Love of mine some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

-I Will Follow You into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie

-xXx-

To Hell and Back

Chapter 10: Faith

-xXx-

Kakuzu followed Hidan's frantic breathing and echoing footfalls. He sounded winded. The missing Falls nin had tried calling out to Hidan, to ask him to stop, but Hidan only ran faster.

Who was he running away from?

The corridor ended. It was another chamber, this one larger, the high ceiling supported with massive pillars shaped like spiraling dragons. More torches were lit here, the flames burning in oranges, greens and blues.

Kakuzu took a tentative step forward. He saw Hidan's tall, lithe form hunching over something sprawled on the stones. A man. Kakuzu approached the silver haired priest and placed a hand on his shoulder.

It was the Jinchuuriki, lying in a crumpled heap, eyes rolled into the back of his head. Kakuzu had seen the same thing so many times before. Hidan had as well. It was nothing new to them, yet both of them stopped and bowed their heads in respect. The young man wasn't to blame for the way things had played out. He was yet another victim, a pawn in Beza's grand scale game.

"I kind of feel sorry for him," Hidan sighed, squeezing the gold locket in his hand. He looked up to Kakuzu, who nudged Hidan in the shoulder, urging him to walk.

The two came upon a line of statues, each bearing features of one of the tailed beasts: tanuki, cat, turtle, ox, monkey, scorpion, eagle, dragon, and fox. The Kyuubi statue was in the form of a nude woman bearing the head of a fox, nine tails splayed out like the petals of a grand flower behind her. Standing at the statue's feet was the demon, clad in his new body.

"Heh heh…returned to my proper form…at last…" Beza chuckled, turning to look at the gawking priest and the dead shinobi.

"All thanks to you, dear Stitches. All thanks to you."

Kakuzu turned to Hidan.

"Stay back, I'll handle this."

Hidan burst into laughter and placed his hand on Kakuzu's shoulder. He leaned in close to Kakuzu's ear, a cocky grin curling his lips, though some of his pride was lost since he had to stand on tiptoe to even reach it.

"For once in our partnership, dear Stitches, let me take care of this."

Kakuzu's eyes widened upon hearing the demon's words from Hidan's mouth. Though, the way Hidan said it sent shivers down the older man's spine. The priest lightly pressed his lips to Kakuzu's cheek, just above the stitching. Kakuzu inhaled sharply and pushed Hidan's head so that their lips met. The world seemed to fall away; sounds became echoed as if they were underwater. All that mattered was the heat, the taste of Hidan's mouth, coppery, sweet, a mixture of blood and something Kakuzu couldn't quite name. Kakuzu fisted Hidan's hair and felt the priest's hands tighten around his waist.

Hidan bit down hard on Kakuzu's tongue, and pushed him away, smirking and laughing playfully. He licked Kakuzu's blood as it dribbled down his tongue, and turned to face the demon. Kakuzu struggled to catch his breath, staring as Hidan approached Beza open handed. All he had on his side now was the gold pressed into his hand. There was no scythe, no rosary, and no blood curse that could help him. He wasn't a shinobi now. He wasn't even a priest. Just a man. And by his side? A walking corpse. They didn't have a chance in Hell.

"But maybe on Earth…we do," Kakuzu whispered aloud.

"This moment," Hidan began, "will go down in the books, fuck head. You may be all prettied up, but you're still just an ugly ass demon underneath all that…all that…" Hidan gestured to Beza, "all that fucking hair. Seriously, dude, what the fuck were you thinking?"

"You have quite a mouth, for such a…Holy man," Beza leered and stepped down from the statue's platform, walking lightly down the steps.

"Hidan, don't piss him off," Kakuzu growled. Hidan waved his hand, shooing Kakuzu away.

"I've wasted my entire life on a false god," Hidan whispered, raising his fist to his mouth.

Kakuzu wasn't sure what the gesture meant. The priest broke into a run, hands falling behind him, fingers splayed. His palms were open. The locket. Where did Hidan…?

"HIDAN!" Kakuzu screamed, chasing after the ex-priest.

His legs seemed to give out, however, as if telling him to stop, just let Hidan handle it. Kakuzu fell to his knees, feeling his ankles crack painfully. This was it. His shell was breaking away; his temporary body had worn out. Kakuzu could only watch as Beza laughed and waited for Hidan to come near him.

When the ex Jashinist was a few feet away, he skidded to a halt. Kakuzu thought maybe Hidan had lost his confidence, but realized that there was a soft, shimmering barrier around the demon. Beza laughed aloud again and formed a series of seals with the blurring speed of an Uchiha.

The barrier erupted into flames and Hidan was thrown backwards. Kakuzu somehow found the strength to stagger back onto his feet. He caught Hidan, but the force of the priest's body knocked the both of them into the cave walls. Kakuzu grunted in pain as his back collided with the sturdy rock, the force of their impact creating craters.

"H-Hidan…" Kakuzu groaned.

"I told you, I'll take care of it!" Hidan said, climbing back to his feet. He took a deep breath, his hands on his knees and his back to the demon. The priest's pink eyes gleamed. Kakuzu felt a jolt of fear and apprehension.

"Hidan, what are you planning?"

"Fuck, there's just not enough time," Hidan complained, staring at Kakuzu. The dead shinobi looked at himself. He was starting to fade, his skin cracking like mud drying in the sun.

"Don't worry about me. Just…do what you can. I'll try to help."

"Stay there, Kakuzu!" Hidan snarled, and while his back was still to Beza, Hidan bit down hard on the locket in his mouth.

"No, Hidan!" Kakuzu pleaded, trying to reach Hidan's face, to pull out the locket.

Hidan pushed Kakuzu's hands away and whirled on his heel, laughing, bold. Arrogant. Kakuzu tried to get up and his legs, now turning brittle, splintered, his ankles no longer able to hold his weight. Kakuzu slid back to the rubble.

"Come get me, fucker!" Hidan bawled, and ran at Beza again.

"You're a fool! Only a ninja could even stand a chance against me! And what are you? Just a failed priest of a false religion, without even a Holy book or vial of water to his name!"

"GO TO HELL!" Hidan roared, and this time, when he drew near to the barrier, he didn't get blasted off his feet. He ran right through it as if it was water and Beza stumbled, eyes widening.

Hidan bit down hard on his tongue, moved the locket so that he held it between his teeth, and, from Kakuzu's angle, it looked like Hidan kissed Beza, wrapping his arms tightly around the demon.

The unorthodox attack caught Beza off guard. He'd expected a fist, a sloppy kick, but surely not a…kiss?

Time stopped. Kakuzu felt his skin cracking, his heart stilled. His lungs deflated. The stitching holding his skin together grew brittle and slipped out of the punctures. Kakuzu was dying. He could only watch from afar as Hidan pushed the locket into Beza's mouth with his tongue.

Kakuzu felt his heart give a painful last pump. He at first thought it was jealousy he felt, seeing Hidan slip his tongue into Beza's mouth. But as he saw the glow between their lips, the widening of Beza's eyes, Kakuzu realized something. Hidan had done it. He'd killed Beza.

The locket hummed and vibrated, as it always did, but this time, it grew to such a pitch that it was deafening. Beza couldn't move. Hidan pulled away from the demon and Beza's mouth clamped shut. His cheeks quivered, his body stiff and twitching. Those elegant, fiery eyes bulged, bloodshot, shooting Hidan a look of utmost loathing Kakuzu could never hope to match.

Hidan staggered backwards as Beza's body began to ripple, expand. As the demon's newly made shape was distorted, bloating like a balloon, Hidan fell to his knees and vomited. He fell over on his side and didn't move.

"HIDAN!" Kakuzu screamed, clutching desperately at the wall for a stronghold. He pulled himself to his feet, and despite the brittle, weak legs, he limped forward. Kakuzu got halfway to his partner, and fell to the ground. Gritting his teeth, Kakuzu pulled himself along by his arms. They were also cracking, frail as sticks of charcoal, bits of his arms near the seams crumbling away like dust. But all that mattered was getting to Hidan.

"Please don't be dead…please," Kakuzu pleaded as he reached him.

Hidan pulled in a long, hissing breath and let it out slowly. It was a death rattle. Kakuzu knew the sound well. Kakuzu held onto the waistband of Hidan's pants and pulled himself up so that he was face to face with him.

"Hidan," Kakuzu whispered. Hidan opened his eyes and smiled. He threw an arm over Kakuzu's shoulders, toying with Kakuzu's dark hair.

"How did you…?" Kakuzu trailed off. Hidan chuckled softly.

"The locket…it told me not to be afraid…I listened…I think it was the voice of God, Kakuzu…"

-xXx-

The very ground shook as the last of the bijuu, Kyuubi, finally fell. Shino's bugs did their charm, drawing out enough chakra that the beast collapsed and faded out, returning to its rightful eye of the King of Hell statue.

However, as soon as the Kyuubi was sealed again in the statue, the stone figure came to life, rising up on sturdy stone legs. Neji activated his Byakugan. His pale eyes widened.

"Everyone, we have to get out of here now! It's concentrating all the chakra into its center! I think it's going to explode!"

"But what about Naruto! And those other two! Kakuzu and Hidan!" Sakura screamed.

"We don't have time, I'm sorry!" Neji screamed, grabbing Tenten's hand and running.

"Let's go!"

The others started to head for the exit but Sakura remained behind, glaring at the King of hell statue, fists tightly clenched. The statue made no attempt to fight; it simply stood there, a low, booming grumble echoing through the gathering dark.

"Sakura!" Gaara yelled running back to her.

"I can't leave him here!"

"I know…I'm sorry," Gaara said, and pulled Sakura away to safety.

"Narutooooooo!" she cried as the statue slammed down to the ground.

The force of the blow cracked its body. Gaara and Sakura made it to the surface just as the King of Hell statue exploded. The resulting earth quake shook the foundations of the ruined village of Hidden Rain. People screamed, afraid the Hachibi had returned.

-xXx-

Back underground, the cavern was falling in on itself, burying all traces of the battle that had ensued just moments ago.

Kakuzu and Hidan ignored the resounding boom and the bits of rubble and debris raining down on them. Nothing much mattered anymore. They were dying anyway.

"Ka…Kakuzu," Hidan whispered, pink eyes wide.

"Sh…don't talk," Kakuzu said, running the back of his hand lightly down the side of Hidan's pale face.

"Think we'll go to the same place?"

"What are you talking about?" Kakuzu asked, fear gripping his heart.

"You know what I'm talking about…"

"You can't go!"

Kakuzu's voice cracked and he felt something burn at the corners of his eyes. Hidan was panting now. He twisted Kakuzu's hair around his fingers and forced Kakuzu's head down so their foreheads touched.

"There was a drop left, Kakuzu. Just a drop…"

"No, if you die, I'll never see you again."

"Kakuzu! What…what the fuck?" Hidan gasped as something wet fell on his face. Kakuzu's tears dripped onto Hidan's cheeks. It made it look like he was crying too.

"Hidan…you can't die. Not now."

"Fuck you," Hidan whispered and ran his tongue across Kakuzu's teeth. Kakuzu kissed Hidan then, tasting his salty tears. Hidan moaned softly, the vibration from his throat making Kakuzu shudder. He heard his shoulders crack as he shifted. Kakuzu tried to pull away from Hidan to breathe, but Hidan forced his head back down, nipping and sucking at his mouth feverishly.

There was no time to come up for air. This moment was their last. Death was waiting for them to part. Just like before. In his mind, Kakuzu saw Hidan running in sync with Shikamaru; he saw the rage and fear in Hidan's eyes. He felt the loss. Felt his death.

It was happening again, only this time, he was going to die with Hidan in his arms. There was another shuddering crack, and dust and rocks showered down on the two, grasping at each other like hungry wolves, their mouths locked together.

The earth beneath them was quivering, crumbling away.

"The world is ending," Hidan moaned into Kakuzu's mouth.

"Then let it end," Kakuzu whispered, rolling on top of Hidan, wanting to protect him one last time.

Hidan clutched Kakuzu tightly.

"I'm afraid to die," Hidan whispered, his voice high, his eyes boring into Kakuzu's, searching for an answer. Or maybe it was comfort.

Kakuzu kissed Hidan again, lightly, and smiled. He saw his own tears shining on Hidan's cheeks and licked them away.

"Idiot."

Kakuzu kept his eyes locked with Hidan's, their lips melded together in an eternal kiss as the cavern collapsed on top of them.

-xXx-

Epilogue

"Naruto? NARUTOOOO!" Sakura screamed, hurling boulders ten times the size of her body out of her way, desperately trying to find her childhood friend.

Sakura dug through rubble and broken statues until her fingers bled. The kunoichi broke into sobs, crushing a rock in her fist. Gaara knelt down beside her and enclosed the pink haired kunoichi in his arms.

"Sakura," he murmured in her hair.

Sakura got to her feet, pushing Gaara away. She glared at the rest of the Konoha Nin, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"What are you all doing? Just standing there?! Naruto is trapped under all this rock, if we don't get him out soon, he's going to die!"

Tenten shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Neji.

"Sakura," the Hyuuga began slowly, "I searched the entire cavern. So did Shino. There's…there's no sign of life anywhere."

"YOU'RE WRONG!" Sakura screamed, dropping to her knees and clawing at the earth once more.

Gaara set his mouth in a thin line and pulled Sakura into his arms, forcing her arms to her sides. Sakura struggled in his grip.

"LET ME GO! GAARA! Let me…"

"I'm not going to let you hurt yourself," Gaara said.

Sakura slumped against the Suna Nin, her shoulders shuddering.

"I cared for him too," Gaara whispered as Sakura's tears stained his clothes.

-xXx-

Deidara watched the pink haired woman cry for her lost friend before flying back to Hidden Rain. He had to fulfill a request, after all.

"Don't let her die alone," Kakuzu had said, hand in hand with Hidan.

The blond angel found Konan amongst the ruin of her village, helping with the clean up. Shinobi from other villages were there as well. Gai was overly zealous, lifting large blocks of cement and wooden beams easily, flashing his smile at the kunoichi, who mostly laughed and rolled their eyes.

Konan bent to clear away broken shingles when Gai bounded over to her.

"Don't you lift a finger!" Gai yelled loudly, plucking the roofing out of her grasp. The sharp edge of the shingle cut the blue haired kunoichi's finger. When Gai caught sight of the blood he threw the shingles to the ground and grabbed her hand, bending on one knee.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! Can you ever forgive me?"

Konan blushed.

"Well, it's only a scratch, its okay…Oh!" Konan ended in a yelp as Gai picked her up and ran at top speed towards the hospital.

"Make way for the Amekage! Seriously injured kunoichi needs immediate attention!" the Konoha nin screamed at the top of his lungs.

Deidara burst into a fit of giggles from his perch atop a half crumbled tower.

'You spend too much time in the living world,' Sasori growled in Deidara's head.

'Get back here now. Pein is wondering how it went with Konan.'

"Un, be there in a minute, Danna!" Deidara answered, a big grin on his face.

"Bye, Konan, I'll check up on you soon, un," Deidara said, waving at the blue haired kunoichi.

Konan's eyes widened. Uh oh. She's seen him. Shit…

"Deidara?!"

"Oh no, all the blood loss has made her delusional!" Gai cried.

'The guys will love this,' Deidara thought happily as he took to the air.

-xXx-

A/N: There you have it. Flame me for Gai/Konan and die. I chose to use my own animal ideas for the bijuu, so please don't bother me about what you THINK they should be. This is fanfiction anyway. Also, expect a sequel in the future! :D Other than negative thoughts on Gai/Konan and the bijuu, I want to know what you thought, eh? :D