Chapter 53: Waiting
"There are a thousand things to be done here and thousands more to be done in all the places that are somewhere else. But there are only two of us, and we can only do so much. So, for now, we wait." - Kinsey Rachelle

"SASUKE IS ON THE RUN."

"And Hinata-hime, too."

Zetsu's black and white halves stood divided, flanking Madara on both sides. The masked man nodded thoughtfully. "It seems I was wrong about Sasuke. He is still capable of being tamed."

"Should we pursue them?"

"Let them run. We can find them in the future, if we like. For now we proceed without him. The world is on the brink of war, with or without Sasuke. Besides," he turned slowly, lifting his head towards the sky, "we have another visitor to deal with." The two men faced off, the newcomer peering out from under his raised hood. "I'm impressed someone like you was able to find me all the way out here."

"Impressed? I'm hurt. You should recall I've lived most of my life as a spy. I even worked for Akatsuki for a time. You would be remiss to underestimate what knowledge I'm privy to."

"To what do we owe this intrusion?"

"I felt it was appropriate to come greet you, Tobi, times being what they are. Though I suppose you go by Madara these days."

"Worked for? Hah!" Madara barked. "You were a traitor to our ranks!"

In the blink of an eye he was in the air, leaping toward the gray-scaled man. But his opponent was just as quick. The two landed within feet of each other, but a wall of wooden boxes rose from the ground, creating a blockade that prevented Madara's advance. The box faces fell open, all five crashing to the ground.

It took a moment for the dirt to settle, but once it did the sight took even Madara off his guard. "No… No. This can't be."

Before him, grotesquely posed like puppets in each of their respective coffins, stood five of his fallen members. Each body looked perfectly preserved. Their heads drooped and their arms hung limp at their sides, but Madara could see they were no replicas.

"Impure World Resurrection…, " the masked man all but whispered.

"EDO TENSEI."

Zetsu's white half laughed. "These guys have seen better days, am I right? I mean, they were already all pretty ugly to start, especially Kakuzu. But man." He laughed again.

"How did you manage it?" Of all the people Madara imagined being able to wield such power, Yakushi Kabuto was not one of them. Still, there was no denying the scene that lay before him.

"It's true that there have only been two men in history capable of utilizing this particular technique: the Second Hokage and Orochimaru-sama. Borrowing Orochimaru's DNA after his passing was the gateway for me to be able to use it, as well, making me the third. I, unlike my predecessors, have tweaked the jutsu to my liking, surpassing both of them in its utilization. These five are just an appetizer, a little show just for you. Perhaps now you will no longer doubt my power?"

Madara tensed. The silver-haired man had always been suspect, but since merging with Orochimaru's powers he'd grown colder, taking on some of the more reptilian aspects of his previous teacher. A white snake even hovered near his shoulder, its body disappearing under the hem of his cloak.

Kabuto smiled. "Calm down. I'm not here to fight."

Madara didn't release his guard. "Then why are you here? Why bring them here if not to use them against me?"

His opponent opened his arms wide, a gesture of good will. "To join forces, of course." He dared to step closer, rounding the wall of coffins. "Your war is starting very soon. Nagato, Kakuzu, Deidara, Sasori, Itachi… They're quite the powerful lineup, wouldn't you agree? They'd make a significant addition to your ranks, and they're not even my full set of pawns."

"IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THEIR POWER BACK ON OUR SIDE."

"And the look on those Leaf ninjas' faces when they see all these guys raised from the dead?" White Zetsu mused. "Heh. I'd pay good money to see that."

"Speaking of payment, what do you want in return? Surely such a rare and powerful offering isn't simply a gift." Madara remained skeptical of the man's offer, guessing at his price before he even named it.

"What I want in return is a small price to pay in exchange for these five: Uchiha Sasuke."

Madara suspected as much. Still… "What are you trying to accomplish here?"

"My goals have always been purely scientific. I simply seek the truth about ninjutsu, you see. I wish to push it to its limitations. I suppose I could utilize my minions here, but they're not quite as ripe, you see. Take Itachi, for example. His eyes work, but they aren't the originals. I suppose those are in your possession?" Madara answered with silence. "Regardless, my pawns are useful, but not in the same way. So, what better way to answer some of my most pressing questions than with the help of a young, fragile, living Uchiha?"

"I see your point. Unfortunately, even if I was willing to agree to your terms, Sasuke isn't mine to give up. I was unable to hold his loyalty. It lies elsewhere, now."

Kabuto tsked. "Such a shame. You see…" He clapped his hands together, a sixth coffin rising from the ground. The face fell open with a defining crack as the lid hit the ground.

Madara's exposed eye grew wide. He stumbled back away from the box. Few things truly surprised him anymore, but this… "How?" he growled. "How?"

"That's…" Behind him, the black and white halves of Zetsu shared a look. The black half nodded.

Kabuto shrugged. "I told you, I've surpassed those who came before me. I have ways. You need not worry, for now at least. I haven't told a soul."

Madara couldn't help but laugh, then. "Such a show. I must commend you, Kabuto. I never imagined you, of all people, had such potential. But you've proven me wrong, setting all of this up just to meet with me. You are a shrewd man, indeed. I see now that any conflict with you would only work against me. I cannot have that with the war on the horizon."

"So, you accept my offer?"

"As I said before, I've lost Sasuke's loyalty. He is no longer under my ranks."

"I bet he's under Hinata-hime's ranks, though, right?" The white side of Zetsu raised his eyebrows. His other half reached out and smacked a hand across the twisted side of his face. "Ouch! What did you do that for? I was just trying to lighten the mood."

Madara fornhisboarr ignored their banter, but Kabuto tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. A slimy smirk lifted the corners of his mouth. "So, you've lost him to his precious Hyuuga, huh? How interesting. I heard she was dead. What fun that would've been, don't you agree? I was kind of hoping to add her to my collection."

"It was believed she died in the attack Pain raged against Konoha, that's true. Unfortunately for all of us, the rumor of her death was just that - a rumor. She is very much alive and very much in possession of Sasuke's devotion."

The coffin lids snapped closed. Kabuto's hood hid his face. "Then I see you have nothing to offer me, after all."

"Not so fast, Yakushi. I have a counter-proposal."

The hooded-man stopped. "I'm listening."

"Sasuke is still fragile, as you said yourself. His mental state is in question. He almost killed even Hinata in his blind frenzy against Danzo, but it seems she's grown stronger since leaving us."

"Her eyes are different, too," White Zetsu reported.

Kabuto's smirk dropped. "Her eyes?"

"Yes," Madara took over. "Zetsu here reports that not only has whatever havoc you wreaked on her sight completely reversed, but the color of her eyes has changed as well. She sports an icier hue these days. Seems her Byakugan has gone through an evolution of its own."

That piqued Kabuto's interest. He lifted his head, his glasses flashing in the fading afternoon light. "I see."

"They are neither one in my possession now, but would you be willing to accept Sasuke and Hinata as payment for your manpower? After the war, of course. I think Sasuke, if we play our cards right, still might be of use to us in the upcoming battle. Still, I think a fragile, living Uchiha, as you put it, and a particularly special Hyuuga should be more than fair enough."

"You'll have to capture them," Kabuto conceded. "It'll be tough, if what you say is true. Then again, if you can resurrect the Jyubi, catching two love-struck teenagers should be a piece of cake in comparison."

Madara tried to hold his surprise, but Kabuto noticed the man's irritation. "Yes, I know what you're up to. Orochimaru was thorough in his research. You must think you're quite powerful, no? Still, I trust you'll do your best to uphold your end of our bargain, knowing now what you do. I could cause quite a stir. Really put a kink in your plans, if I wanted to. But you wouldn't seek to trick me for your benefit, not with the power I hold, would you?" His slimy smirk returned then. Madara didn't answer. "I didn't think so. You're far too smart and reasonable for that kind of treachery. Now," the wooden coffins receded back into the ground at their feet, leaving the plateau free again, "shall we get started?"

"Is this everyone?"

"I think so."

"Where's Hinata?"

Naruto waved off Neji's question. "Not here. Where's Kiba?"

Shino shifted uncomfortably. "I'm afraid he's not coming."

"Oh, then I guess that's -"

"Like hell I'm not showing up for this shit show," Kiba interrupted, dropping down into the middle of the group. Ino and Lee shuffled sideways to make room for him.

"Good of you to join us," Naruto acknowledged, trying to sound civil. Kiba had been surly the entire return trip. He'd tried talking to him several times, only to be answered with expletives and a path of broken branches. The two hadn't spoken since reaching Konoha. Maybe, if he was here, it meant he was ready to be more cooperative. "Now we can get started."

"Whatever," the boy snarled.

"Where's Hinata?" Neji asked again. "Didn't she go with you to confront the Raikage, Naruto?"

"Yeah, Naruto. Where is Hinata? Why don't you share with the group?"

"Kiba," his teammate tried to calm him.

"No, Shino. Let's let Naruto take this one. This should be good."

Neji straightened, suddenly anxious. "What's he talking about? Kiba if you know something..."

Naruto and Sakura exchanged worried glances. "Hinata stayed behind."

"Stayed behind where?"

"Not where, with who," the dog boy interjected.

"Kiba…" Naruto warned.

"Boys, seriously!" TenTen shouted. "Would you all shut up and get to the point already? What happened out there? Where's Hinata?"

"If Kiba could've been quiet for just a few minutes, you would already know. I meant to tell you the whole story, but since I can't seem to get a word in without this baka interrupting me, I guess I'll start with the ending. Hinata is with Sasuke."

A collective murmur rippled through the half of the group that didn't already know. Neji's fists clenched. "You let him take her? Again? How could you be so stupid!"

"If you would all calm down for just a moment and let me explain the whole -"

"Calm down? Hinata just escaped that traitor's grasp. Months of trauma. Now he's got her again, and you want me to calm down?"

"Neji, stop. If you would just let us talk -"

"And you," he raged, turning on Sakura. "You're just as bad. First letting her jump into that terrible fight after this baka, and now letting Sasuke get away with her, too?" The pink-haired kunoichi recoiled.

"Calm down." TenTen pulled on her teammate's shoulder, trying to back him away from the rising tension. "Maybe we should hear them out."

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for all this, right Naruto?" Lee added.

Neji looked between his two teammates, relaxing just a little. He shook TenTen's hand from his shoulder. "Fine. But it better be good."

Kiba chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Oh, it is good. Trust me."

Naruto whirled on him then, his own fists clenched in frustration. "If you know so much, why don't you tell it, then? Seems you can't keep your mouth shut, anyway."

"Fine! You wanna know why Hinata stayed behind with Sasuke? Because she chose to. He didn't take her, she went willingly. Because she didn't endure months of trauma as his prisoner. She ran away and holed up with Orochimaru and that sleaze Sasuke and then she came back here and lied to all of us about it. She's just as bad as he is."

"Kiba, you don't mean that." Shino's quiet voice was pleading. Even Akamaru whimpered.

"I do! And I don't understand how all of you," he gestured wildly to the circle at large, "can stand around and pretend like it isn't true. Hinata betrayed us, and you want to go on protecting her and Sasuke both."

"They're our comrades, Kiba! What would you have us do?"

He rounded on Sakura then. "When we left here, we were prepared to kill Sasuke. I'm still prepared to make that choice."

"And are you prepared to kill Hinata, too?" Naruto asked, finally getting the boy to falter. "I understand what it's like to be betrayed by a teammate, Kiba. No one blames you for being hurt, but killing them isn't the answer. You need to think this through."

"I have thought it through. I said Hinata should come home with us and leave Sasuke to whatever sinkhole wants to swallow him up, but you all let her go with him."

"We didn't just let her go, Kiba. She made a choice and we decided to honor that. You saw the way they were out there."

"If by that you mean I saw my best friend holding hands with that traitor even though he tried to attack us? Then yeah, I saw the way they were."

"Wait, what?" Neji tried to interject, but Kiba's voice pummeled over him.

"Just because Hinata was able to convince him not to kill us this time doesn't mean she'll be successful if it happens again, no matter what she or you guys believe."

"Would somebody please tell me what is going on?" Neji yelled, trying to be heard over the commotion.

"What's going on is that your cousin is a traitor who cares about being with her precious Sasuke now more than she cares about any of us."

"That's not true," Shino tried.

"Isn't it? You're going to try and tell me you have another explanation for why she isn't here with us right now?"

"Kiba, you aren't looking at the whole story," Sakura pleaded.

"Oh yeah? What am I forgetting, then?"

"You're forgetting that Hinata isn't just your friend, she's a shinobi."

Every head in the circle turned towards the new voice. Perched atop a nearby wall sat Kakashi, watching the group argue amongst themselves. The man dropped down into the tense huddle. "If you wouldn't mind letting me explain a few things?" The children were too embarrassed by their behavior to argue. Even Kiba seemed subdued by the man's presence. "I'll take that as a yes. But first, I'd like to ask: Who here trusts Hinata to make choices for herself?"

Naruto and Sakura's hands lifted into the air first. They looked around at their comrades for affirmation. The InoShikaChou trio followed suit, as did TenTen and Lee. Quietly, Shino's hand lifted, the boy still standing further back in the shadows than anyone else. Kiba shot a venomous look toward his teammate.

"Truthfully, I know almost nothing about her. But if Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan vouch for her competence, then I'm inclined to agree with them," Sai conceded.

The last two standing were Neji and Kiba, both of their hands resolutely at their sides. Kakashi raised his exposed eyebrow, looking between the two. "You don't trust Hinata to make her own choices?"

Both boys started exclaiming at once, trying to argue their own points.

"Of course I do, but my job -"

"Most of the time, but do you seriously think -"

"Good," the silver-haired ninja cut them off. "That's settled then. So, as I tell you what I know, I'd like you all to keep in mind that we've agreed Hinata is a shinobi of this village who is as capable of protecting herself as well any of you, perhaps even more so than some."

Kakashi shared what he knew of Hinata's side of the story. He had to give the girl some credit - she'd been through a lot and risked even more. She was gutsier than he'd thought to give her credit for. Then again, he'd been proven wrong before.

"So, she stayed behind with Sasuke to prevent him from attacking Konoha?" Lee summarized once the story was complete.

Shikamaru shook his head. "In a way, but that's not quite it. Her purpose in remaining with him is clearly two-fold. Staying behind is both a tactical move for the war ahead should things go as planned, and a safety precaution on everyone's behalf should things go awry. In the first way she is following this Madara's example - using Sasuke's loyalty to get him on her side of the war. In the second, she is setting up a safety precaution. With Sasuke's trust, she could inform us and help bring him down should Sasuke turn sides again. Her past actions prove her loyalties. Though seemingly split between the village and Sasuke himself, she remains an ally of Konoha no matter the outcome. Additionally, we have reason to believe she will favor the Leaf if push comes to shove."

Kakashi nodded. "I agree. We cannot deny there is certainly a personal aspect to their relationship, as well. But I believe your analysis is correct from a strategic perspective."

Shikamaru shook his head. "Clever, but terribly risky. There are a lot of variables out of our control. We can't know this will work in our favor."

"Correct again. Still, returning to the foundation of this story, Hinata is a capable ninja. I don't believe she would take the risk if she didn't think she could succeed, in whatever way the situation sways."

"Supposing all of that is true, why didn't she just tell us the truth from the beginning?" Neji asked. He seemed supremely uncomfortable with all the information he'd received, especially regarding any familiarity between his cousin and the Uchiha.

"Would you have treated her kindly or gone about it level-headedly if she had?"

Neji looked away. "It is logical that the fewer people she involved, the more people were safe if she failed," he conceded. "Her goal through all of this has been the same: Save as many people as possible. She took the burden of making those choices upon herself, even at the risk of putting her own life in danger. Because she's a shinobi." He met Kakashi's eyes, then. The masked-man nodded.

"She is. While Sasuke was on Madara's side, she couldn't risk other people getting caught in the crossfires of her espionage if she was found out."

"But Sasuke is on our side, and we all know the truth, now," Sakura piped up.

"You guys still aren't getting it!" Kiba roared, finally exhausted from being silent. "How do we know Sasuke is on our side? He's volatile."

"So are you, but we keep you around," Naruto shot back.

"Don't," Kakashi cut in, stopping the fight before it could get out of hand again. The two boys stood down. "You aren't wrong to be skeptical, Kiba. We don't know that Sasuke is on our side. He's turned on us before, but it's in our best interest to act as if he will fight for us until we are alerted otherwise."

Shino finally stepped into the light, sidling up to his teammate. "You don't have to trust him, Kiba. I myself am skeptical of these arrangements. It is natural to want to protect Hinata-chan. But whether we agree with her or not, she believes in him, and we are her teammates. It is our job to believe in her."

Kiba growled. He scuffed the toe of his sandals across the dirt, kicking up a small cloud. "Fine," he conceded, hands dug deep into his pockets. "Shino is right: I don't trust Sasuke and I don't agree with Hinata. But," he looked at his teammate, some of the fight seeping out of him. "I do believe in Hinata. But I swear to all that is holy if I find out he laid a hand on her or pulled her into some mind game or some other bizarre Uchiha shit, I won't hesitate to pursue him with intent-to-kill."

"If that turns out to be the case, Kiba, I'll join you," Naruto agreed. That seemed to satisfy the dog-boy on some level. On that, at least, the two could see eye to eye.

"So what do we do now, Kakashi-sensei?"

"With Danzo disposed of and Tsunade's condition still in question, I have spoken with the elders and agreed to take on the title of hokage should the need arise. The council, or what remains of it, has agreed to endorse me. Though it isn't necessarily ideal, with the war close at hand our village cannot continue without a figurehead. Should the title be given to me, I will have to proceed cautiously. Now that Danzo is dead at Sasuke's hands, regardless of his crimes, the other two will not be so keen on allowing him a fighting chance, nor will Kumo with their bounty out for his head.

"Luckily, the Hyuuga clan is in good diplomatic standing with groups from many nations. My guess is that we can allow them to lay low until absolutely necessary, but should our alliance with them be revealed I'm hopeful Hinata's family influence may sway some of the leaders in our favor. That being said, it seems most likely that no one will be open to the idea." His gaze landed on Shikamaru. "In that case, we will need to formulate a different plan. I've received communication from them -"

"You've heard from them?" multiple voices asked at once, all echoing each other. Naruto, Kiba, and Neji looked at the man expectantly.

"I have. They've found a safe space and are hidden for now. But, like I was saying, if Sasuke and Hinata are willing to fight for us, that is manpower we cannot pass up. Without support from the other villages, we will need to be stealthy about bringing them into our ranks when the time comes. I'll need someone in communication with them who can discern where they would be most effective."

The Nara boy nodded in understanding. "That could be arranged. Is there anyone else who should be informed? If people still believe Sasuke is an enemy when he joins the fight, it's possible they'll attack him."

"I'm sure they will, and we will deal with that when the time comes. For now it is enough that this particular group has agreed to vouch for them. If any of you feel there are those you can absolutely sway to our side and trust implicitly, do so at your own discretion. Otherwise, I ask that you keep this information to yourselves unless and until it is necessary to reveal, even if that moment is on the battlefield."

"Hai!" the group agreed in unison.

"Kakashi-san," Neji spoke up. The man raised his eyebrow in acknowledgement. "Given the state of things, everyone is preoccupied and most people will not miss Hinata-sama's absence. Hiashi-sama, however…"

"Hm." Kakashi slumped. He'd forgotten about the elder Hyuuga clan leader. "Do you think he'd take kindly to the truth?" He didn't need to see the concern in Neji's face to know that was a definite no. "Then tell him that given her recent exposure to and knowledge of known enemy forces, Hinata has been issued a classified, war-related mission. With no timeline on her return. That should be a satisfactory explanation, and isn't entirely untrue." He could tell the Hyuuga boy wasn't wholly comfortable with the idea of lying to his uncle, but the answer seemed to appease him. "Good. Any other questions?"

"You're gonna be the hokage, huh, Sensei?" Naruto grinned.

Kakashi shrugged. "Desperate times."

"Orochimaru forced me to do such terrible, awful things for him. And Sasuke was even worse! He took advantage of me, a weak, defenseless girl. He made me follow him!" The redhead wailed, tossing her face down onto the tabletop. "And in the end, he sacrificed me. Threw me away like a piece of trash! I'm just a victim here!"

Despite her little show, the scarred man sitting across from her looked less than moved. If anything, he seemed bored. "Look, girl. I didn't ask for your sob story. I asked for information on Uchiha Sasuke and Yakushi Kabuto. Cut the crap and tell us what you know."

Karin lifted her head, resting it in her palm. "Bah, you're no fun," she scoffed, wiping the fake tears from her cheeks. She thought her act was quite believable. It was worth a shot, anyway. "But fine, you caught me. I'll talk."

"That's more like it - "

"After you feed me."

Ibiki's assistant jumped. "You're setting conditions?"

The girl leaned back in her chair. "Look, man. I've been running around with that Uchiha brat for months, and before that I was overseeing a prison kilometers off the coast in the middle of the ocean. It's been a long time since I had a proper meal. How's a girl supposed to think straight on an empty stomach, huh?"

Ibiki crossed his arms. "Go get the girl some food," he ordered his companion.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. I'm not taking my eyes off this one."

"Breaded pork and rice, please!" Karin called. "Oh, and bring a map, too. I'll give you all I've got on these guys."

"Morino-san!"

"You heard the girl."

The man huffed, looking between the two before leaving the room, mumbling under his breath.

"You're really not in a place to be setting conditions, you know that?" At least her demands were more easily accommodated than the Hyuuga girl's. A proper meal was a small price compared to weeks of interrogation training. Still, what was it with these girls?

Karin waved her hand in front of her face, leaning back on the hind legs of her chair. "Yeah, yeah. You're agreeing to them, right? Look, like I said, Sasuke really did throw me away like a piece of trash. I save the guy's life more than once, and how does he repay me? Slicing through my chest with a chidori strike like I was something disposable. How's that supposed to make a girl feel, huh? Freaking figures that our pretty princess would follow after him anyway. Good riddance. Someone's gotta keep that maniac in check. Better her than me. You won't catch me getting caught up in his mind games again. No way."

And here Ibiki thought it would be difficult to get the girl to talk. Turns out, he couldn't get her to shut up. "You'd really turn on him? Just like that?"

"He turned on me, didn't he? Look. I've been at this for a while now. You know what I've learned?" The front legs of her chair slammed against the ground. She stabbed a thumb at her chest. "You gotta watch out for number one: yourself. So yeah, I'll tell you whatever I can. But if you ask me? Sasuke isn't the one you guys need to be worried about right now. Kabuto, either. I haven't heard a peep from or about him since Sasuke took out Orochimaru. For all I know, he's shriveled up in a corner crying somewhere. The one you really should be looking out for is that guy in the mask, the one calling himself 'Madara.' I'll feed you whatever you need to take that guy down."

That piqued Ibiki's interest. He wasn't aware of the redhead's connection with the Akatsuki leader. "You have intel on Madara?"

"Some, yeah. Not as much as Sasuke does, but enough to know he's a dangerous, manipulative bastard who needs to be stopped. The guy's a freak. Showed up out of nowhere telling Sasuke these crazy stories about his brother. Tried to antagonize him into attacking Konoha. Lucky for you guys little Miss Perfect was around to stop him, otherwise we probably would've met earlier and in much less cozy conditions." She gestured around the room. "Sasuke wanted to launch a full-fledged attack against you, and I'd have followed suit. Hinata talked him out of it, though." Karin leaned back in her chair again, arms crossed protectively over her chest. "Sasuke's a sap when she's around."

Ibiki maintained a stoic facade. The Uzumaki girl's story lined up with what the Hyuuga had shared. Not that he had any reason to distrust Hinata, but if anything Karin's story corroborated what they'd learned about Sasuke and Madara thus far.

"And the Uchiha boy? You truly feel no more allegiance to him?"

"After that stunt he pulled? Nuh uh. Don't get it twisted, that doesn't mean I'll pledge fealty to you, instead. I'm loyal to myself."

"As you said."

The girl nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Where's my food? I'm starving."

Ibiki felt no need to answer. The remaining wait was spent in silence, only the creaking of Karin's chair legs making any sound as she rocked back on them.

"Back. I have -"

"Breaded pork!" The chair slammed into the ground. She had the bowl snatched from his hands before the door even fully closed behind him, already shoveling heaps into her mouth.

"...And a map," the man finished, looking at her in disgust and confusion.

Karin plopped back down into her seat, not letting go of the bowl. "Man, this is good. Just set that there," she instructed around a mouthful of rice. He looked to Ibiki for confirmation. The scared man nodded toward the table and his assistant complied, splaying the map. "You got a pen?" He tried to hold it out to her. She shook her head, swallowing hard. "You expect me to write and eat at the same time? No. You keep that. I'll point. Now," she leaned forward, finally setting the bowl down but never relinquishing her chopsticks, "I will tell you what I know."

The table laid out before the blonde woman was more or less a banquet. Her chopsticks moved quickly from bowl to bowl, her cheeks full to bursting with food.

"Tsunade-sama, you have to slow down!"

The woman shook her head. "No can do, Shizune. If I don't regain as much of my stamina as possible, I'm gonna look like an old hag. I can't go to meet the council that way!"

The flap to the tent shifted sideways, drawing the attention of both women. "Glad to see you're awake, Lady Tsunade. I was minutes away from becoming Hokage. I said I'd do it, but to be honest I'm not sure I'm well-suited for the job. Better you than me."

The woman scoffed, motioning for Kakashi to take a seat across from her on the ground. "Tell me what you know, Kakashi. Shizune told me a bit about what's going on. Danzo's reign didn't last long, huh?" she scoffed. The man's death was bittersweet. "I never really liked him, but the situation with Sasuke puts us in an interesting predicament. What do you know?"

Tsunade had been out for days. The Hokage Summit had come and gone, and the man who'd called the shots in the interim was already dead. Kakashi truly was grateful he didn't have to take the title at such a tumultuous time. He did not envy the woman or the choices ahead of her. "We're going to war, as I'm sure you know. The Raikage has called a war council meeting of the kages. Mifune will mediate."

"And our forces?"

"We'd be looking at a much more difficult fight if Nagato's final jutsu hadn't resurrected and revived those who suffered in his attack. As it is, we are able to supply the war effort with the full strength of our available ninjas. Good thing, too, otherwise we'd have little to add for our part. Despite his questionable methods, Danzo was successful in securing Konoha's place in the joint shinobi forces, but his actions during the summit left us in a precarious place. I wouldn't be surprised if the other kages remained wary of our leadership."

"Kuso," Tsunade hissed, finally setting her chopsticks down long enough to take a breath. "Hopefully my relationships with them will be enough to outweigh whatever damage Danzo caused. We can't have the other villages distrusting us, especially at a time like this. As we were the target of Akatsuki's last attack, we are already the most vulnerable. I suppose I'll have to be extra cautious to remain in their good graces?"

"You'll do fine. We all know that caution is your strong suit, Tsunade-sama." Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her. The woman rolled her eyes. Shizune stifled a laugh from the corner.

"Yes, well, we will have to wait and see, I suppose," she conceded, giving in to their teasing. "Any updates on Sasuke? Besides the fact that he killed my temporary replacement."

Kakashi nodded slowly. "Interesting that you should ask. My team along with some of the others from that class had a bit of a run-in with him following the altercation in question."

"And? How did he seem?"

"Truthfully? Not well. His mental state seemed a bit displaced. He didn't appear to be working for anyone in particular, just himself. Though I'm sure Madara wouldn't object to Danzo's demise. Luckily, Hinata was with us at the time, so he caused us significantly less trouble than I anticipated. She even convinced him to rejoin our forces."

Tsunade perked up, surprised. "Sasuke is here?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No. We thought it best that, even if his allegiance has returned to the Leaf, we clear up his name as much as possible with the current leadership before he comes back to the village. Besides, even though he agreed to join us in the fight ahead, he seemed supremely against the idea of coming back here. We did, however, take one of his teammates into custody. She worked for Orochimaru prior to joining Sasuke's team. Seems Sasuke really ticked her off at the end, though. She's been extremely compliant with Ibiki, giving him whatever information she has."

"So if Sasuke isn't here but he is on our side, where is he, exactly?" The Hokage lowered her brows. "How can we be sure he will live up to his word if we have no way of watching his movements?"

"We left one of our own behind to keep him in line and report to us should anything change again."

"Hinata?" Kakashi nodded. Tsunade sighed deeply, rolling her neck. She'd just woken up and already things were chaotic. "I suppose, as things stand, she is the only one currently suited for that particular mission. The elders would not take kindly to seeing Sasuke returned here, and even with a war knocking down our door I can guarantee they would not agree to let him fight for us, no matter what promises he made or collateral he offered."

"I thought as much."

"The others?"

"There was certainly some resistance to the idea. I'm sure you can imagine from whom." Tsunade snorted. "But that class of ninja has come around to the idea of allowing Sasuke to fight on our side, when the time comes."

"If the most recent reports of his development are true and Sasuke truly does agree to fight on our side in the war ahead, he will prove a valuable asset both in intelligence and strength. We could use that, certainly. Still, how can you be sure we can trust his declaration of fealty?"

"We can't," Kakashi responded honestly. "I don't believe that after all he's learned Sasuke feels any allegiance to the Leaf, or to the shinobi nations in general, for that matter. But I do believe his loyalty to Hinata is stronger than any of us gave him credit for, and her loyalty lies with us. If it keeps her safe and alive, I believe he will follow her lead in this matter."

"And Hinata? Shizune informed me there's been a change in her Byakugan. Have you seen it for yourself?"

"Only the change in their physical appearance, which I'm sure you've been made aware of. Any new abilities granted by the development have yet to be seen. Regarding her current predicament, however, you know as well as I do that we can trust her with this, Tsunade-sama. I believe strongly that, should the tides of Sasuke's feelings change, she will play her part dutifully and alert us."

The blonde woman nodded thoughtfully. "You have a way to communicate with them, then?"

"They contacted me first to let me know they were safe. I've entrusted Shikamaru with the information they delivered so he can update them on any particularly pressing matters and let them know when their time to join the war arrives."

"Smart move. You're sure you don't want to take over as Hokage?"

Kakashi laughed. "Not a chance, Tsunade-sama."

"Very well. I suppose this is my burden to bear, then. Still, I want you with me as we move forward. We will need to call a war council within the village to gather as much information as possible before presenting it at the summit. Neither the elders nor the council can know we are working with Sasuke, not until it's absolutely necessary and they cannot deny his assistance is more beneficial than their desire to capture or kill him. Not with their existing prejudice against him or with Kumo's bounty on his head still out. Hinata, on the other hand? She will be counted among the ranks of our available ninja from our village, but we will need a reason for her absence."

"Her classmates are already helping spread that story, should anyone ask after Hinata specifically. They've been told she was issued a classified, war-related mission due to her knowledge regarding enemy forces."

The woman nodded, satisfied. "Seems even without the title, you've done well in my absence."

"I appreciate that, Tsunade-sama, but I'm not nearly as suited for the role as you."

The woman huffed, then straightened. "Shizune!" Her assistant stood at attention, jumping at the sudden address. "Bring me more food. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

Time passed as it always had in the lair: slowly. Days and nights blurred together. They'd chanced sending only one communication letting Kakshi know they were safe and providing a small seal to summon Sasuke's bird when their informants needed to send return messages. With Tsunade's condition unknown, he was their only definitive ally at the time.

The two pieces of information they'd received since shared little to no intel, and none that encouraged them to move. Both were brief and neither note was signed. The first said, "Our 12 in line. Not all happy, but all compliant. Will not fight you when time comes." The second said even less: "Tsunade awake."

The messages were far between and it felt like too many days had passed without any updates. Surely things were moving quickly out there; Madara, at least, was growing impatient the last they knew. What if the war had already started? Hinata longed for any news from her friends. It crushed her to be away from them again so soon, to be so isolated from the action. She had a million questions and zero answers. What did Neji think? Was Tsunade on their side? Would she agree to let Sasuke fight? Was Madara mobilizing? Would Kiba remain mad at her forever? Each day without instruction left the pair all the more anxious. The world was headed to war, and they were tucked away, waiting. It felt like a time bomb ready to explode.

The days awaiting intel and instruction were long, spent sparring and pacing and tensely hoping for any sort of news. The nights were even longer. Sasuke shouted in his sleep. Not occasionally; every night. Sometimes Hinata was able to soothe him without waking him. Other nights his own cries startled him awake. Her nights were restless, constantly awakened by Sasuke's outbursts and haunted by her own nightmares when she was able to rest. No one had so much as come close to the lair since they'd taken up residence, but her nerves were ever on alert, fearing the worst. Even still, the girl didn't mind the loss of sleep so much, not as long as the trade off was keeping Sasuke close by her side.

"It's not happening anymore. You're safe for now," she crooned, guiding her hands over his back after a particularly nasty night terror released its grip on him. His breath came in rasping gulps, anxious for air. "Sasuke, whatever it is, it's over. I'm here." His breathing calmed, little by little, until the rise and fall of his shoulders felt normal again. "Can you look at me?"

The raven-haired boy lifted his face from the crook of her neck until their eyes met. It still felt surreal to be able to look him in the eye, every piece of him sharp as glass even in the dull light of their ever-burning torch. They never slept in the dark, anymore.

Hinata brushed away a strand of hair, his bangs stuck to the sweat on his brow. The nightmares always left him feverish. "Which one was it?" Though the details changed from time to time, the primary theme that plagued his dreams was always the same: death.

"The one about you."

If it wasn't her death he dreamt of, it was someone else's. Many of their friends, family, and even enemies had appeared in his dreams, but Hinata and Itachi featured most frequently.

"Where you push me into the sea?" Sasuke nodded, ashamed. She swiped another strand of hair back from his face. "You didn't, though. I'm right here. See?" She found his hand and placed it over her heart, allowing the boy to feel the steady beat under his palm, the rise and fall of her chest.

They stayed like that for a long time. Even during the day, Sasuke never quite seemed to believe she was real. Or at the very least acted as if she might disappear. He rarely let her out of his sight, and if he did it was never for very long. Hinata didn't mind so much, but at times she did wonder if the rest of her life would be spent like that: Living within viewing distance of him or risking his self-destruction. She wasn't sure which possibility was worse. The worry exhausted her, but Sasuke was still fragile. Maybe, she thought, he just needed time. For now, she could give him that.

Sasuke's hand traveled from her chest to her cheek. "You're here."

Hinata nodded. "That's what I keep telling you."

His lips pressed against hers. It wasn't uncommon for him to do so, especially when his nightmares were about her. It calmed him further, grounded him more fully in her presence. It was usually quick, occasionally lingering. But some nights… some nights one wasn't enough.

The hand that wasn't occupied with her cheek moved toward her waist, gripping her hip. He kissed her jaw line, her name just a breath on his lips, but also a question.

It always left her mind a bit foggy when he started down that path. He made it difficult to say no. But she lifted her hands between them, pressing them against his chest.

Sasuke stopped, his grip on her waist loosening. He dipped his head into the hollow of her neck. "Sorry."

Hinata shook her head. "I don't want you to be sorry. I just…" her voice trailed off.

Sasuke propped himself on one arm, his face hovering over hers, blocking some of the light. "What do you want, Hinata? Anything." His eyes searched hers as if he might find the answer there.

She smiled despite herself, cupping his cheek in her hand. Still, the nagging feeling in her stomach persisted. "I just… I want to be wanted, like this," she blushed. "But because you want me plainly. Not because you're afraid. I..." her voice trailed. She couldn't look him in the eye. "I admit it started that way, but I'm tired of being needed out of fear."

Sasuke blinked, still hovering over her. "You think that's what this is about?"

"Isn't it? You only ever…" she grew more frazzled, shaking her head. "You only treat me this way after one of your dreams about me dying. What am I supposed to think?"

The boy shook his head, his shaggy hair swaying. "Of course the dreams scare me. But I'm always scared of losing you. I already thought it happened twice. I don't know what I would do if it happened again." He dipped down and kissed her, gently this time. "But I also always want you, Hinata. So, yes, the dreams intensify my awareness of how fleeting our time could be. They…" he sighed, shaking his head again. "They fuel the desire, certainly. But they aren't the cause of it. I… I'm just not always brave enough." Sasuke turned shy then, as well, his voice dropping low. "To act on it, I mean."

Hinata stared. She coughed, her voice hardly more than a whisper. "You could, though. More. If you wanted to."

"Could what?" Sasuke lifted himself back up.

"Act on it." She kept her gaze averted. Despite their time together, they almost never openly discussed their physical intimacy. Their interactions had grown more heated over time, boundaries being pushed and new ones created with nods and quiet 'stop's where appropriate. Still, Hinata found herself thinking on more than one occasion that it might be nice to know each other in that way outside the confines of late night desperation for affirmation.

Sasuke lowered himself towards her, his head dipping back into her neck, her permission brushing away his shyness and emboldening him instead. "You should've said so sooner." Hinata felt suddenly much hotter than before, and not just because Sasuke's bare torso was fully pressed against her now. "I've been holding back because I thought that's what you wanted, only letting on when I couldn't be quiet anymore."

Hinata caught her breath. Holding back wasn't what she wanted. Not at all. Her imagination had dutifully wandered during their time apart, but they were together, now. Imagination could only appease her so much. She wanted to be told and shown that she was wanted. She wanted him to want her the way she wanted him: wholly and truthfully and without fear. Sasuke pulled her in closer. Despite the destruction they'd wrought, she felt safest when his hands were on her.

The urgency of the moment disappeared, but Sasuke's desire did not. Things slowed, the scent of his skin and the weight of his body coming into sharp focus. "Surely, you must know, Hinata…" His voice trailed off, swallowed as he pressed his lips to her collarbone.

The girl trembled under his touch. Despite their fluidity and deftness on the battlefield, their intimate interactions were still fumbling and nervous. At times, desperation for contact overruled the hesitancy. But when things were quiet, every touch was a question. Both of them were brave in a fight, but neither was brave on the battlefield of the other's body.

"I know," she whispered, afraid to break the moment. "But tell me. Please."

His lips moved down her body, traveling from her neck to her chest. She could feel him shaking, too. "I'm not good at this," he admitted.

"Sasuke," she pleaded. "Please." From the moment the Uchiha boy came into her life, the world became less and less certain every day. But she was sure of how she felt, even when everything else was unclear. Sasuke for his part had never denied her claim of belief in his love for her, but he'd never confirmed it, either. It felt childish to worry about feelings when beyond the lair the world was moving closer to the brink of chaos. But within those walls, isolated from everyone else, their world was finally as it had always been: only the two of them.

The boy stopped his slow path down her body, his lips lifting from her skin. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked up at her. "I do want you, Hinata. You know that. I…" he faltered, shy. The boy closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing himself to meet her gaze when he opened them again. "I love you. Not perfectly. Not always well. I might never be good at any of this. But I do care for you, in the way I know how. Surely you know that. You do know that, don't you?"

Hinata nodded. That's all she'd wanted; proof that he was willing to be vulnerable, that he wouldn't shut down and pull away when she pushed him to open up instead of waiting for him to come to her. She sat up, wrapping him up in her arms, and nodded again. "I do. I know."

Sasuke stood basking in the light of the desert sun, just returned from his morning perimeter check. Even in the winter months the sun was warm, here. Still, anywhere was warmer when Hinata was nearby.

Since their reunion, Sasuke didn't like to leave her for long periods of time. After everything they'd been through, he still found it hard to believe she was alive and with him. Occasionally, often in the middle of the night when things became blurriest, he could be convinced she truly was a figment of his imagination. But then he would reach out and touch her and return to the present. Even so, the anxiety of losing her again kept him close. He hovered, afraid if he let her out of his sight for too long he might find his worries a reality.

Despite any promises he made, Sasuke knew he couldn't keep that up forever. It was childish to think otherwise, no matter how much he wished it. There was a war on the horizon. And after the war? Who knew what fate awaited him, given his current agreement with Konoha. As tenuous as it was, would they listen to his story when the time came? Or would they prosecute him based on all his past crimes, no matter his performance in the war? There was so much uncertainty, all he wanted to do was keep Hinata close. But no matter how determined he was to protect her, there would come a day they'd have to part again. He did not relish the idea.

She appeared in the light, then, stepping out from the shade of the tunnel. Even in full sunlight, her form appeared slightly blurred from that distance. Sasuke squinted, trying to get a better look at her. Itachi told him long ago that the Mangekyo came with a great risk: blindness. Sasuke just never imagined it starting so quickly. If he were like Itachi, calculated and cautious, he'd have years of vision before it got too bad. As it was, though, he'd strained his eyes too much too soon. There were ways to fix it, but none he was willing to stoop to.

"Everything okay?" Hinata asked, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. She planted a kiss on his shoulder. He turned in her arms. Up close, her features came into sharp focus. His vision, at least at close range, was still very much intact.

Sasuke kissed her forehead. Her eyes, now icy blue with white rings that looked like a lotus flower in bloom, had taken some getting used to. How ironic, he thought, that she'd gained her sight back just as his began to fade. Even so he said, "Yes." He'd simply be careful in the future.

"Good. I finished my warm ups. Thought you might want to spar?"

"That's an idea." His fingers dropped to the exposed skin around her waist. It grew hot under his fingertips. "Or, I can think of some other ways we could pass the time."

Hinata began to cave, but placed a hand on his chest. "Sasuke." He felt it, too.

"Don't stop on our behalf," said a familiar voice.

Sasuke and Hinata both straightened, a big smile spreading across the girl's face as the two boys jumped from the ledge and landed in the open cavern. "Juugo! You're safe!" she exclaimed, rushing to give him a hug.

"What? No love for me?" Suigetsu teased, opening his arms towards her. The girl rolled her eyes. She didn't accommodate his advance, but she did manage a smile. Even Sasuke had to admit that after leaving the two behind at the Kage Summit, he was pleased to see them in one piece. He'd felt a bit guilty about abandoning them once things settled down.

The orange-haired boy returned her hug shyly, but was just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. "Hinata-san, what are you doing here? We thought..." His voice faltered.

"What Juugo means is that we heard you were dead. You don't look dead to me. Good news, I guess. Can't say I'm particularly surprised, though. Seems our mouse is a resilient little thing. I knew she wouldn't fuck up that badly. Speaking of fuck-ups, where's Karin?"

"In Konoha."

"Fuck, man," Suigetsu cursed, rubbing the back of his head. "I suppose we're going to have to go there anyway and get her then, huh?"

The Uchiha shook his head, giving his teammates a brief overview of what happened after they parted. "She went with them on her own. We came here to await further instruction."

Suigetsu took a long slurp from his water bottle. "So we're working with Konoha now?"

"Hn."

"Sasuke, you are one weird guy. You hate them then you don't then only some of them and now this? But, whatever," he shrugged. "If there really is a war on the way it means I'll finally get to slice up some people. That fight back there was only a warm-up. Besides, if we get to face off against Madara it might be fun to try and get some swings in at him. Or whoever else is still left in Akatsuki, for that matter."

"There will be more than enough bodies to go around," Sasuke agreed. The shark boy seemed pleased by that.

"How did you two find us?" Hinata chimed in, suddenly curious. They'd done perimeter sweeps three times a day since arriving and found no sign of other parties.

Juugo held up a small piece of paper, bringing it to their attention. "A little bird told me we could find you here."

Sasuke stared at the piece of paper, exchanging a nervous glance with Hinata before holding his hand out. Juugo complied, placing the note in his hand. It was still sealed. "I didn't think it was appropriate to read it. Figured if I needed to know you'd tell me once we got here."

Sasuke unrolled the small scroll, reading over it quickly. Hinata stepped up beside him, reading over his shoulder. Her hand reached out, gripping his upper arm.

"Well, what's it say?" Suigetsu pressed.

Sasuke looked back towards the sky. All the edges were blurry from his fading vision and the heat, but the message was clear.

"The war has begun."

A/N: A quarantine surprise. Hope you all are staying healthy and safe. - Kinsey