Part Eleven

Sasuke carefully closed the door of the bedroom behind him. Naruto would not ring the bell to his own house, so it had to be someone else. The hard floor was cold underneath his bare feet. He grabbed something to wear, but just when he'd been thinking where Naruto could be keeping his socks – and was it possible he'd have a clean, complete pair – the visitor impatiently rang again, longer, so he gave up. The heating system was left on during the night, anyway, so the house was warm enough.

From the other side of the outer door, Sasuke's father scanned him up and down before ordering, "Go get ready, I'll be waiting here. You're coming with me."

"Where?" Sasuke dared. The word barely tore out of his throat, but the will to ask was pepped up with some spite. Last time he saw his father, the man was raging at him for a picture that was not even Sasuke's responsibility.

"Just put on some socks and grab your jacket, Sasuke. I'm in a hurry."

Sasuke hesitated for a moment longer, looking at his father. There was no anger, no disappointment, no any signs at all that should be typical of a father on the mission to drag home a runaway son. All Sasuke could read on his face was some light worry and impatience.

But it was his father, after all, asking him to do something. There are some things you just do for some people, despite the confusion and insecurity. He stepped back, leaving the door slightly open behind him.

In a hurry, Sasuke tracked his dirty socks. They were discussing, but he would probably be going straight home, so it didn't matter much. When he was ready to go, his father had walked inside and was looking around.

"This place looks… cleaner than I expected." He commented. "Does anyone aside from Naruto live here?"

Sasuke thought about Naruto preparing food and washing dishes the previous day, with practiced ease. He didn't need anyone's help to function around the house.

He settled on a "No."

Fortunately, the spare key was hanging on the hook behind the door. Sasuke locked up as quickly as he could. He didn't want to go down and try to leave it where he knew Naruto was keeping them, so he put it in his pocket. He would give it back later.

When he finished, his father was already waiting in the car and he quickly got in. They drove in silence, but it became clear in just a couple of minutes they were not headed toward their house.

"Where are we going?"

"Social services institution."

The Home? But… "Why?"

"Your brother wants to talk to you. He wouldn't say what about."

Sasuke stared at his father's face that was carefully wiped out of all emotion. That meant nothing to him. It only invoked millions of questions. He didn't even know where to start, but some things it seemed, could take care of themselves.

"You talked to him?"

His father glanced sideways at him. "Social service and the police are closely related. I had to talk to him."

The balloon of hope lost all its air. But Sasuke didn't miss the importance of the statement because of it. His father was talking to Itachi as a cop. That meant that something had happened at the Home, something serious enough to involve the police.

"What happened?"

There was no response for a long moment. That, more than anything else could, assured Sasuke whatever it was, it had something – something that wasn't good – to do with Naruto. He managed to inhale the extra oxygen just before he got the answer.

"There was a fight last night – early this morning. A protégé of the institution attacked one of the social workers. They are both in the hospital right now…"

"If Naruto is in the hospital, I want to go there." Sasuke said. Hell, he interrupted his father rudely why the man was providing information he asked for and he did not even care.

"As I said, Itachi wants to talk to you. I'll take you to the hospital later, but Naruto is fine. He only has a few bruises and a mild concussion. The social worker is the one with a head trauma of unknown severity. He is very confused and barely aware."

"It's that Kabuto guy, isn't it?" Sasuke asked. He was telling himself that his father wouldn't lie about Naruto being okay. A couple of bruises and a concussion sounded like nothing next to 'trauma of unknown severity' and he was certain he did worse than that to Naruto at one point in their second year.

"What do you know about that?"

Against the odds, Sasuke's nerves smoothened out a notch at the sharp tone and the professional-sounding question.

"Just what Naruto told me" He answered. "That guy was abusing some younger kids. Itachi knows about it."

"Itachi knows someone was hurting the kids, but he doesn't know who. Not for sure. And the children in question are refusing to talk about it." His father answered in a reasonable tone that made Sasuke grit his teeth. He knew what was coming. He just knew it. "For all we know, it might have been Naruto himself. We will be keeping him under arrest until Mr. Yakushi is well enough to tell us his version of the story and we collect the sufficient evidence. Or until children decide to tell the truth."

Sasuke stopped himself before his mouth managed to run off and demand to know if his father actually believed what he was saying. He tried looking at things from a different point of view. If no one was talking and there were no proofs, all they had was Naruto's word that Kabuto was the guy. That might be worth something to people who knew Naruto, but it meant nothing to the police.

Though with Kabuto conveniently 'confused and unwell', at least they could pressure children with a bit of more efficiency.

Neither said another word until they parked in front of the Home. Sasuke could see a police officer in uniform just within glass doors. Nothing else suggested things at the Home were out of order.

Still in silence, they went in. Two more officers were on the second floor, one talking to a couple of residents and Itachi's coworker, Kurenai. The second was just inside one of the offices down the hall – presumably Kabuto's. Sasuke halted to take a better look around the cop inside, but his father placed a firm hand on his back and pushed him into Itachi's workplace. All he'd able to see was a knocked over chair in the middle of the floor.

"Is there really a need for these many officers?

"No." It was the stiff, muttered answer. "But we're dealing with children here. It's better if we look busy."

Sasuke had the chance to glance up at his father's stony face just for a second, surprised with that easily given answer about the inner business politics of the police, before Itachi broke in.

"I'm done. This is the list."

What was the list of Sasuke would want to know on any other day. But Naruto was in the hospital and Itachi and their father were in the same room for the first time- that he knew of – in a very long time. It was not the time for it.

"Thank you."

"Is there anything else I can do?" Itachi asked, ignoring completely the tone of finality in the expression of gratitude. To be able to do that seemed like a really neat skill to have – anyone else would have succumbed to it.

"Nothing I can think of right now." Their father answered. "But we will stay in touch."

It was almost worth an eye roll. Even though Sasuke had no doubt that his father wanted Itachi back into the family, he was still… Very stupid.

Itachi nodded and turn to Sasuke. "I'm going to the hospital now. Do you want to come?"

Of course, Sasuke wanted to say. Naruto was there, hurt and most likely alone. But chances like this one were so rare. And his father said Naruto was okay. So instead, Sasuke grumbled, "If your girlfriend is not coming along, yeah."

It was low, and childish and below him. It didn't even make sense, because Itachi's girlfriend was nowhere to be seen and not mentioned in any way. But he said 'your girlfriend' to Itachi where his father could hear it. And if you ignore the quick glance Itachi flashed at him that expressed nothing but felt like a winter on Baltic Sea, it was very rewarding.

Itachi's eyes lingered longer on their father's face. Sasuke looked too, amazed with the amount of emotions playing out on it. There was confusion there and some bitterness and even a bit of spite. But the relief on the man's eyes as he looked from Itachi to Sasuke and back again was most obvious and huge. And it hurt very much to see that, because they had hurt him, to the core and for everything that the man was, without ever meaning to do it.

After a moment, he cleared his throat. "I'm sure your mother would love to meet her."

Itachi said nothing. Sasuke resisted the urge to yell at him and waited. Their father made an odd sound in his throat, like he was clearing it again, "Or whoever else you might want to date in future. Just come home. She misses you."

Sasuke exhaled even before he saw Itachi's shoulders relax. Your mother misses you was good enough. It was as good as saying I miss you, I want you home. And now Itachi couldn't find any excuses to say no. Now Itachi wouldn't be looking for them.

There was a stray strand of hair that fell out and rested on Itachi's cheek. He moved it and turned to take his coat of the hook. Despite of the tension that was still cracking in the air, he managed to sound offhand and normal, "This Sunday?"

"I'll tell her."

Then Itachi opened the door and nodded for Sasuke to walk out first. "We'll just gather a few things from Naruto's room. A toothbrush and a pair of pajamas – his doctor told me they will keep him for a day for observation."

As they always did in case of a concussion. There was nothing to worry about. Sasuke's wish to make sure for himself didn't go away just because things in his family were looking up, so he hurried up the stairs first.

The cop who was lingering just outside of the door – maybe it was what he was supposed to do or maybe curiosity got better of him, it didn't really matter – followed them up.

Naruto's room wasn't empty. His roommate, the kid that fell asleep on Sasuke's shoulder once, was sitting there, on the lower bunk bed. He looked tired and his eyes were red from crying. He snapped his head up as if he was expecting someone to take him out to be hanged, with guilt and fear. Sasuke had an almost unpleasant feeling curl in his stomach; a hunch, an idea… And it was closely followed with excitement.

He nodded seriously to Inari. "We need to pack some things for Naruto. Help me."

Obediently, the kid slid off the bed. He took a backpack out of the cupboard. Sasuke stopped him. "That won't do. We need something bigger. Do you have a suitcase of some sort?"

"Yeah, but – they told me he's going to get out of the hospital in the morning. Why...?"

"The things are for when they take him out of the hospital to jail." At the door, where Itachi and the cop were standing, there was some light commotion. Sasuke decided that it was his brother, making sure the cop won't get in the way. He also carefully noted that he wanted to interfere, which hopefully meant that Naruto wasn't really going to jail – at least not for long. The kid, with a bit of luck, missed it. "I'm not sure what he would like to have with him, so think hard. We have to pack underwear and toiletries, of course, but how about his personal things? Photographs? Books…" Yeah, right. "Or magazines?"

"But…" Inari started again, eyes widening in fear. Sasuke interrupted. He needed him scared, so thinking time was better not left possible.

"There's no time, I'm in a hurry. Get on with it."

This time, Inari burst into movement. He took out a bag of what were likely to be Naruto's cosmetics and added some things from another bag into it. It went into a ratty but strong and large sport bag. Inari took out some cloths and carefully stared picking what to pack. Sasuke was impatient, he wanted to go to the hospital. But it was quite obvious from the fear and guilt in this kid that he knew more than he let on. There was no way he didn't care about what happened to Naruto, so it was a matter of scaring him enough. It was more likely he would talk then.

Inari turned to glance at Sasuke. It was a calculating, sharp gaze and he almost swore in disappointment. Soon, though, it turned out that the kid was assessing him for another purpose. He picked on of the books from heap of garbage on Naruto's desk. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I doubt he'd want his schoolbooks with him." The truth was, if Inari packed it without looking back at him, he would have not even noticed. It was a Biology textbook, better kept than Sasuke would expect.

"He'd want this one." Inari muttered, not looking at him. Sasuke extended his hand and waited. After a glare and a sigh, Inari gave in and let him have it. Of what relevance a textbook could have to the case, Sasuke had no idea. He flipped though it, wondering what he should be looking for. Not that it mattered, the police would be checking…

Oh, Sasuke thought when the book opened somewhere in the middle on its own and revealed a photograph stashed there. It was obviously taken on the field trip that fall, even though Sasuke couldn't remember it. But it was likely Kiba who took it, for it was a snapshot of Naruto and Sasuke, talking to each other in the hotel room. It was too dark and the expressions on their faces were barely visible, but Sasuke put it in his pocket anyway.

It wasn't relevant to the case, the kid was just afraid of exposing Naruto's privacy to Sasuke. Which was cute, but not enough to get him off the hook.

"Hurry. And be careful what you put in there, because cops will search though it."

In the meantime, Inari recovered enough to ask, "But why is he going to jail? He didn't do anything."

"I'm sure he didn't. Until they find enough evidence of that, it's not very likely he will get out, though. Abuse of children is a serious charge."

The color drained from Inari's face in less than two seconds. "What? But he was fighting, that's why he's going and not… He didn't do anything!"

There was desperation in his tone. Sasuke thought it would be enough. He just wished he could know for sure if it was the truth or not himself. He shrugged, allowing some of the worry to ooze out.

"It's his word against Kabuto's – and Kabuto is not well and won't be for quite some time. Until there are evidence or someone to confirm one story or the other, Naruto will be in more trouble because he has less authority. I know he didn't do anything," Sasuke added when he noticed the desperate kind of glare Inari was giving him. He didn't think it was about his loyalty, but it was a good excuse for the next part. "And I told him it was none of his business, that he will just get into trouble if he keeps trying to help everyone around here. Apparently, I was right. No one is even grateful to him for his worry and efforts, not enough to help him. Now finish that, I really want to go to the hospital and make sure he is okay."

The last bit sort of escaped from him in the stream of words. However, it did not matter; and Inari sobbed dryly. Sasuke narrows his eyes, noticing for the first time that the kid was shaking rather violently. Before he could say anything, Inari pushed through and was out of the door.

Hoping he went to tell someone something important instead of to cry in the bathroom, Sasuke picked up the bag as it was and turned to leave.

"I'll go see what he's up to." The cop announced. Part of Sasuke wanted to go as well, but he had all delay as he could take already. He caught Itachi's eye and they left the building as quickly as possible, with Sasuke leading the way through the hallways and down the stairs.

But at least, some progress was made that day.

"I need you to stay with him." Itachi said when they were in the car.

"Why?"

"Stay with him until he is released. Kabuto is on the same floor. I don't want any further scandals."

If Naruto knew about the stream of investigation and felt well enough to be outraged, he might as well need a guard. Kabuto's wellbeing was not a matter of concern to Sasuke, but if Naruto really did end up arrested, he would most likely lose sponsorship.

"You said he was kept for observation until morning. There's no way they would let me stay."

"I'll take care of it." Itachi promised. "Just make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Easier said than done, certainly, but Sasuke was willing to try.

When they arrived to the hospital, Itachi lead him straight to Naruto's room. There were four beds on each side of the door, pushed against the walls to make aisle between. Strong smell of oranges tickled Sasuke's nose, reminding him that he should have brought Naruto something, but he couldn't determine the source of it with just a few short glances over the room.

Only three beds were taken. Naruto, all the way in the opposite corner, was staring though the window that was too high to see anything but sky when they walked in. The set of his jaw gave away his mental condition he was angry and scared.

"Are you feeling any better?" Itachi asked him.

"Great." Naruto muttered. The blue hospital pajama was too big on him, collar around his neck so wide Naruto's shoulder was bared. With his back against the low headrest and arms crossed, he looked very young. And very hurt. Itachi's urge to protect him from further harm made much more sense now.

"And your head?" Naruto glanced back at Itachi, annoyed 'that's what I was talking about' clear on his face. When he caught the sight of Sasuke, he offered a half-hearted smile, not surprised at least. Itachi must have told him that he would bring Sasuke with him.

"I'm fine." Naruto answered, a bit more unguarded. "Better go check if that creep is okay."

"Are you worried?"

Naruto opened his mouth, affronted as if the question was insulting, "As if! He's just acting!"

"I'm sure he will be fine soon. You just get rest and stay in bed." Itachi instructed. He offered a single nod and left the room.

Sasuke looked around again. Both Naruto's roommates were pretending as hard as possible that they weren't listening, in that manner hospital rooms usually abided to. Naruto moved his legs as he approached the bed, to make room for him, so Sasuke sat.

"I'm not worried." Naruto told him. He sounded worried. "I just don't want to go to jail. Besides, he's just acting."

"You have a really ugly bruise on your face." Sasuke told him. At the moment, he couldn't care less about Kabuto.

Naruto almost touched his cheek with his fingers, where an oddly shaped, angular bruise was still fresh and reddish, but he changed his mind at the last moment. It could not have possibly been made by a hand, or a fist. Sasuke tilted Naruto's head to the side with his right hand. Blond hair moved to show a couple of more bruises, higher up and slightly swollen.

Naruto moved forward, not quite close enough for their contact to appear indecent. He reached up, intent on clasping Sasuke's hand but he changed his mind again and instead grabbed Sasuke's sleeve to pull his hand off.

"I told you I'll help you." Sasuke said quietly as Naruto's fingers entangled more firmly into the ham of his sleeve. "What did you do?"

Naruto clasped his jaw tight again, hurt. It was an unfortunate choice of words. Sasuke caught his hand before Naruto was able to retreat it completely. So what if they were practically holding hands? Other patients were pretending to be asleep, anyway.

"What happened?" Sasuke insisted, finding the coldness of the hand in his unnerving.

"Inari wasn't in the room when I got back," Naruto said. He frowned and shook his head a little. The movement might have made him dizzy, as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Where was he?" Sasuke prompted, guessing that Naruto found him with Kabuto.

"Kabuto's office. They were just talking, but it was really weird." Naruto opened his eyes again, confused and tired. "I couldn't stay out there and just listen, you know. It sounded like – I don't know. And Inari was kneeling on some beans or something, Kabuto was at his desk. I didn't even manage to see anything."

"He was kneeling on some beans?"

"Itachi said it's an old form of punishment. Not cruel enough to be illegal, but not pleasant at all."

Naruto fell quiet again. Was he hesitating because he was tired or because he didn't know how to explain Sasuke couldn't tell, but he pressed again, anyway. "What were they saying? Before you came in?"

"It sounded like – like Kabuto was trying to talk Inari into holding on through his punishment so he wouldn't have to be punished in another way." Naruto lifted his hand – the one that wasn't still warm in Sasuke's – as if to touch his cheek again. "It doesn't sound so bad, I know, but – I'm pretty sure the other way of punishment was being whipped with this belt-like thing he had."

Which was what Naruto was hit over his cheek with, apparently.

One of the other two patients coughed and turned in his bed. Automatically, Sasuke glanced to that direction. Underneath his, Naruto twisted his hand, entangled their fingers and squeezed tightly. His fingers were still cold, but the palm was warmer than it usually was. Sasuke squeezed back, wondering idly what kind of reassurance he just gave as Naruto smiled at him.

"Sorry." Naruto breathed.

"It's fine." Apology wasn't clearing up what was in Naruto's head, but as long as he wasn't trying to let go or stop talking, it was fine. "Who was the first to attack?"

"He was." Naruto said. "I don't know. I think it was him – I was trying to see what he's holding, the belt thing, and he hit me with it. But he might have been thinking I was attacking him, so…"

"That doesn't make it better. Were you unarmed?"

"Yeah – like I'd need…"

"And the kid was there, that's good." Sasuke interrupted. In this situation, Naruto's upper hand had better stayed unmentioned. "It's even better that you were the one who pointed out to the authorities – to Itachi – that there was something going on…"

"I told Kurenai, too." Naruto made a face. "She was the first one to ask questions, but no one would talk. I don't know why, but it means nothing Inari was there. He won't say a thing. No one will. I don't understand it…" He trailed off. "If it was me, I'd grab that thing and threw it out of the window, you know. It was right there, next to him, Inari could have just reached for it, take it and run to someone."

It was right there, next to him…

"It sounds like it was meant for him to use it."

"What?"

"For Inari." Sasuke clarified. "If it was within his reach, during a punishment section, then it could have been meant for him to use it, not Kabuto."

"On what? Who?"

"Himself."

Naruto blinked, his expression completely blank. It was like he could not grasp the idea of self harm under any circumstances.

"To use it on himself?" Naruto said. "You can't be serious – you would not say that if you saw those bruises on them…."

"What?" Sasuke asked when Naruto stopped talking.

"No, it's just… That would explain why they're insisting that Kabuto didn't do anything, right? If he just told them to do it and they actually did it themselves…"

"It doesn't make him any less of a sick children molester."

Naruto shook his head, ignoring him. "But that makes no sense. Why would they do that? Maybe there are all very young, but why would children hit themselves just because some stranger said so and never say a word about it?"

He didn't understand, hopefully he never would, what some people were capable of doing to themselves in order to please someone else. Naruto, one of many with sad history and shady future, was strong enough not to know.

Sasuke wasn't.

For a bunch of unwanted children, all it would take was to make them feel loved.

"How long was Kabuto working with children?" Naruto shrugged, still looking (disgusted?) and shocked. That meant that Kabuto worked for longer than he was there, which was… at least four years. "And how was he like with them?"

"Horrible." Naruto snorted. "Strict, sometimes even harsh."

"The harsher he was, the harder it must have been to please him. And if they were promised affection in return…" How far would those kids go for love?

"He didn't love them! He was horrible to them!"

"Yeah, I bet he was. Where everyone could see. But he had them for years. If he showed them glimpses of how kind he could be if they pleased him and promised more…" He could see it. It might not have been true, Sasuke had no way of knowing right then, but he could see it happening.

"Maybe he told them that if they don't hit themselves, he would hit them much harder. So they had to choose less from two evils." Naruto persisted. He might have been right, but that explanation did not cover the part as to why they were so utterly silent about it. "They were afraid, that's it. I can't see anything else that would make them hit themselves."

Naruto was upset. He really couldn't see it, he never would. Inappropriate as it was, Sasuke smiled. Bruised and angry, as good as arrested and in the hospital bed, yet, he still appeared brighter, stronger than ever before. Was it that strength what was making him so fascinating?

A part of his brain took into consideration and dismissed as unimportant the other two patients as Sasuke leaned quickly but carefully in and kissed Naruto. There was no response for a moment, Naruto seemed stunned. That lasted just a moment, though, before he kissed back. The taste of it was sharp and sour; since Naruto's lips were rough and dry underneath his. Itachi, or anyone, really, could have walked in, too. But all of that meant little as Naruto sunk deeper into the pillow and relaxed some. Sasuke broke the kiss with a small sound that was probably laugh. Probably.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, his blue eyes intent and searching Sasuke's face.

"Yes." Sasuke said. It was unconvincing at the least, with his voice shaky. But it wasn't as if he knew why he was feeling so unsteady, so it didn't matter.

"Right." Naruto suspiciously drawled, a bit uncomfortable and very perplexed. "Well, I'm sleepy. Do you want to lie next to me?"

He moved the cover and gestured to the free space on his left, obviously not planning to ask any more questions. Sasuke wordlessly knocked his shoes off. Before he managed to get in, the door opened. Itachi had returned.

Naruto straightened up. He waited expectantly for Itachi to come closer to the bed and inform them of what he had found out, but the small touch of concern that was there earlier when he asked about Kabuto was gone.

"He's still the same." Itachi said. But I think I have some good news. Father just called me, he has three children insisting to talk to him about what Kabuto and what happened as soon as possible. I have to go back. Will you two be alright?"

"What kids?" Naruto demanded. "Don't force them! What if Kabuto has someone to hurt them instead of him? It's dangerous!"

"They asked for it themselves, no one is forcing them." Itachi repeated patiently. He glanced shortly at Sasuke, offering a small smile, as if to tell him that his conversation with Inari worked – or so Sasuke hoped. It disappeared quickly, but Naruto caught it and frowned on the two of them. "The police will be around for awhile, no one will get near them. Stop worrying and get some rest, I'll tell you what they said as soon as I can, someone from social service has to be there during questioning of its protégées."

When Itachi left, Naruto settled back on the pillow. He was still worried and anxious, but the tiredness was creeping back to this face. He yawned. Sasuke followed him quickly, getting under the cover into the left, empty part of the narrow hospital bed. "They are talking again. I told father Itachi has a girlfriend."

Naruto gave him a bemused 'you really think I'm so easy to distract' look. Then he gave in and grinned. "You didn't have to bother. Itachi would have found a way to tell them himself soon enough."

"No, he wouldn't."

"Don't be stupid." Naruto said through another yawn. "It's one thing to pick between good relationship with you father and his pride. This is completely different. Now he has to choose between his pride and making you enter the same stupid circle yourself. Of course he would have told them, I bet it was a relief when you took care of it for him."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Sasuke snapped. He tried to, anyway, but his throat was not functioning properly. Naruto was suggesting that Sasuke was more important to Itachi than anyone and anything else, which was a little overwhelming.

Naruto moved to lay on his side, to face Sasuke and closed his eyes, undisturbed. Under the cover, he let his arm fall over Sasuke's stomach and murmured, "Mhhm. I wouldn't be surprised if he planned this entire thing from the start, many years ago, for the moment you decided to get out of the closet. To – you know, to make sure your parents knew exactly how it is to lose a son and not pull off anything stupid with you."

It was, of course, mumbling of a half asleep idealist who was probably on some medication, so Sasuke was not about to continue conversation. Itachi did not plan anything, he was not pretending to be gay for five years and did not go through hell of fighting with his family and being alone just so Sasuke would not have too many problems one day. If that in itself wasn't unreasonable and senseless, there was also no way for him to know Sasuke would find himself in a situation like that one day.

It was stupid to even think about it, so Sasuke shook it off. There was one thing left he wanted to say, before Naruto fell asleep. He called, "Naruto?"

"Hmmm?"

"You should come to our house this Sunday. Around lunch time."

Naruto opened one eye to look at him. Maybe he was too sleepy to ask questions, or maybe Sasuke's face held all the answers he needed, but he agreed, "…Okay."

For a couple of minutes after, Sasuke continued to watch sleep take over his bedmate. He could still smell oranges in the air and feel slight sourness from kissing Naruto earlier. The silence in the room was of that pleasant, imperfect kind – lulling sounds were coming outside, from other beds and from Naruto, who was snoring softly.

With Naruto's now hot hand still resting on his stomach, Sasuke soon started drifting off himself, wondering drowsily how would other patients in the room take it Naruto was to have a wet dream like that one on the first night of their field trip that fall.

Not that he would let them hear all that much of it.

end

n.

And with that, I said all I wanted to. Before anyone asks what happens with Kabuto, I'd like to remind you that this story was never about that, not when it was a couple of randomly posted oneshots set in the same universe and not when I started 'developing' the story. However, he is in the hospital, guarded by the police and the children are talking, so he is likely to pay for being… what he is in this story.

Or maybe I'm letting him escape so, once educated for it, Naruto can catch him. But it's not likely.

Either way, I hope you enjoyed the story – chaotic and messy as it is. Thank you all for the lovely comments and encouragement. 3

And thanks to Aerae for proof-reading his last chapter.