Oh my God I'm back. I hope. The year of being away was hectic and frustrating and and just plain having a life. I am only able to write this chapter cause I'm borrowing a computer with internet access. And I think I'm going homeless. My work is on the other side of town and the commute is terrible but the job is wonderful. I am being pressured to move out of the house and find a place closer to work, which is perfectly fine but for me being paid 8 something an hour and 1 bed room apartments are reaching in the mid to high 600's a month, including the extras like furniture and gas and all the other important stuff to live on, well I'm gonna have to cut back and my wish list will have to be on hold such as a moped that I was really hoping to get by the end of this month…that's flying out the window right about now.

Well to say I apologize for leaving for a long time but I seriously thought of you guys everyday and constantly reminded myself of the plot of my story and the Naruto series cuz I haven't been able to watch it since Sasuke left and I am now watching it again only cuz I have dvr to record my shows for now, I work during the Naruto episodes come on. And I gotta say, Naruto is in a goofball state right now as far as the episodes go. No real plot.

Love you all.

pma.x.

Enjoy.

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Kakashi was sure that Sasuke would be more pissed off than he thought. After all, Kakashi couldn't remain low-profile on his opinion even if he tried. Which in fact he had. But Kakashi knew the boy was all brick and stone to all sentiment and maudlin. The moment Sasuke got up from his seat; he walked past the kitchen entrance, towards the bedroom he occupied moments ago.

"So, how'd he take it?" the woman's voice came from the other side of the room. "Will he be alright?"

"I sure hope so, he didn't seem to happy by it, but then again, this is Sasuke-san we're talking about here." Kakashi said before taking his coffee mug into the sink to rinse out. "Hey, where you off to?"

Maya made it seem that she paid no mind to what he said as she air dried her hair with another towel, scrunching then feathering out the remaining droplets that clung itself to each strand, while having her other hand trying to secure the towel to keep her warm from the rooms temperature, or better yet, trying to do its purpose of trying to cover as much of her as possible.

"Oh, um…I have an appointment I've set up a while back, nothing serious, but I'll be back before dinner. Don't worry darling, I'll be alright." She said sarcastically before closing the bathroom door once again, feeling her towel beginning to slip away from her chest.

Kakashi, alone with an awkward stand still. Naruto entered the apartment once more inspecting any sign of what may have taken place. Looking back to the bathroom, to the room Sasuke entered, to the chair that was occupied moments ago, and then the process started all over again. He knew it best not to disturb the woman that occupied the bathroom even though he felt the jolt in his groin that he needed a toilet, but that could wait for a minute, then the thought of looking for Sasuke, but that thought left as quickly as it came for Sasuke's mood changes came drastically recently. Kakashi was an option, but he questioned what the topic he should bring up, curious of what the conversation was about that happened just now. Really, he didn't know what to do at the moment and felt lost and completely out of place.

Kakashi however, had his mind reeling back to how all this will eventually end.

-

Sasuke hadn't been prepared for that, hadn't believed…

He stormed away, throwing open doors that he managed to lock for years knowing that he was so sure of loosing the keys to. His heart thundering with fear, with anticipation. What had been conjecture was now proved to be true. He was there. She was here. And now knowing what he feared most, he wanted so much but what he could never have and wasn't meant to belong to him.

Entering the room he slept in- he gathered all of his belongings- wasn't much, other than the basics of survival. The survival to make his way back home, back where things were normal, where things made sense. Back to where he knew his belonging, to his purposes and where he knew that he had his sanity.

If they were to punish him for abandoning this mission, then so be it. He was willing to loose his pride for once for being such a terrible shinobi. For once he was willing to abandon and coward away- it would feel better for him to know that he acted upon instincts.

In a rush and control that his body has taken, he left the room as quickly as he entered, he straightened, hesitating, knowing he had to make a split-second decision. And then he saw it. He saw Sakura sleeping in bliss, but it wasn't that what set the frown upon his face. The boy rested behind her. He couldn't see his face, for his face was covered and buried into the pink tresses of hair, but he saw the arm dangled to the rim of her waist and the other burring itself a tunnel under her neck only to make its way holding her hand gently with security.

Sasuke hunched his back low, his head bent, but eyes fixated on his target.

He slowly backed away.

His head screamed, screams of shrill, uncanny terror. His heart clutched itself that the beating has gotten too fast. He had to steady himself against the wall from falling, sight going white and dim, fearing it was either a heart attack or a hit to the head of what he was facing known as reality check. Indecision tore at him for a moment.

Alone. He doesn't want to be alone.

He should have seen to it that this was supposed to happen to him. But he hadn't really known what would happen here. So he was alone.

He wanted to say 'now what?'

But he knew. Whatever was happening here, the things that were going to happen, he couldn't stop it. He had no rights to do so. And without him having the control, then there is nothing he could protect. The sounds of his brother's voice echoed in his head over and over like a broken record played in his head.

'Run away'

Closing his eyes tight, teeth grinding, knuckles white- nothing changed to what decision he knew he had to make.

He had to run away.

Turning on his heel, he walked at an even pace- ignoring the stares of his comrades, the stares of confusion, hurt, and the feeling of being betrayed, not once he looked past them apologetic but at least gave the respects of showing an emotion never shown. An emotion of admitting loss and burden to grief.

Opening and closing the door behind him quietly without a sound, but his mind screamed endlessly.

He had turned and ran.

-

Kashirou awoke in a cold sweat. Damn Haruno Sakura. Being with her was a sweat rapture he had never daring to get so near yet being near her also evoked nightmares of the past. But it wasn't just that to awake him from his sleep cause in the dreams, it never reached to the worst of what happened. It was the feeling of being watched. Watched by burning bleeding eyes that spun into a whirlpool of a black hole of never believing to be released from. So he kept his eyes shut, heart beating fast but kept still. And then it was gone and apparently out the front door.

He opened his eyes slowly only to be met by the smell of cheap lavender shampoo that could probably be found in those dinky hotel inns's, and the feeling of cool pastel silk disturbing his senses as it tickled its way up his nose.

He stayed still for a few moments, recollecting himself away from his sleepiness and clearing out the nightmares that would have its rest and sure to be back by tomorrow. He slipped out of Sakura's grip on her hand and retreated his arm back to its place as the other balanced him from getting out of bed without disturbing the sleeping girl. He sat up on the bed, and the thoughts of the person staring at him moments ago became clear as night and day to him. And he had the sensation to pledge a victory to his success from beating that arrogant bastard, but the feeling of guilt came too soon after. He looked behind him to only see Sakura's back as it rose and fall and the peace she managed to keep.

He frowned and his thickness as to what this meant. His pride and ego was hurting Sakura and her fate. If she is to know the disappearance of her beloved comrade, what will she do when her fate is decided and he isn't there to see on to it? Sakura is already carrying a heavy burden and he didn't have to add the extra weight.

'Damn him' he sighed as he got up slowly to make himself sway around the bed and on the way to the door.

He'll be damned to be the one to truly break Sakura's heart if it isn't going the other way around.

-

"It's nothing."

Kakashi looked skeptical to Sasuke's reply.

"You sure about that? Cause you have been a little over protective for Sakura-chan's safety." Kakashi said slowly as he took another sip of his instant coffee.

Sasuke let the gasp out to fast, aware and afraid how manipulative Kakashi's conversations would lead to. But Kakashi was staring at him. "Sasuke,"

He leapt to his feet, staring warily back at the older man.

"Don't you dare judge me! I don't know what you think you know, or whoever else thinks they know, but I can guarantee you're wrong." Sasuke hissed out.

Kakashi continued to stare strait towards his student with hands held in prayer, not knowing how to handle this 'situation'.

"Don't see this as judgment Sasuke-san, see it more as an assertion."

"Assertion of what?!"

"That whatever is going on with you and Sakura-chan needs to stop."

"What?"

"Sasuke-san, do you even know the situation that is in hand here. Do you have any idea what risks we're facing here?" Kakashi said impatiently.

"No, why don't you enlighten me."

Kakashi took in a deep breath before giving Naruto a look of plead, "Naruto-san, give us a moment."

Without protest, Naruto bowed down as he got up from the couch and headed out the door, "I'm getting hungry." He murmured to himself in defeat that there was no arguing with Kakashi on this one.

Kakashi stared up from the closed door to his coffee mug, "Once upon a time there was a boy that broke his sister's head open with a koto."

Sasuke didn't speak a word, waving an arm to his side, closed his eyes and sighed. He then sat back into his chair adjacent to the broken window.

"He was a boy that wore black, while his sister wore white. They were of opposites as night and day and could never agree on anything."

"One day the boy decided to take a trip to the mountains to see the Sakura tree's bloom at its fullest but was afraid to go on this journey alone. So he asked his sister to come along for the trip. When she heard of this declaration she took precaution when meeting him by placing her koto by her side. He told her that he did no harm and only to bask in her warm company. His answer pleased her, but knew her brother well and decided to ask for more proof of his good intentions. He told her he shall play her koto while on the journey to the mountains for he was good at playing such an instrument. She then agreed, by giving her brother the koto to play, while she sang beautifully with its tune as they headed up the mountains.

They commented on each other's talents and the boy was all too pleased with himself to create a peace with his sister. When she then reminded him that the sole beauty of their masterpiece wouldn't have been so radiant without her voice, he became enraged. Why didn't she appreciate him?! Losing self-control, he cursed his sister to the ends of the earth. This was the kind of behavior she expected from her brother. It was in his nature to leap around causing chaos wherever he turned. However, she felt sympathy for his misdeeds and thought to loan him some of her kindness and apologies to give him her appreciation. Unfortunately, her pity only made things worse-."

Sasuke, silently star struck for at least as long as Kakashi had been looking at the empty contents of his mug, finally found his voice.

"Get to the point Kakashi-san, your little kiddy-story is starting to bore me…no offence."

Kakashi ignored his wit for once and proceeded with the story with a scornful sigh,

"It then became evident that perhaps some inner demon drove her brother's rage to do a deed, just to see how far he could push his sister's self-contained manner. She soon gave up reasoning with him and decided to leave him on the uphill to the mountain to find the Sakura tree's to himself. It was her back turning on him that created his heart to turn to turmoil. Stalked behind her, he lifted the koto above his head and strikes the instrument to her crown. As she fell to the floor her sight lost color and numb to the pain that stricken her head. "Things are not always as black and white as they seem." He had told her. He then dragged his sister by the hair and thrown her into a ditch where her world will be of only darkness and where no one could entice her again. In disgrace and despair the boy continued his journey to the top mountains to see spring at its fullest bloom. As his sister sat in the ditch, brooding over recent events, she began to feel that it was somehow her fault. Perhaps she had failed her brother in some important way. Perhaps she lacked the ability to love. She had truly lost her ability to see clearly, her light was dimmed. And so she sat in her own world and began to wither and die."

Silence struck the room for a moment and it took time for Sasuke to adjust to the significance of Kakashi's folktale.

"What's going to happen to Sakura-san when we get to Sengakure?"

It was then that Kakashi looked at Sasuke as a child asking the question and could only respond to him best way a grown up can explain to a juvenile.

"I really don't know. But the last thing Sakura-chan needs is to get hurt and the sympathy you're giving her is only going to worsen her abrasions."

"How the hell is my sympathy linked to your pathetic story?! What the hell?! How am I hurting her?! What did I do wrong?!" Sasuke yelled in outrage, then remembering Sakura slept in the other room. Careful with his words this second time he repeated again.

"What did I do wrong?" he said with a rasped voice, feeling the motions of saying it once more but to himself this time.

Kakashi sighed then and felt useless as a sensei to his students and as a lecture to talk. How can he explain to do the very opposite as to his teachings?

"When we arrive to Sengakure, things may turn for the worse, and Sakura-chan is going to have to face the facts and we can't do anything about it. It will all depend on her Lord and though it may not be the right thing, but he is one to judge at first meeting. Just as a reminder, and to be sure to lecture Naruto-san as well, we are only deliverers and if anything more than that may go on record and it may cause consequences and the consequence may put not only Lady Tusnade has the authority of giving us a suspension, but it will put Sakura-chan in immense jeopardy.

Sasuke-san, Sakura-chan just lives a separate life as we do. Her life is on one end and yours- Ours is on the other. If you even try to get to her side, you're not only going to hurt her but your ambitions will never be able to be a priority to you anymore. And you claiming her and keeping her from the world is going to make you paranoid and miserable."

With that said, Sasuke then understood without reason. Jaw clenched as teeth crackled, he felt the beads of sweat coming down his face as if he put all his pressure on to his eyebrows to see how far he can connect them to creating a black 'V' on his forehead. Kakashi felt the rage that radiated off him that he could slice the tension with a knife on butter.

Sasuke grabbed the black trench coat the hung against the door frame and in one swift motion, had the attire wrapped around his back. He stood firmly with a hand clutching onto itself. He didn't make a sound. It didn't even look as though he was breathing. His back was to him and in his dark black trench coat he looked like a boy going off to his own funeral.

"Sasuke…" Kakashi managed to whisper.

"What!" Sasuke shouted back unexpectedly. He's been so soft-spoken for so long, so calm throughout this complete ordeal, that Kakashi jumped and shook in the wake of his outburst. Sasuke immediately caught himself and glared at his superior.

"She's eventually going to have to face it. You too. It's hard, I know. But she needs you too."

Sasuke was suddenly up in flames. His eyes looked like those of a stranger. Like no one was even in the room with him.

He looked like a boy going into battle against the Gods.

"You don't know what it's like! You don't know how it looks like, the smell, the taste of it. It's not just people that you befriended or people you grew up with. They're people of what makes you who you are! You've never felt the torment of being reminded that the feeling of being alone is solely your fault, even if rationally it may not be. And the pain is so unbearable but you can't even put a freaking bullet through your head because any day now…any day now you think that there's a possibility…" he gripped the doorframe and with that tearing a piece from it and watch as the plaster, paint chips and splinters trail to the floor. The sight of wine red appeared in a slash followed by a darker shade parting from it onto the base of his wrist.

Kakashi was in a trance of inspecting the blood trail, feeling so much smaller and at little use to his student right at the moment.

I do know what it's like, he wanted yell out, feeling the outrage by his student's egotism. But he was still a child and he himself knew better. If he had wished to have a son, like most his age often would wish for at the late age of twenty something, he would gladly and be proud to have a son that had much integrity as his student did and would have been thrilled to lecture his son about discipline and about life itself and know that he would be a proud father to have succeeded in creating such magnificent. But now…

"Alright then…so…that's that." Sasuke said with a great weight lifted from his shoulders.

And it was. No use arguing anymore. He was feeling the regret for it all before he even spoke.

His composer quickly went back to normal and tread heavily towards the hallway, turning his back on his sensei once and for all.

I've actually had this chapter for awhile now and several others, but now its just briefing and errors I may had made. It may speed up considering all the free time I have and cause its pretty much out there and done. But yeah seriously…I'm back!

With much love.