our economy right now is the biggest in the world. Was this why you demanded to arrange the unscheduled summit as soon as possible?"

"Yes. It's our only way to avoid a new Great War right now. Actually…," Naruto closed his eyes and sighed, instantly reminding the Nara that despite almost two decades having passed, deep inside their Hokage was still the same hot headed teen who desperately wanted to save everybody without ever thinking of himself, yet hardly having any idea what to do when fighting an enemy with his own fists was not an option, "I think it's our last resort," he uttered quietly and calmly, and his tone made this simple sentence sound a thousand times worse than it already was.

Because, in fact, it was obvious that Naruto didn't hope for the summit to solve anything. He was expecting the worst possible outcome… The question was, was he ready for it?

Were they all ready?

"Well… It doesn't really matter when you think about it," drawled Shikamaru slowly, looking out the window and staring at the clouds thoughtfully. "We still have our tomorrow to enjoy… And although strategy is important — probably the most important thing right now — nobody really knows what will happen the day after that. Let us do what we must, and come what may."

"Isn't that what we almost do?" Naruto smirked, glancing at him with the tiniest spark of the former merry fire in the blue eyes. "That's why I keep it all secret for now. If something terrible can't be avoided anyway, I just want those I care for to have another peaceful day to enjoy while they still can. I guess you could call that lying, but I do it for their sake. They wouldn't be able to help the situation in anyway, so I'll just do what I can to protect them… While I still can." It all sounded like was trying to excuse himself, almost like a desperate plea for indulgence…

That's why Shikamaru only grinned in return, clapping on the man's shoulder supportively. He was right, after all. There was simply no good course of action in a situation like this, so it didn't really matter what option would they choose. Therefore it was up to him and only him — the leader all of them had always trusted.

"Yeah, I guess. By the way… Don't forget to eat, you still look like shit." He nodded at the small bentō in the corner of the broad desk, almost inconspicuous among the various things that rested there creating a horrible chaos only Naruto found himself comfortable with.

"Huh?" The jinchuriki blinked, reaching out and grabbing the tiny box before his expression became baffled and curious at the same time. "I wonder…," he murmured and opened it, peeking inside, only to see an omelette with vegetables and a couple sausages — it looked nice yet very simple, as though whoever had cooked it had really tried to make haste. "Who on earth made it? Smells nice!"

Shikamaru frowned, looking slightly confused.

"What do you mean who? Is it not Hinata…?"

"Nah," Naruto shook his head absently, still staring at the food. "There is no clan signature on the box. And… Ah!" He suddenly grinned, "I knew it!" he added triumphantly, taking a pill out of the small separate section inside the bentō. "There is a mark of the hospital on it!"

"An anti hungover pill, huh? So… Sakura, then? Damn it, looks like you've avoided your punishment for yesterday, after all."

The Hokage smiled brightly as Shikamaru turned away and started walking toward the exit.

"Well, who else?" Naruto poured some water into the glass before putting the pill inside. "Gosh, sometimes I think I should've married her," he muttered under his nose, but his friend was able to hear it anyway - he sighed quietly, closing the door behind his back.

You're not the only one to think so…

-~X~-

It had been raining for the second day in a row bar a few short breaks, but Sarada didn't really mind it despite already being quite wet after the heavy training session. In fact, she rather enjoyed this kind of weather after the impossible heat they'd had in Konoha last month — the girl wasn't really fond of that kind of climate, always preferring winter over summer.. And now that September was finally there, and the long awaited refreshing breeze was pleasantly ruffling her wild hair as the girl was standing with her head thrown backwards. She was feeling incredibly happy and careless now that there was nobody to bother her; her eyes closed tiredly as she was breathing deeply, simply trying to enjoy the rare moment of complete silence and solitude.

After a few minutes of meditation Sarada smirked to herself, raising her left hand and rubbing her forehead — the elegant thin fingers touched the purple diamond shaped mark. She had finally managed to acquire her mother's trump card… The Byakugō seal. It had taken her almost one full year to accumulate enough chakra, but the preparations and studying the nature of this jutsu had lasted for much longer, of course. Still, it was totally worth it without a single doubt; after all, alongside her Sharingan, now it automatically made her one of the strongest ninjas in their country…

And definitely one of the most durable in the world.

Was she proud of herself? Well, if only the tiniest bit. After all, her current state was nowhere close to what she was planning to eventually achieve before she would become Hokage. Still, it felt surprisingly satisfying to know that she was finally becoming worthy of her clan's name. Her father would be so proud when he would find out…!

The girl flinched at the barely notable sound of someone's footsteps, slowly turning her head to the left and glancing at the small figure that was closing in from behind.

"You…?" she murmured to herself, standing up and turning around. Her eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected visitor, and the girl suddenly felt quite nervous.

Because of all the possible people, it was Uzumaki Hinata. And one needed not be a genius to realize that the fact that she had come here, all the way up to the Hokage monument, despite the thunderstorm and cold, could mean only one thing…

The woman had deliberately found Sarada with her Byakugan, and it was more than a little strange… if anything, it was quite suspicious and apprehensive.

"Uzumaki-sama? How can I help you?" asked the younger kunoichi, instantly activating her Sharingan to check the woman's chakra signature just in case — intruders had already tried to attack her within the village in the past.

And yet… it was, without a doubt, Naruto's wife.

Sarada frowned, forgetting to deactivate her dōjutsu that was now shining dangerously in the twilight of the rainy evening.

Hinata eyed the young kunoichi thoroughly, noticing how her soaked shirt stuck to her slightly pale skin, further emphasizing her already above average bust, along with her slightly messy and wet hair that rested on top of her breasts, ending just above her hips.

Then her gaze met her eyes, and Hinata almost gasped. The Hyuga couldn't help but feel intimidated by the young Uchiha's piercing red Sharingan; the same eyes that had caused the Infinite Tsukuyomi and the Great War... and the same eyes that had killed her beloved cousin Neji….

Hinata immediately brushed the depressing thoughts away, slightly shaking her head. If anything, she should be thankful to these eyes. The Sharingan… just like Byakugan, it was merely a tool possessed by people. These were also the same eyes that had helped to end the Great War alongside her husband Naruto, and apparently, according to Chōchō, these eyes probably belonged to their future Hokage as well.

"Sarada-chan… Please, I—I need you to tell me the truth… About Naruto-kun, I mean," said Hinata bluntly, staring deeply at the face of the young Uchiha.

The girl narrowed her eyes at the woman, unsure what exactly did she mean by her question. Clearly the situation at hand was very delicate… This awkward approach of hers in combination with Hokage's awful condition had instantly confirmed Sarada's earlier suspicion. It wasn't actually Hinata overthinking anything; something was seriously wrong within the Uzumaki clan, and for some reason she, Sarada, was apparently involved, directly or not. Otherwise this conversation wouldn't be happening...

"The truth…?" drawled the kunoichi thoughtfully, slowly eyeing Hinata up and down as though trying to win some time to think. Much like her husband lately, she didn't look very well herself to say the least. In fact, her face now resembled that of a zombie — apparently the Uzumaki hadn't slept last night at all. "What exactly do you want to know?" she asked carefully, as per usual in such situation retaining a perfectly calm expression, yet deep inside horribly afraid of somehow screwing up.

She couldn't fail the Seventh no matter what!

Despite having played possible scenarios of this conversation multiple times in her head before finally confronting the Uchiha, it seemed like Hinata had suddenly forgotten everything she had previously intended to say. What exactly was she going to ask the young girl anyway? Was she going to bluntly ask if Naruto had a lover…? That would be just ridiculous…

But, then again, there was no other way. Hinata, as his wife, deserved to know the truth.

"What I want to know is—"

She paused, lowering her gaze to the ground below their feet and hesitating to continue the sentence, pondering whether what she was about to say even had any point. Hinata eventually returned her gaze back to meet the Uchiha's blood red eyes and resumed her sentence, "Y-You spend a lot of time with N-Naruto-kun... Please... would tell me if he has a secret lover?"

Sarada didn't even blink at the sudden question, slowing down her breath as she quickly attempted to figure out what kind of reaction was she supposed to show right now, while at the same time fighting her own indignation.

A lover! A god damned lover was her concern?! Her husband wasn't even leaving his office, having to spend long nights and days at his desk, forgetting to eat and to sleep, and all this woman was thinking of was… a lover?

The Uchiha gritted her teeth, but otherwise she showed no sign of any emotion. Honestly, she had always thought of this woman much higher than this…

How unsightly… Is this where jealousy can lead one to? She slowly let out a long sigh, taking a few steps closer to Hinata but then stopping again, pursing her lips and rapidly thinking. Hokage's wife right now indeed deserved pity… and Sarada wasn't a cruel girl, nor was she very selfish; despite her own feelings for the Seventh, she truly wanted to comfort this woman who was now standing in front of her, almost looking broken, as though clinging to the young kunoichi like to her last hope.

"Uzumaki-sama… I believe this is an informal conversation, isn't it? In this case, I'd like to be completely sincere with you." Sarada paused, looking away — whatever reaction to her words would follow, she still needed to say what she had to say if she wanted to help Naruto, which she absolutely did. "Frankly, I have absolutely no idea what's going on between you and your husband. Obviously he doesn't talk to me about it, as you probably already figured out by yourself. But… I'm not an idiot; by looking at either of you, I can say that things are not very smooth. That's why I really advise you to change your attitude when it comes to what he does… I mean, in general, not only to you," she uttered, returning her gaze to Hinata's face then.

The former Hyūga couldn't help but faintly scowl at the fact that Sarada had just dodged the question she had previously asked. It was a simple "yes or no" kind of question anyway; why did the Uchiha have to make it harder than it already was...?

Hinata clenched her fists, sinking in anger and desperation. Clearly Sarada truly didn't understand a single thing that was going on between her and Naruto, as expected; but, how dumb did Sarada think she was? She wouldn't be reacting this way without a good reason! Even without being simply told of Hinata's reasoning, was it really that hard to imagine what life was like for a woman who never got to see her husband...? She, of all people, should be able to understand, being the daughter of someone like Sasuke. After all, hadn't Sarada almost gotten herself killed by Uchiha Shin due to this very same kind of neglection toward their family...?

"Sarada-chan... P-Please don't misunderstand my intentions. I—I know how the s-situation looks from your p-point of view right now, and… T-Trust me, I—I never wanted for any of this to be happening either! B-But, I would greatly appreciate it—if you would answer my earlier q-question."

The Uchiha almost growled at how stubborn Hinata was in her stupid assumptions. It was the first time in a very long time when she felt truly angry at someone. This woman… She was either absolutely egoistic and delusional, or a hopeless idiot…! She downright refused to see or hear anything besides whatever was related to her obsession, she didn't even try to understand…!

While Sarada clenched her fists and was trying hard to keep her emotions at bay, Hinata added quietly, almost whispering as she lowered her eyes timidly:

"Is it… is it Sakura-san? Are they—"

The woman didn't get to finish her sentence — she flinched as Sarada instantly appeared an inch away from her, their noses almost touching. She was gazing at her with despise from above, and it made the impression on Hinata that the girl was now towering over her despite being just a couple inches taller than the woman; the fury in the burning red irises was so unbridled and intensive that Hinata couldn't help but step back, her own pearl white eyes widening in fear.

"Don't you dare accuse my mother of something as low and dirty! You may be Hokage-sama's wife, but I won't just swallow such an insult to my clan. I strongly advise you to watch your mouth from now on, Uzumaki-sama," she uttered quietly yet venomously, almost shaking resentfully.

Absolutely shocked by Sarada's almost threatening words, and even more so by her feral expression that instantly reminded the woman of her infamous ancestors, Hinata couldn't help but gasp and put her hands over her mouth.

However, this was shortly followed by a stream of tears as she finally realized that it was a dead end. Not only did she constantly fail to get along with her own husband, but now she had also turned this girl who was absolutely not obliged to bother with her and Naruto's problems, against her...!

"I—I'm so terribly sorry! I d-didn't m-mean to offend you… It's just that… m-my marriage is—i-it's slowly falling apart, and no matter what I do, I just cannot help it! I d-don't know w-what to do anymore...!"

And with that last sentence, Hinata's shaking legs collapsed against her will, making her land on her knees on the solid stone as she continued crying, her tiny frame shaking.

"He—Naruto-kun-he keeps lying to me all the time! I—I can tell f-for sure that—that he's unhappy with me, b-but I d-don't know why! It could o-only mean that… h-he doesn't love me anymore!"

Then she began to tell, horribly stuttering and sobbing uncontrollably, about everything that had stacked up throughout the last few years. From the lack of feelings on Naruto's side to the way he avoided her recently, never trusting her enough to reveal at least some of the things that occupied his mind and life, almost seeming like a stranger to nowadays. Sniffling and wiping her tears, Hinata eventually finished her monologue by telling Sarada of his failure to even share the fact that he had a student in the face of the girl herself.

The Uchiha was staring at her silently in disbelief, completely shocked by how surreal all of it felt. Not only did this woman, who had been vastly considered a royal figure in Land of Fire, was now kneeling in front of her and revealing her most fearful and devastating secrets, but she also did it to her, the person who was in love with her husband…!

Now Sarada felt horribly torn from the inside. Of course, she wasn't an evil person, nor was she any cruel, or at least so she believed herself. Of course, having heard Hinata's heartbreaking story, she felt an impossibly strong desire to comfort the woman in some way. That's why as soon as she stopped talking, the girl slowly lowered and hugged her, rubbing her back and deactivating her Sharingan the next second before closing her eyes.

Yet at the same time… The Uchiha couldn't help but scold herself for the tiniest spark of hope that made her entire being clutch in anticipation. If the Seventh was unhappy with his family, then maybe… Just maybe she could…!

Sarada bit her lip to the point of feeling the slightly bitter salty taste of blood on her tongue. No, she wasn't supposed to think about it! She wasn't like that…!

"Uzumaki-sama…," she then began, trying to sound as soft and compassionate as possible, "I'm not allowed to reveal any of the information Hokage-sama doesn't tell you. However… You may rest assured that he doesn't have a secret lover, nor anything like that. At least I swear that I haven't noticed any signs of it so far, and like you said it yourself — I spend a lot of time around him, so I reckon I would know for sure." She backed off a tad, meeting Hinata's lost and hopeful gaze again,

"There is an important reason why he doesn't let anyone know that I am his apprentice, which has nothing to do with you; and lastly, like I said… Please, try to hear me this time. You need to try to look at the whole situation from a different angle. Your husband is a very important person, important to the entire world; and yet he truly and genuinely cares about you, his family. Once again, if he believes that it's best for you not to know about something that is going on with his work, it doesn't mean that he hides it out of selfishness, nor because he doesn't trust you. As Hokage of the strongest hidden village in the world, he has much more responsibilities than you can probably imagine, and the paperwork is only the pinnacle of this iceberg."

Hinata took a breath of relief and then smiled sheepishly at the Uchiha, staring at her now onyx eyes.

So I really was overreacting after all… I guess I'm an utter idiot...

Why had she believed the Akimichi girl's silly assumption anyway? Why had she let herself go through all that mental and emotional suffering because of that ludicrous suggestion? That girl clearly knew nothing except gossip and ideas from cheap novelette narratives...

But still… the former Hyūga now also felt immense guilt because of her previous accusation towards Sakura. Who did she think she was anyway… ? She had no right to make such foolish and vulgar assumptions so ironically worthy of Chōchō, and especially to voice them in front of the child of the woman she had suspected! Not to mention her truly shameful selfishness… While Naruto was unable to come home due to the abundance of work thrown on him every day, she was suspecting him of such horrible things! What kind of wife did she turn to be...? Creating a drama instead of trying to support and understand him…!

She mentally slapped herself out of guilt and self loathing, suddenly realizing that everything around darkened for a second. The lack of sleep must be taking effect…, she thought, trying desperately to excuse herself from her abnormal and highly inappropriate behaviour, though realizing that in reality, there hardly was an excuse for it.

"I—I see… Thank you, Sarada-chan," she quietly replied, lowering her gaze to the ground and avoiding eye contact with the girl. It took the Uzumaki some time and a few deep breaths before she found the courage to hopelessly lock eyes with the young Uchiha again and begin,

"S-So what do you suggest I do? How do I—I make him see that I truly do c-care about him? How d-do I make him stop pushing me away? I—I understand h-he's Hokage, and that there are s-some things he c-can't tell me, b-but..."

Sarada then finally let go of her and got up, wiping dirt off her knees and then looking at the woman again.

"I'm pretty sure he knows that you care for him, Uzumaki-sama. What, I reckon, you need to realize is that whatever is going on is not about you at all. If you're asking for my advise — stop focusing so much on your own discomfort and pointless reflecting, and try… Just try be there for him when he needs you. That's—"

...That's what I do for him myself…!

"...Exactly what he needs from his family right now. Himawari-chan's birthday is in nine days, isn't it?" she smiled at Hinata reassuringly, trying to be as friendly as possible while in reality, for the very clear reason, feeling absolutely horrible and hypocrite. "Since Boruto is away, try to make it a nice and comfortable party for the three of you, and whoever Himawari-chan invites. And I—," she stopped for a second, unsure if what she was about to say would be a really bold claim for someone as meaningless in comparison to them as she, Naruto's apprentice, "I'll make sure he comes… in person, that is." She winked at Hinata and reached out, offering her hand to help the woman get up.

Naruto's wife flinched. Come in person? Would it even be possible...? He would have most certainly done it before if it was…

Just before giving up on that possibility, Hinata suddenly realized something which made her eyes widen. Sarada… She was Naruto's successor, wasn't she? And by saying what she had just said… Was she going to take over the loads of work that her husband spent weeks... on just to make sure that he comes home... to them?

Perhaps the Uchiha was way more compassionate than Hinata had previously given her credit for…

This thought only made Hinata's guilt intensify, causing the inner corners of her eyebrows to raise in sadness. She then mentally promised herself not to ever be so selfish again… Especially as the Hokage's wife…! And especially to this kind girl.

"I'm truly sorry for my awfully inappropriate behaviour and for d-disrespecting your mother…," she whispered, feeling genuinely ashamed to even bring up her biggest regret, "T-That was unlike me at all…," she softly added and sniffled.

Sarada looked away and sighed. Normally she probably wouldn't have forgiven that so easily, but she still felt guilty herself for her own secret thoughts about the whole situation, and especially for her feelings about Naruto. That's why she only murmured quietly, not looking into Hinata's eyes:

"I understand. Don't worry about it. I know what it's like… to feel like your love is not returned," she said ambiguously, still offering the Uzumaki her hand. "Please, get up already. You might catch a cold at this rate, and don't think it would help you impress Hokage-sama if he suddenly decides to come home tonight." Her lips curved into a small grin as she was secretly hoping that she wouldn't have to talk to Hinata again anytime soon. It felt horribly wrong to be around her while secretly having naughty dreams about her husband…

The girl almost cursed herself, happy that it was already dark enough to hide the blush on her cheeks. And why hadn't she inherited this amazing trait not to ever blush from her father…?

The Uzumaki returned the smile perplexedly as she saw that, to her great relief, Sarada forgave her, and then she finally took the Uchiha's hand, which helped her get up from the ground she was kneeling on. She quickly wiped the dirt off her pants as well, and then subtly noticed that her legs were still slightly shaking.

It really isn't healthy to deprive myself of sleep like this…, Hinata noted, glad that she wouldn't have to be help up by her devastating assumptions anymore, seeing as Naruto indeed hadn't a secret lover, and was, in fact, working hard to support his family like she had previously always told herself.

Perhaps I should get to know Naruto's student and possibly our future Hokage better…? Maybe it will even help me improve my marriage… After all Naruto is indeed quite close with her, she thought silently, while still being thankful for the Uchiha's massive help and kindness. Who could have known that an Uchiha could be so warm hearted? Clearly Sarada was absolutely nothing like her infamous father…

Hinata decided, if anything, that she most certainly needed to invite the girl to Himawari's birthday party as a token of appreciation. If, by any chance, things would go differently than she assumed and Naruto turned to be unable to come to the party, at least Sarada would be there and it wouldn't be so lonely and sad.

"No n-need to address me so formally, Sarada-chan… A-After everything you did for me—for us—I consider you a friend!" she said warmly, timidly hoping that Sarada would return the offer of friendship, "A-And speaking of Himawari's birthday... Y-You are very much invited to come, too!" she finally suggested, eagerly awaiting Sarada's answer.

The girl's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected suggestion. A friend…? That was definitely unnecessary to say the least. Why would she become friends with her, of all people? They had literally nothing in common except for the person they had feelings for. And yet…

There was something in the Uzumaki's face that made the girl feel strong empathy and a strange will to agree. Besides, although Sarada felt like it would put her on a new level — after all, an offering of friendship meant, in her own opinion, recognition of her as an equal. And that would be a perfect testament to the fact that she wasn't a child anymore — something she wanted everyone around to finally realize.

Especially Naruto…

But, would it be noble to agree? To become friends with this woman while secretly hoping (which she, in fact, refused to admit even to herself) that her marriage would indeed fall apart...? Both the options were no good, but the silent plea in Hinata's kind tear stained eyes clearly meant that she needed Sarada, and yet… Wouldn't it be too selfish to use this way to get closer to him, and to get to know him better through someone who had spent so many years with the Seventh?

It was an unsolvable dilemma, and she had no time to think on it. No matter how she looked at it, to reject this woman right now would most likely mean to offend her, and it totally wasn't Sarada's intention. Only for that sole reason did she squeeze out a tired and polite smile which, she absently thought, probably was similar to what Naruto's wife often saw on his own face, and uttered:

"Of course, Hinata-san. I'd be glad to be friends with you. And speaking of the party… If I'm free on that day, I'll come for sure."

Oddly, it seemed like her forcibly polite response more than satisfied Hinata — in fact, the Uzumaki looked as though she had just heard something she had secretly wanted to hear for a long time, because she then added, sounding genuinely happy now:

"That's-that's just splendid, Sarada-chan! And, I-I'd like to also tell you that… Well, even if you d-don't make it to the party, you're always welcome to come to our house for a cup of tea, or if you need anything at all!" She smiled at her so brightly that it almost made Sarada want to jump off the cliff in shame. The girl suddenly felt like a horrible, absolutely disgusting two faced bitch because of the feelings and thoughts she secretly harboured deep inside…

"Uh… Of course, Hinata-san. I very much appreciate it, and it's mutual, of course. Although, since you're already friends with my mother, I suppose there was no need to say that," she smirked unsurely, and Hinata giggled, nodding. "Well then, I need to go now. I still have things to do before the night, and you should probably get going as well — it really looks like you need some sleep. So long!"

Having said that, Sarada disappeared with a Shunshin, leaving Hinata alone yet finally relatively at peace.

-~X~-

It was already quite late in the evening when he heard the familiar soft knocking on his door which made him snap out of his thought and raise his head to glance at the door. The heavy rain was constantly drumming on the windowsill from the outside, but he didn't mind it at all — the sound was somehow relaxing, bringing the tired man some kind of odd comfort he couldn't quite recognize. Maybe it was something from his childhood…?

He wasn't sure.

"Enter," he said quietly, and the door immediately opened — Sarada walked inside the room, coming close to his table and bowing her head.

"Hokage-sama, it's done. I've finished my training," she announced, the pride in her voice clearly readable

He blinked, feeling slightly confused for a moment, as though not realizing it instantly what she was talking about.

"Ah!" He then gasped, nodding in belated excitement. "The seal! Have you tested it yet?"

She smirked, unbuttoning the lower part of her top and showing him the traces of gore slightly above her stomach.

"I stabbed myself here, twice. And as you can see, I'm perfectly fine. I guess it's safe to say that it works," she readjusted her glasses, looking very pleased with herself — and she had a reason to be that way. After all, unlike her mother she was no medic, and yet the girl had managed to achieve something Sakura had accomplished at the same age while specializing on healing.

To Sarada, however, it was just a way to become more powerful — unlike the pink haired kunoichi, she didn't find it any appealing to spend her days and nights in a hospital.

"Perfect! You've done well, Sarada-chan. Feel free to rest now; we're going to spar tomorrow in the morning. Now I can start teaching you the real things!" He winked at her, looking really excited despite his all in all exhausted and apathetic exterior.

"I'm looking forward to it, Hoka—Naruto-sama," she corrected herself and smiled, blushing a little and almost jumping in anticipation.

Her eyes then stopped on the empty box in the corner of the table — and her face suddenly paled as she glanced back at the Seventh who had followed the direction she was looking at and smirked.

"O-oh," he drawled teasingly, "So I was right about the bentō!"

"Uh…," she suddenly found herself dumbfounded, unsure what to say or do. She hadn't seen this conversation coming when she had prepared it for him — she had merely wanted him to have something healthy for breakfast…

"It was really tasty! I loved it, and—," Sarada hated herself at the moment; all she wanted to do was to just somehow disappear from this plane of existence as she felt her lips curving into the foolish happy smile at his words as she lowered her eyes sheepishly.

"...Could you please send my regards to Sakura-chan and thank her for this?"

What the…?

She blinked, unsure if she had just heard him right.

This is… He thinks that mom—!

The girl was now blushing even more than she had in the beginning of this conversation, feeling embarrassed, frustrated, angry and ashamed at the same time.

But, she then quickly got a hold of herself. Sarada couldn't let him get any wrong idea — or, in this particular case, the right one, for it would still be horribly wrong -— so she simply kept smiling and nodded.

"Of course. It will be done, Naruto-sama."

He grinned and nodded.

"That's my girl! Thanks. Well… You may feel free to rest now. And, before you ask — I'm going to sleep soon too, all the paperwork is done for now. Finally, damn it!" He stretched his back and arms with great pleasure, yawning tiredly yet happily for some reason.

Sarada hesitantly smiled back and then nodded again.

"I see... But, actually, Naruto-sama… There is something else I wanted to tell you. If you wouldn't mind, that is."

He met her conflicted gaze, frowning a tad at her worried expression.

"Huh? What is it, Sarada-chan? Something happened?"

She licked her lips thoughtfully, once again feeling torn apart. Was she ruining her fantasy for good right now? Would this bury this tiny spark of betraying hope that was making her feel so warm inside…?

But then the girl clenched her fists and gritted her teeth vigorously. She wasn't going to backstab Hinata for the sake of something as phantom and dubious; besides, she wasn't some bastard to do something as low and nasty to the poor woman who had just asked her to help.

Uchiha Sarada was no scum!

"Yes and no," she finally began, her voice becoming dead serious and calm, yet somewhat soft at the same time. "Hokage-sama… Naruto-san," she uttered, feeling that it was the most informal way she could possibly call him right now, "I understand it's none of my business, but - you're not just my mentor and my commander. Make no mistake, I respect your privacy, your decisions and by no means am I trying to tell you what you do. Yet still…," she paused, realizing that his expression was also very serious now — in fact, she couldn't remember ever seeing him like this outside a fight. Was he already mad at her…?

Surprisingly, this idea didn't make her waver at all.

"...Still, I believe I need to tell you something... not as your subordinate, but as—as a friend," she said the last word carefully, unsure if she could even consider them friends — after all, Naruto was significantly older than her, and he was all those things she had just mentioned — her boss and her teacher at the same time.

And yet, if she was friends with his wife, technically she could be friends with him too, couldn't she? At least when they were out of duty…

"I'm listening," he said softly, not moving his gaze off her face.

"Well, I really believe that you should go home tonight. You see, I—I encountered your wife earlier today," she noticed that his face darkened a little bit, but decided to continue nonetheless, "It so happened that I found out a lot about her concerns regarding you and your family. And—I think you should give her a chance to understand you."

He closed his eyes and sighed, turning his head away before finally uttering,

"Sarada, this is not as simple as you—"

"I know it," she interrupted him, astonished by her own courage for a moment before continuing, "But, I think you are making it unnecessarily complicated. Yes, you cannot tell Hinata-san all the truth about what's going on, but… Well, there are other ways to calm down a woman. Just—just show her that you truly do care. It doesn't have to be anything big, you don't have to really tell her anything important or secret, but she must feel that you're still there… for her… And for Himawari-chan," she smiled softly at his baffled expression while Naruto was staring at her as though he was seeing the girl for the first time in his life.

He remained silent for a while, and so did she. Sarada didn't know how many minutes had passed before he finally got up and murmured:

"It's pretty late, Sarada-chan. You should go to sleep soon if you want to rest properly before tomorrow's spar."

She lowered her eyes sadly, biting her lip. Had she just done something wrong after all? Yes, that seemed to be the case.

Well, at least I did all I could… I really tried my hardest, she thought, bowing politely and turning away the next moment.

"Good night, Hokage-sama."

"Wait," he suddenly said and she froze, turning her heat to glance at him in surprise over her shoulder while he was taking a big umbrella from one of the lockers and then draped his white mantle over his broad shoulders. "I'm going back to my house, so I'll take you home along the way. It's raining after all," he raised the umbrella slightly awkwardly, as though to point that out.

The kunoichi couldn't hold back a happy smile at the unusual warmth and appreciation in his voice — perhaps for the first time in her life she was feeling truly recognized and accepted by this man. And although it had nothing to do with the kind of feelings she had for him, it was still… possibly the greatest moment of her life so far. Because she had defeated herself and made the right choice in the end — no matter what, she still remained a good and self aware person, and people were finally beginning to accept her as such.

And it was all that mattered for now.

-~X~-

She was seeing another nightmare — or rather the same one she'd been having for the third day in a row. Someone was chasing her down the empty narrow lanes of an unknown settlement, and no matter how fast did she try to run away, he was still closing in on her, the dreadful light of the burning red eyes flashing from the dirty fabric of his hood that was completely hiding his face…

Except the smirk. The devilish smirk of a beast that was toying with his prey...

She screamed, but there was not a single sound coming off her lips, which made the icy grip of desperation and fear clench on her throat, slowly strangling the woman as she tried to wake up again and again, unable get away...

She flinched and yelped as she suddenly felt someone pulling her out of this delirious vision — the Uzumaki matriarch's white eyes finally snapped open, quickly realizing that it was just a dream again, and that she was still inside her bedroom...

With someone hugging her waist from behind, the familiar warm breath nicely tickling the soft skin of her neck.

"N-Naruto-kun…?" she whimpered quietly, turning her head slightly and recognizing his face with the corner of her eye.

"Yeah. It's still deep night. Sleep."

She frowned, muttering:

"B-But—"

"Shush. I'll tell you everything in the morning. Just sleep now and don't worry about anything. You're safe. I'm here, with you."

The woman smiled then, closing her eyes.

He was finally there. He was with her. And it was all that really mattered for now.