A/N: Whew! Done the sequel at last! I hope it's a satisfying read. The next installment in this series will be ten years after Sasuke came back from the dead, but before that I have two oneshots planned. Those on who have me on author alert will get a heads up when they come out. Anyways the third and last installment will be called Ties That Bind.

I'm glad I decided to leave Always You for the moment (ch 6 is about 1/3 complete BTW) to finish this. Now I can give my full attention to the other story. I'm happy with this chapter and the conclusion. I hope you guys will be too.

I must thank all those who've stuck with me thus far. Your reviews have been amazing and encouraging and just wonderful all around. For diehard NaruSasu fans their story pretty much ends here. The next story will be mostly the kids, many of who will be pretty grown. naruto and Sasuke will make appearances of course but the main focus won't be on them. I guess all my Bonded and New Bonds readers will leave now...well I hope to get new readers XD.

I'll be resuming reviews of everyone's work so watch out...nad I'm going to tackle the giftfics soon. Other than that, onward!

Chapter 21

Sasuke and Neji had been traveling for a few days. They got along well, moved with moderation and talked about a variety of topics. One day, when Sasuke was discussing his attachment to Aimi, Neji abruptly remembered that he and Ino were expecting another. It reminded the Hyuuga that he and his wife were currently estranged.

"Hey, Sasuke," Neji began with a frown.

"Hm?" Sasuke was enjoying the day and life in general. It was breezy outside, the Fire Country's trees a riot of color around them. Multi-colored leaves littered the ground and Sasuke had fun kicking through the drifts.

"Do you and Naruto ever argue?"

"Lots of times. What couple doesn't?"

"And do you guys take days and weeks before you settle the argument?"

Sasuke turned surprised eyes to Neji. "Days and weeks of not talking to each other while we're in the same house? That would kill us. No, we tend to just argue till it's settled or, more often, duke it out."

"Fighting?"

"Yes. It's cathartic."

"I see. So…you and Naruto have a really open relationship?"

"Yes."

"You talk about anything and everything?"

"Mmm…yes, I would say so. We don't hide things from each other."

"Oh. Can I ask you something personal?"

"I guess," Sasuke said warily.

"Okay. If Naruto came up to you and asked if you guys could have a threesome with someone, would you agree?"

Sasuke gave it some thought. Why am I the one people always come to for sex advice, he wondered before he spoke. "The thing is Naruto's mentioned threesomes before. It's like his one great unfulfilled fantasy."

"How come you guys haven't done it?"

"I don't know," Sasuke frowned. "It's not like we haven't tried everything else."

"So would you agree if he asked you now?"

Sasuke walked along for awhile in silence, turning it over in his mind. "I guess it would depend on who the third party was," he said carefully. "Naruto would probably suggest a woman and I don't like women."

"I see. And if you could choose someone? Who would it be?"

Sasuke gave a sidelong glance at the features that were divine in their handsomeness. Naruto was all the man he wanted, but Neji was gorgeousness made flesh. "Uh, I don't know. Naruto is all I want. Why the interest in threesomes anyway?"

Neji told of the argument between him and Ino. He spent some time explaining Ino's fantasy of having Ebisu fuck her. He left Sasuke's name out of it, though. Sasuke listened with a small smile.

"It's always the quiet ones," Sasuke muttered under his breath. Who would have thought prim and proper Ino had such a wild side? Out loud he said, "Why'd you get upset? I'm sure you have a fantasy. If she'd come along and suggested you guys act out your fantasy would you have minded?"

"Yes!" Neji said righteously. "Fantasies are not for acting out on."

"Why not?"

"Because…they…they're just not."

Sasuke looked at him. "What's your fantasy, Neji? It's got to be something really wicked or you wouldn't be all uptight about it. What is it, something that would taint your precious image and reputation? Come on, you can tell me," Sasuke cajoled. He was hard pressed not to laugh at the distraught expression on Neji's face.

"If I did tell you," Neji said darkly, "you'd never look at me the same way again."

Sasuke laughed outright. "I knew it! Something wicked! Tell," Sasuke demanded.

"No."

"Come on…" Sasuke nudged Neji hard with an elbow, sending the tall man staggering sideways.

"I said no," Neji bit out. "But let me ask you something. You said you'd agree to a threesome if the third party was a man, right?"

"I didn't say anything of the kind, but okay. We'll go with that."

"Would you prefer someone you knew or didn't know?"

"Someone I knew."

"And of the people you know, who would you choose?"

"Ugh…I don't know, okay?"

"You have to think someone besides Naruto is fuckable. What about Sai? He's attractive. At least Kiba seems to really think so."

"Sai? No."

"Kiba?"

"No."

"Chouji?"

"No."

"Gaara?"

"Son of a fucking…no."

"…me?"

Sasuke nearly missed a step. He cursed himself for hesitating in answering, since Neji was now regarding him with interest. "No. I'm kind of not okay with the idea of Naruto fucking someone besides me. And I guess that's why we haven't done threesomes."

Neji was silent. Sasuke was blushing and had been since the Hyuuga had suggested himself. He allowed himself to entertain the thought that maybe Sasuke thought he was good-looking. It was a heady thought. Too bad Sasuke would kill him if he approached him, though. He really was devoted to Naruto.

The Uchiha had made a good point earlier. If Ino had suggested a threesome with Sasuke Neji would have jumped on the opportunity. Now that he admitted it to himself, Neji saw how unfair it was to be angry with Ino for bringing the idea up. What a hypocrite I am.

Neji abruptly changed the subject by telling Sasuke that Ino was expecting.

Gaara bounced Temari's second child on his knee. Little Toshiro had Shikamaru's brown hair and his sister's deep turquoise eyes. To-chan laughed and giggled while his uncle played with him but Gaara only smiled sadly.

He missed Itachi. The man was impossible, it was like living with a rock. A very beautiful, sexually aggressive rock, but a rock just the same. And Gaara had not had a moment's peace or happiness since he'd left him. He was seriously considering swallowing his pride and asking Itachi to take him back. There was no one who could fill the void in his heart that being away from the bastard had left. Not even the delights of his haram sufficed anymore. Itachi. Itachi was his love. He needed the man. End of discussion.

Gaara summoned a maid to take his nephew to his parents. Then he told his manservant to pack a bag for him. He was going to Konoha. He would force Itachi to take him back if he had to.

Before the attack…

Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Chouji, Tenten, Sakura, Ino, Lee, and Kakashi were gathered in Itachi's living room.

"You are all close friends of Naruto and Sasuke," Itachi began. "And since I feel Danzo will make a play for them, I think you should know the truth about Raiden and Aimi and where they come from. Also…Raiden will be joining the fight. It's best you have an explanation for whatever abilities he exhibits. I'm only telling you this because you'll be putting your lives and those of your clans on the line for Naruto and Aimi. I trust you will keep what I say a secret and not betray Naruto's or my brother's trust by spreading the information."

There were firm nods all around.

"Good. The other reason I'm telling you is because it has been proven that friends are necessary to help protect what you love. It's something that has taken me a while to learn. I know my brother and Naruto have done their best to protect their children, but obviously they aren't enough right now. Naruto has protected you all at one time or another. Help me protect him and his children."

Lee wiped away tears. The rest of the people gathered swore to protect their comrade, team mate, friend and student. Itachi nodded. Then he told them the truth about Raiden and Aimi's respective conceptions. He gave a concise yet thorough account of their known abilities. Raiden chimed in here to add what he knew about his sister. Itachi rounded his recital off by telling of Danzo's interest in the children. Then he was silent.

They were undeniably shocked, visibly shaken, but when all was said and done they took it a lot better than Itachi thought they would. Kiba even managed a small laugh.

Afterwards, Raiden wanted to fold them all directly to his daddy but he was denied; no one knew what sort of danger surrounded Naruto at the moment. Raiden settled for leading the attack with Kiba and his family.

***

Now here they all stood. It was night, but ANBU had no trouble seeing the sea of angry faces. Kiba made his opening taunt. They charged.

Kiba galloped ahead on Akamaru, Raiden flapping along above him. The strategy had been decided by Kakashi: Raiden and the people Itachi had confided in, with the exception of Ino, would make their way down through the underground rooms while the clans dealt with ANBU. The ones going underground were referred to as the Rescue Team.

Raiden stretched his hands in front of him now as they neared the wall of ANBU and let loose a blast of wind chakra that parted them like a curtain. Kiba galloped through with the Rescue Team right behind him. Raiden hung on to Kiba's back.

"Hokage-sama!"

Danzo grunted at hearing the sharp voice in his earpiece. "What is it," he ground out angrily. The voice belonged to one of the men he'd left with the girl.

"The hideout has been breached, sir. Several ninja are approaching our place even as we speak."

Danzo thought furiously. They would take the girl, if nothing else. Danzo didn't want that to happen. If he couldn't have her power then no one would. "Fight them," he said into his earpiece. "Defeat them if you can, stall them if you can't. And kill the girl before they get to you."

The Sixth Hokage took the earpiece out of his ear and dropped it on the cave floor. He crushed it beneath his heel. He would tolerate no more interruptions.

"Hokage," one of the cloaked figures said. "We are ready for extraction. Should we proceed?"

"Yes," Danzo said. "Begin, by all means."

Aimi was watching a centipede crawl along the floor when she was snatched up roughly.

The kunai came from behind or she might have been able to prevent what happened. It sliced her tender throat easily. Aimi felt herself dropped to the hard cave floor, saw the bloody kunai that the man who'd dropped her held, but she didn't immediately understand what had happened.

When it came to her that she'd been hurt, her mind reached past its barriers to accomplish what she'd never been able to do before, wild with panic. Her young being cried out to her Papa as her life force bled away.

Sasuke and Neji were sitting at their campfire. They'd finished eating. Neji was just taking out his iPod and cueing in a song for Sasuke to listen to.

"Really, it's one of the best I've ever heard, has a great dance beat," Neji was saying as he pressed the play button.

The opening notes of the song hit the night at the exact moment that Sasuke grabbed his head and screamed in agony. Neji hurriedly shut the iPod off and hurled it as far away from him as he could. He looked at Sasuke with wide eyes.

***

Sasuke had been looking at the iPod expectantly, a smile in place as he anticipated another thoroughly enjoyable evening with Neji.

!!!!PAPA!!!

Sasuke didn't register a voice or the word or anything except the excruciating pain in his head. He threw up on his chest, felt tears streaming from his eyes and still his head rang with the assault.

!!!!PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA!!!!

He was going Level Two, he could feel it. In this stronger state his head hurt slightly less and he was able to interpret the assault as sound, the sound as a word and the word as himself. But what-

Raiden?!?

!!!!PAPAPAPAPAPApapapapa…papa!!!

The voice was weakening. Aimi! Aimi, baby is that you?!

Naruto had never said that Raiden's mind voice had a particular sound or that it sounded like his speaking voice. Sasuke knew it was his daughter though he'd never heard her speak. The voice in his mind was feminine, monstrously loud, amplified until it didn't sound remotely human. It was like a giant speaking in his skull. An image came to him:

A bloody kunai. That was all.

***

Neji looked fearfully down into Sasuke's face. He had the man's head in his lap. Sasuke was still clutching his hair, drool leaking from his lips. His transformed state was difficult to get his arms around, what with the wings. "Sasuke?" Neji breathed. Sasuke didn't respond. His eyes were screwed shut. Neji looked around the clearing as if help could be found in the surrounding trees.

***

AIMI!! Sasuke yelled at the voice. He willed it to respond. He got nothing. He tried again and again. He strained until he screamed with the effort.

There.

Papa…

So weak! Something, someone had hurt her. Aimi, can you heal yourself? Aimi! Princess! AIMI!

This time, no matter how much he strained, Sasuke couldn't reach her again. He opened his eyes, exploding out of Neji's grasp with enough force to knock the Jounin through a tree. Neji extracted himself and yelled at Sasuke's rapidly retreating form. The Uchiha's wings flapped powerfully, propelling him through the air as he sped towards Konoha.

Neji dashed to catch up, holding his shoulder where it had been dislocated.

Heal. Her Papa had said to heal herself. Aimi had never needed to do such a thing. Her fathers took good care of her, as had her brother. Piper had never let anything harm her. The odd bumps she'd received had not hurt her. Not even being dropped by Raiden had hurt her.

Oh, but she was hurt now. She saw all her blood pooling on the floor beneath her cheek as she heard the distant sounds of shouting. She could sense her brother drawing nearer. Heal.

Her chakra leaked out of her feebly. She attempted to reverse the damage to her neck. The skin partially knit, as did the arteries, but Aimi lost her hold on consciousness, too weak to continue. Her blood continued to pulse out of her in time to her slowing heart beat.

Akamaru's nose led them to the chamber that housed the ANBU men and Aimi. Raiden saw his sister.

No. Oh no.

"Aimi!" Raiden shrieked. He landed in the pool of dark blood and snatched her up. She was limp, her face gray, her lips blue. "Aimi, no!"

Aimi's eyes opened a fraction. Her lips parted and Raiden leaned into her face. "Papa," she whispered.

Yes! Papa, Raiden thought. His chakra was a black cloud around him and his sister as he Pulled savagely on the distant feel of his Papa's presence. His Papa would need to fight in his place.

Neji had caught up to Sasuke and was running beneath him, shouting question up at him. Sasuke swooped down and yanked him off the ground by the back of his shirt. He was so angry, so mindless with fear that the added weight didn't even slow him down. Adrenaline had him exhibiting ten times his normal strength.

"I think my daughter is hurt," Sasuke said in answer to Neji's previous questions.

Neji could not remember his questions just then. He was busily staring down at the treetops that sped by under him. He clung to Sasuke tightly, feeling the muscles in his back work as the wings flapped. Sasuke flew higher and higher, winging steadily toward the village. He did hear Sasuke, though. He didn't ask how Sasuke could know what was going on in Konoha. He tried to distract himself from the dizzying heights.

"Hurt? But Naruto wouldn't let anything happen to her, right?"

"I have to assume Naruto isn't around or she wouldn't have been."

"Where would he be?"

"I'm thinking ANBU made their move."

"ANBU? What are you talking about? And anyway Naruto is unbeatable."

Sasuke remembered a certain day in a certain mountain of Skull Country. He'd crashed through the mountain wall to find his demon laid out on the floor, definitely beaten. Ironic that he'd been heading to the same country when this catastrophe had struck.

"No. Usually he can't be beaten. The only way would be if he were dead."

"You don't think…?" Neji said in a horrified voice. Wind whipped his hair behind him.

"You're right, I'm not thinking about that. I'm just focused on-"

Neji hollered, but Sasuke knew what was happening: He and Neji were being Pulled. It shocked him at first, but he soon recovered. He found himself in an underground room, a battle all around him. He dropped Neji as he spotted Raiden holding-

No.

He'd hoped...

Sasuke had no memory of crossing the distance to his son, but he was suddenly right there, reaching for his daughter, his baby girl. The sight of her injury was worse than he'd imagined.

Raiden stood up with Aimi before Sasuke could touch her. He gathered his thoughts and slammed them into his Papa's head at the same time he Boomed.

Sasuke flew backward. The thoughts roiled in his mind: I have to take her to Wyatt, Papa. They have Daddy. Danzo. He has a Sharingan. I was going to fight, but I'm going to save Aimi. I might be too late as it is-

The thoughts cut off there. Sasuke opened his eyes.

Kiba, Shino and Kakashi were just doing away with the last of the ANBU in the room when the blast of purple chakra from the corner had them throwing their hands up in defense.

Raiden materialized where Wyatt was, as usual. Except Wyatt was currently in the middle of a huge demon attack. He, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Billie were all surrounded. Raiden didn't have time for trivialities; his sister was dying in his arms. He lifted a hand and let loose the strongest blast of fire-based chakra he'd ever summoned. The demons were obliterated completely.

"Wyatt," Raiden screamed.

Wyatt turned, ready to shout happily at Raiden's familiar voice and face. The shout died in his throat as he took in his friends. He ran to them, his hands already outstretched and glowing. He could hear his mom and aunts running behind him.

"Oh, God," Wyatt breathed when he'd gotten close enough to see the damage. His hands hovered over Aimi's throat.

Long minutes passed. Nothing was happening. Aimi lay pale and still, her blood all over her brother."Please," Raiden sobbed. "Please, you have to help her!"

Wyatt kept his face down, unable to face Raiden with this monumental failure. He started to withdraw his hands.

Aunt Paige stopped him and placed her hands with his on Aimi's torn throat. Together they put forth all the healing they could muster. They searched for some sign of life in the girl. Raiden's tears fell heavily, his heart hurting enough choke him.

Kiba climbed onto Akamaru. "This way." He headed into the tunnel at a dead run. Sasuke was right behind him, Neji behind Sasuke and the rest pulling up the rear. Itachi stopped his kids from following.

"Guard this tunnel entrance. Kill anyone who attempts to pass. Show no mercy. None, do you hear me?" Itachi's voice made stone seem soft. He'd seen his niece, saw Sasuke and the grief he'd swallowed in order to focus on retrieving Naruto. If Sasuke didn't manage it before him, Itachi would make Danzo rue the day he'd ever been born, so help him. That the man could still hurt the Uchihas this way!

The farther they traveled in the dark, the clearer Sai's scent became. It was being masked with some putrid-smelling substance but it was there. Akamaru woofed softly, hunkered down and ran even faster.

Danzo watched the demonic orange chakra swirling out of the Jinchuuriki in thick waves. He was standing on the beach, looking into the cave from a distance of a few dozen yards. His guests had told him it would be safer for him, even though the cave was spacious enough to accommodate them all. He rested his hands on his cane in contentment. Soon all would be as it should be.

Outside the Hokage building, the battle had raged briefly, fiercely, before it became obvious that the ANBU were no match for an enraged mob consisting of elite clans and various other ninja. They decided to save themselves while they still could.

They scattered and ran.

"After them!" Tsume roared. "Get the yellow bastards!"

Growling erupted as the Inuzuka dogs gave chase. The clans pursued the ANBU in small groups, an Inuzuka leading each one with their sense of smell.

A few of the villagers, led by Konohamaru, stayed behind and secured the Hokage building.

A tiny, flickering wisp of life was finally located in Aimi. Paige and Wyatt snagged it just as it was about to vanish and poured all the strength of their ability into nursing it.

Piper had her nose and mouth covered with her hands, crying so hard that her body shook. She made no sound, though. Phoebe had an arm around her. Her own face red and wet from her tears. She thought of what she would do if her own daughter should be in such a position. Her heart called to her husband and suddenly Coop was there, lending her support.

The life in Aimi stuttered, wavered then grew steadily. Wyatt breathed a sigh of relief that Raiden heard. He lifted his face sharply and caught Wyatt's beaming smile. Raiden felt his face split in an answering grin as his body began shaking in a delayed reaction.

Aimi soon improved enough to take over the healing process herself. Her chakra escaped, swelled, bloomed. Wyatt and Paige stepped back as Aimi sat up in Raiden's arms.

Raiden's happy greeting died in his throat.

"Oh, my," Coop breathed.

Aimi's throat was completely healed. Her hair was wild, curly and white. Her eyes were yellow, her skin dark. Her tail whipped the air angrily. She bared her small fangs in a growl that had everyone covering their ears in pain. Light surrounded her as she disappeared. The sound of her rage still echoed around them, but she was gone.

Raiden stared at the place in his lap where she'd sat so recently, nonplussed. After a moment he got up too. He stood looking at Wyatt and his family. He felt as if his brain were trying to catch up to everything that had happened. His sister had been dying, then she wasn't, then she was gone.

Wyatt only saw his much missed friend alive and well. He walked away from the huddle of his family to wrap his arms around Raiden. His cheek rested against the other boy's. It was still wet with tears.

Coop studied the two boys with interest. Being a Cupid, he was naturally sensitized to love. He felt his ring activate and glow powerfully. Curious, he stepped closer to the embracing boys and felt his ring begin vibrating. Wow. It's the real thing, powerful as any true love I've ever felt. I wonder where it will lead them.

Raiden was taking in his surroundings over Wyatt's shoulder. "Where are we?" he whispered.

"The underworld. We were trying to squash an uprising. You just killed the demon who was leading it and his minions." Wyatt's voice was soft, his arms tight around Raiden.

"Oh." Raiden was in no hurry to leave. Wyatt's embrace was slowly erasing the hurt and horror of Aimi's near death. Wyatt always made him feel better. But his Daddy. He had to get back and help save his daddy. He eased out of Wyatt's arms reluctantly.

Wyatt knew it was time for him to go. This time he didn't plead and beg and ask when Raiden would be back. Raiden always came back.

Raiden looked into Wyatt's sky blue eyes. He felt an urge to do something. He leaned in and softly touched his lips to Wyatt's, thanking him for his sister's life in a way he couldn't with words.

Wyatt smiled radiantly. Then Raiden was gone, too.

It was Kiba that interrupted the extraction process, leading the vanguard of Naruto's rescue unit. He cared about Naruto too, but it was Sai that had him bursting through the end of the tunnel with a bellow to send the four cloaked figures scrabbling out of the way. He went directly to Sai.

Sasuke walked out of the tunnel with lightning crackling around his body and purple chakra darkening the atmosphere around him. His eyes fell on Naruto.

Naruto and Sai were on the bare rocky floor of the cave, shirtless. A circle of written kanji surrounded them, scrolls at each point of the compass on the circle. Before they'd fled, Sasuke had seen the cloaked individuals sitting at these scrolls. He kicked one aside as he stood over Naruto, gazing down at him. The orange chakra stopped leaking out of the blond, returning to its host.

Naruto's blue eyes stared upward. A lance of terror subdued Sasuke's rage long enough for him to bend to his demon swiftly and check his pulse.

Relief flooded him. Naruto was alive, his heart beating strongly beneath Sasuke's shaking hand. "Naruto?"

***

Sasuke! Sasuke, they killed Aimi, go get Raiden and-

But Naruto could tell that his thoughts weren't reaching Sasuke, though he screamed them. He gripped the bars of his cage desperately.

***

Sasuke patted Naruto's face several times. Then he slapped him hard. Finally he punched him. He got no reaction whatsoever. He looked up, looked around.

Kiba had Sai, supporting him in a sitting position. The art ninja seemed unconscious. Kiba placed him on Akamaru and climbed up behind him. He made his way to the tunnel.

Out on the beach Chouji and Tenten had one of the cloaked figures bracketed. "Baika no Jutsu!" The man struggled in Chouji's huge fist, trying to form hand seals. Tenten killed him with a shuriken thrown to his forehead with sickening ease.

Lee and Neji were engaging another. Neji countered an earth jutsu with Kaiten while Lee leapt aside. Then Lee closed in with his blinding speed, raining blows on the man. Neji rushed to assist, his shoulder injury forgotten.

Shino, Hinata and Kakashi had a third. "Raikiri!" The man dodged, threw up a shield of fire that Hinata deflected. Shino's Kikai bugs swarmed around the man, consuming his chakra as Kakashi slammed his Chidori home.

Sasuke saw all this then turned his head at a noise behind him. It was his brother.

Itachi let the body of the fourth cloaked person, a woman, fall to the cave floor. He wiped his kunai on her shirt before coming over to where Sasuke knelt. "What's wrong with him?"

Sasuke looked back down at Naruto's blank face. "I don't know. But I intend to find out."

Naruto was gripping the bars of his cage tightly when Sasuke appeared in his mind. He'd never seen such a welcome sight in his life. "Sasuke!"

Sasuke eyed the cage Naruto was in. It sat in front of Kyuubi's sealed gate. Kyuubi was there, snarling, but otherwise silent. A closer look revealed Kyuubi's eyes to be dominated by Sharingan. So were Naruto's. Sasuke could see Naruto shouting at him, shaking the bars of his cage, but no sound reached Sasuke's ears. He walked toward Naruto cautiously, slowly.

His hands could pass through the bars, Sasuke found. Naruto gripped his lover's hands tightly, but even at this proximity, Sasuke couldn't hear him. Naruto's face was red, veins standing out in his forehead and neck with the force of his yelling. It made the hairs on Sasuke's head stand up. What the fuck?

Sasuke pulled on the bars as hard as he could. They didn't budge. He tried overriding the Sharingan that held Kyuubi to no effect. It was like running into a stone wall. He went back to Naruto's cage and held the blond head still. He said his words slowly, carefully so that Naruto could read his lips in case the odd soundlessness affected him too.

"I'm getting my brother to help. Sit tight, Demon."

Naruto stopped shouting. He nodded.

Itachi saw his brother blink his eyes and look at him. "Something's controlling Naruto and the Kyuubi. It's Sharingan," Sasuke said. "I can't overpower it."

Itachi's black brows drew forward. When Sasuke held his hand out to him, he took it. He let Sasuke guide them back into Naruto's mind.

The elder Uchiha had never been inside of another's mind outside of a Genjutsu of his devising. It was unsettling. He joined Sasuke at the Kyuubi's sealed gate, staring up at the huge creature in wonder. This, too, was a first. He swallowed.

"I can't free Naruto," Sasuke said gazing up at Kyuubi. "But I think if we free Kyuubi, he could help free Naruto."

Itachi nodded silently.

Naruto watched them from his cage. Sasuke hadn't looked too distraught so maybe he didn't know about Aimi. Naruto's heart ached and bled that his daughter was dead. Raiden must have brought Sasuke from wherever he'd been. Which meant Raiden had gotten the message after all. Good ole Raiden. You could always depend on that kid. But oh, God, Aimi!

The blond struggled to hold it together until he was returned to himself. When Sasuke had reached through the bars and touched him, it had felt like new life was pouring into him. Sasuke was here, they could face this together.

But Sasuke and Itachi could not break the Genjutsu on Kyuubi. "I can't even tell how it is set up," Itachi murmured. "It's intricate and locked in place. I think we need the one who cast it in order to break it."

"Danzo," Sasuke said. His voice was flat, the voice of death.

"Yes," Itachi said, surprised. "How did you know?"

"Raiden filled me in."

Sasuke turned from Kyuubi's cage. He went to Naruto. Itachi saw them hug through the bars, Sasuke speaking into Naruto's anxious face, promising he'd get him out of there.

Danzo watched from a distance as his guests were killed. His lips tightened at the disruption of all his carefully laid plans. He turned from the scene and leapt agilely up the craggy face of the short mountain that housed the tunnel.

Neji, Lee, Kakashi and the rest jogged back to the cave. They found Sasuke and Itachi standing at the entrance, Naruto slung over Sasuke's shoulders. "Who fought Danzo?" Sasuke asked them.

The group looked at each other in consternation. Each thought the other had encountered him. When it became clear that Danzo had escaped, Sasuke and Itachi's eyes blazed red.

"Hinata and I will find him," Neji said trying to ward off the eruption of violence he saw in the brothers.

"I will help you," Shino offered. The three left immediately.

The rest of the group escorted Sasuke back through the tunnel to the underground room. Itachi stayed in the cave, waiting for Danzo to be brought.

There was no hope to be had. Everywhere ANBU turned there were Hyuugas or Inuzukas or Akimichi's or some other damn family waiting to cut them down. They couldn't outrun the Inuzukas' sense of smell and they couldn't overpower the other clans.

A group of about fifty ANBU hid behind a low building near the eastern edge of the village. They conversed in muted tones.

"We can't escape!" one said.

"We should turn ourselves in like some of the others did," said another.

The leader of the small group had indeed heard some of his comrades surrendering to their pursuers. He'd heard others being cut down as they fled or being beaten as they turned and fought. None of those options seemed appealing to him.

"We'll leave the village," he said now. "Head for the gates and make for the forests. We'll be missing-nin, but I'm sure some other village will take us in exchange for Konoha's secrets."

It was decided. They traveled stealthily in a tight pack from shadow to shadow, heading for the village gates.

A cry went up in the distance. They'd been spotted or smelled. The ANBU broke into a dead run, using Shunshin to speed their movements. The use of chakra helped their pursuers track them, but it couldn't be avoided.

The gates were up ahead. They were going to make it!

They ran into a wall of sand and a lone figure standing with his arms folded, gourd on his back and a bag by his feet.

"Suppose you tell me," Gaara said in his low voice, "why it is that the gate is left unguarded and ANBU are being pursued by villagers."

Sasuke glanced at the many bodies of ANBU agents that lay scattered around the room. His nieces and nephews were sweaty, slightly bloody and very proud of themselves. He lay Naruto down gently on the ground as Kakashi, Chouji, Sakura and the rest of his friends crowded around. Itachi's children crept close as well. "What happened to him," Juro whispered.

"He's in a mind-controlling technique and I can't break him out," Sasuke said as he brushed Naruto's hair gently from his forehead. "Neither could Itachi. If Danzo isn't captured…" But Sasuke couldn't finish.

Just then a loud booming sound had everyone reaching for weapons and whirling around. They relaxed with muttered oaths as they shook off the rush of adrenaline; it was only Raiden. Sasuke crossed to him quickly and grabbed his arm.

"Where's Aimi?" He shook the boy in his agitation.

"What…she's not here?" Raiden looked around at the staring faces.

"Here…you mean she's alright? She's not…" Sasuke's wild eyes searched Raiden's desperately.

"She's fine, Wyatt and Paige healed her. Then she Boomed. I thought she came back here since she…ah…since she looked pretty mad."

Sasuke sagged to the floor, his face covered by a hand. The relief was too much to be born. His shoulders shook with silent sobs of gratitude. Lee laid a hand on the back of Sasuke's neck in commiseration. Sasuke suddenly reached forward and snatched his son into a fierce embrace. "You did well, son. You did very well, bringing me and saving your sister."

Raiden squealed against his father's chest, protesting the crushing hug. Sasuke only released him when Hiroko piped up in her eternally cheerful voice. "Uncle Sasuke?"

He turned to her. Sasuke belatedly became aware of all the people in the room and the fact that they'd seen Raiden Boom, heard things that they probably shouldn't have. Kakashi saw the look on his face and hastened to reassure him. "Itachi explained the truth about your children, Sasuke. Their secret is safe with us, don't worry."

Sasuke stood. He didn't know how to react. He felt like he was suffering from a bad case of vertigo; He'd seen Aimi dying and had wanted to kill everyone in sight, except his friends had already taken care of all the enemies. Then he'd seen Naruto and been powerless to help him. His demon and children had needed him and for once he hadn't been the one to save them. Raiden and Aimi's secret was out, yet no one was looking at him any differently. It felt as if the world had been turned inside out, the rules governing his life done away with.

Sasuke looked down when he felt tugging on his hand. Hiroko smiled brightly up at him. "If it's mind control maybe I can help?"

Sasuke had no idea what she was talking about. His mind was a blank. Hiroko pointed to Naruto and Sasuke blinked his way back to earth, taking a deep breath and trying to focus. "Uh…yeah. Itachi and I tried, but the Genjutsu is too intricate. Itachi said it was locked in place."

Hiroko's eyes lit up. "Sounds like a fun challenge! Can I try?"

Sasuke marveled that not a single one of Itachi's children were what could be called sane. He nodded. Hiroko hopped to Naruto and knelt down. Raiden followed her. Everyone else moved back to give her room. Kakashi watched with his Sharingan, Sasuke and his nieces and nephews with theirs.

Hiroko's smile faded as she activated her Sharingan and became all business. She slipped into Naruto's mind with a degree of finesse that not even Sasuke possessed.

Naruto saw Hiroko. He watched her from the behind the bars of his cage as she walked forward. Her mouth was open as she stared up at Kyuubi. "Hiroko," he shouted. She turned to him. Naruto gasped. "You can hear me?"

"Yes," she said. She forgot about Kyuubi for the moment to come and study the cage. He reached through the bars and touched her hair.

"Thank fuck," Naruto said in a rush. "Hiroko, please, if you know how to get me out of here…my kids…Danzo, that son of a bitch…"

Hiroko wasn't listening. She tilted her head to the side as her red eyes ran up and down the bars. Then she stared at the Sharingan in Naruto's eyes. His face looked almost alien with her family's bloodline limit.

Naruto felt Hiroko in his head. Not where the cage and Kyuubi were, but in his head, searching, seeking…

"Ah…cool…" Hiroko breathed. She saw that if she wanted to break the cage, or the Genjutsu it represented, she'd need to undue what had been done to Uncle Naruto's mind. Very complicated, but Hiroko wasn't worried. She excelled at these kinds of finely detailed problems. It was what made her so talented with Genjutsu.

Naruto felt a pulling sensation in his head and he saw the bars of his cage bend outward. They continued to bend the stronger the pulling sensation became until something snapped in him. At the same time the bars shattered into a fine mist. Naruto felt as if weights that had been holding his senses down were suddenly lifted.

Hiroko did a little skip. "I did it! See, your eyes are blue again."

Naruto ran forward and hugged her. Then he turned to the big gates behind him. "I owe you, Hiroko. Thank you. Can you free Kyuubi?"

"Mmm," the girl seemed to think as she stared up at the snarling demon fox. She tapped her lips. "I can try."

Naruto watched her as she became silent and still. He edged closer to her in case she was successful.

Hiroko discovered that there were several 'locks' holding Kyuubi in the Genjutsu. The locks were indeed very intricate. She didn't dare try to enter the Kyuubi's mind; she was too afraid. Without doing that, however, undoing the locks would take longer. She set to work.

Sasuke could see what Hiroko was doing and was plainly amazed at her skill. She was unmistakably the most talented Genjutsu user to come along in the Uchiha family in several generations. Her use of the art was instinctual. There was a flexibility to her approach with Genjutsu that allowed her to devise new methods with it but it also allowed her to be presented with a problem like Naruto and be able to come up with a solution almost immediately. She was incredible.

Hiroko was working on the last lock when Kyuubi, sufficiently restored to himself to take over, burst free of the Genjutsu with a blast of chakra. Naruto, anticipating the fox's reaction to being free, snatched Hiroko just before the chakra could touch her and propelled them both out of his mind.

Hiroko screamed and fell backward in the underground room. Naruto surged to his feet with a growl, Kyuubi chakra surrounding him heavily. Sasuke winced, shielding his face with a forearm as the chakra filled the room. Everyone else backed away, watching their friend.

Raiden had been watching his daddy while Hiroko worked. When he'd seen him lying there, eyes staring, he'd thought: this is what I saw in my vision. He looks dead, but he's not. Now he gazed up at his daddy, Big Fox leaking out of him. "Daddy, you're okay!"

Naruto looked down at his son. Then he looked at Sasuke. "Aimi?"

"She's alright, though I don't know where she is. Raiden saved her. We'll get him to bring her," Sasuke said. "You okay, Demon?"

Naruto ignored him. "Danzo. Where is he?"

Sasuke watched as Naruto's fangs dripped on the floor. "I don't know. The Hyuugas and Shino are scouting for him."

"Fuck that. Raiden," Naruto said in his guttural voice. "Pull the piece of shit here. Right now."

Raiden didn't consider disobeying.

"There," Neji said. He spotted the odd dual chakra source of Danzo several hundred yards up ahead on the left. He sprinted in that direction, Hinata and Shino running after him.

Danzo was quite spry for someone near eighty. He had his robe hiked up around his bony knees with his left hand and his legs ran nimbly through the forests behind Konoha. Shino's bugs roared past Neji in an enormous cloud, surrounding the Hokage in the dawn light.

"Watch out!" Hinata shouted, but it was too late. Some kind of wind jutsu obliterated most of the bugs. Danzo faced them and drew his sword. Neji, Hinata and Shino surrounded him, braced for a fight.

A flash of light blinded them all for a moment. When they could see, they looked curiously at the small creature before them. It had curly white hair that grew down the back of her neck in a thick mane. Her tail waved in the air and she moved on all fours. Her fangs were sharp white points over her dark lips. Her yellow eyes were stuck on Danzo.

Raiden got a fix on Danzo's location. He sensed other people around him, including Aimi. He gave a mental shrug, swept them all up and Pulled them to the underground room.

The blast of sound that revealed a bunch of people suddenly in their midst had everyone in the underground room yelling. Sasuke was the first to spot Aimi. He gave a hoarse cry and ran to her but she slammed him against a wall with her mind. She did the same for everyone in the room except Danzo. Naruto growled, Kyuubi struggling to be free within him at the sight of Danzo but he couldn't pry himself off the wall. He, along with everyone else, watched the scene unfolding in the middle of the room.

They all saw Danzo. He was looking around at them. He didn't quite seem fearful, but it was clear he was far from comfortable. His bloodshot Sharingan seemed to catch the meager light.

The other individual appeared to be an extremely fat little girl. A tail protruded from the seat of her dirty pink pants. As the girl stared up at Danzo, she transformed further, curly white hair growing on her wrists and ankles as if on the fetlocks of a horse. She even moved on all fours like some hoofed creature, though her hands were oddly webbed. She growled and it wasn't a cute sound. The walls of the room vibrated.

"Aimi!" Sasuke shouted. She ignored him. Only Danzo existed for her.

The Sixth Hokage finally brought his gaze down to her. Even as he watched, her yellow eyes switched to the red of the bloodline limit she'd been born with.

***

Sasuke drew in a breath. Danzo had just hit Aimi with a powerful Genjutsu. He needn't have worried, though. Aimi did something that tore the Genjutsu to shreds before it had properly touched her. With his own Sharingan Sasuke was able to see how Danzo and his daughter engaged in a battle for mental dominance. Danzo was very good.

Aimi was much better. And she was pissed off.

***

Neji and Hinata saw how the chakras in the Hokage and the girl swelled and shifted as they battled. The girl, Aimi, countered everything Danzo threw at her, each time more rapidly than the time before. Danzo's attacks were becoming weaker and slower.

***

Kakashi was in awe. Aimi used her chakra with a precision that only Sannin and Kage attained. Not an ounce was wasted and she was so forceful! A drop of sweat slid down his face as he wondered what she'd be like when she matured.

***

Kyuubi was a wild, raging beast in Naruto's mind. He saw, through his host's eyes, how the creature handled Danzo and snarled his encouragement. Naruto thought he'd never heard such fierce glee from his Bijuu before. Kyuubi cheered Aimi on recklessly. So did Naruto for that matter, albeit silently.

Danzo slumped to his knees.

The girl entered his consciousness and Danzo, whole and young inside his mind, quailed. She wasn't a baby, but an adult. She was of medium height, willowy, long black hair, deep blue eyes. There was an implacability to her face that mirrored her Jinchuuriki father yet there were also the delicate brows and fine bone structure of the Uchihas. She opened her mouth but no words came out. Her eyes bore into Danzo's skull as she roared. The sound blasted the flesh from his bones, set fire to everything in his mind. His last thought was that he would never have been able to control her.

Back in the underground room, Aimi watched as blood gushed from Danzo's nose, mouth and ears. His eyes liquefied in his head as his brain exploded from the force of her Genjutsu. Only then did Aimi return her body to normal.

The occupants of the room stood mesmerized for a few minutes, though the force holding them against the walls was gone.

"Awesome," Hiroko breathed softly.

That broke the paralysis in everyone else. They stirred cautiously, eyeing the girl sitting in the middle of the floor. Finally, Sasuke crept toward her. Aimi turned her head from Danzo's corpse to look up at him. She grinned, held up her meaty arms and said "Papa" with perfect clarity.

Sasuke froze. He turned wide eyes to Naruto who was right behind him. "She spoke…she said my name!"

"They both said your name first," Naruto muttered jealously. "I mean I only carried her and birthed her, you'd think she'd say 'daddy', but no…"

Sasuke grabbed his daughter from the floor and swung her into the air in a circle. She kicked her legs, laughing. Then he hugged her close, squeezing her solid body. "I thought I lost you," Sasuke said into her black hair. "You really scared me, Aimi."

The other people divided their attention between Danzo and the touching scene of Sasuke, Naruto and their children all hugging.

"What happens now?" Kaito wanted to know. That recalled everyone's attention to the fact that Konoha was essentially leaderless. Everyone looked at each other.

What happened was that everyone trooped out of the underground headquarters of Root to find the ANBU factions loyal to Danzo defeated. Many of them had been under Danzo's mind control and were freed now that he was dead. They swore to obey the new Hokage, whoever that may be, and serve Konoha. They were forgiven.

The ones who had genuinely supported Danzo's regime were brought to the Hokage building even as everyone stood around in the aftermath of the battle. They were brought by Gaara, held together in a solid ball of sand. The Kazekage was filled in about recent events. He went to Naruto, spoke to him for a time, ascertained that his brother was alright. Then his eyes searched until they found Itachi in the crowd. He was surrounded by his children. Gaara walked up behind the man he loved.

"You all did brilliantly. I'm proud of you," Itachi was telling his beaming kids. "You acquitted yourselves as true Uchiha this day and avenged our clan in the process. I could ask for nothing more, no better children."

Gaara listened in stunned silence. He watched as the children all hugged Itachi, nearly swallowing the man with their bodies. Gaara smiled. Seems he's changed while I was gone. He cleared his throat.

Itachi turned and saw Gaara standing behind him. The smile he'd been wearing for his children faded.

"Can we talk," Gaara asked quietly.

They did talk, long into that day. Then they made vigorous love all that night. Between the talking and the loving a decision was reached.

***

Sasuke received the news that Itachi was leaving his kids with him in a state of disbelief. "What?" he said weakly.

"I said you're the acting head of the Uchiha clan for now," Itachi repeated. "You and Naruto can move into my house and remain there until the compound is rebuilt. I've earmarked a nice large house for you once it is. Then you can all move into the Uchiha compound. I trust you'll do well with my children. You do well with your own, after all. Nana-san has elected to stay and help."

"But, where will you be?" Sasuke said in a trembling voice. Surely this couldn't be happening!

"With Gaara," Itachi said. "I can't keep asking him to leave his Kage duties to be here with me. I'm going to Suna with him to live. With Kakashi as Hokage the Uchihas are well placed to succeed here now. I'm not strictly needed to hound the council for our rights. Don't worry, I've spoken to the children and they're okay with this. Gaara and I will visit as often as we can." Itachi turned to leave.

"But," Sasuke spluttered. Itachi turned and raised his brows in question. "What are Naruto and I supposed to do with seventeen fucking kids?!?!?!"

***

Kiba had taken Sai to the hospital where Ino soon had him right as rain. He spent the remainder of his recuperation time at Kiba's house, the dog ninja hovering over him protectively.

Later, when Ino had patched her own husband up, Neji approached her. "I'm sorry about before. I hope you can forgive me." He rested his forehead against her smooth one, a hand to the child in her flat belly.

"Oh, Neji," Ino sighed. "I've really missed you." Her lips sought his eagerly. Neji mentally brace himself for an hours-long session of make-up sex.

A week later Neji presented Ino with a large gift-wrapped box in their room. Curious, she undid the bright red ribbon. The box opened to reveal Ebisu. He was naked. Ino shrieked in delight. Neji grinned his wolfish grin.

***

The council elders, also victims of Danzo's mind control, allowed as how a new Hokage needed to be selected. Kakashi was nominated by the Daimyo and voted into office by the Jounins. The Copy Ninja accepted graciously. He had one stipulation.

"I'll need an assistant, one who can learn the politics of being Hokage and take over for me when the time comes," the gray-haired man said amiably.

"Who do you have in mind?" Homura asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

The suggestion was given due consideration. Into the silence, the Jounins sided with Kakashi one by one, approving of their new Hokage's first decision. It was decided.

***

By now a couple of weeks had passed since the coup. Sasuke, Naruto, Aimi and the triplets were home. Raiden and the other kids were at school or with their teams. The blond answered the knock on his door with Sasuke at his side.

Kakashi and two ANBU guards stood there. Naruto let them in. They all retired to the couches in the living room.

"You and I used to be pretty close, Naruto," Kakashi began when they were all comfortable. "Losing your friendship was one of the biggest regrets of my life. Your father was my sensei and mentor."

Naruto listened with his arms folded loosely, a neutral expression on his face. Sasuke stood beside him, rocking Aimi slightly. The girl was falling asleep on his shoulder.

"Do you think our friendship could be repaired?" Kakashi asked Naruto after a few moments of silence.

Naruto didn't have to think about it. "Of course, Sensei. I was a lot younger when the whole music thing went down, but I know you were just following orders."

"I'm glad to hear that," Kakashi stated. "Because my new position as Hokage isn't complete without an assistant. I'd like that position to be filled by you."

Naruto's eyes grew round. "M-me?"

"Yes. The position would come with a healthy monthly stipend. Missions would be few if you had any at all. You'd be my right hand, learning everything one needs to know to become Hokage, as well as my personal bodyguard. The job will involve a lot of tedious paper work and diplomacy, but I think with time you-"

Kakashi cut off as Naruto's arms closed around him. He was lifted off his feet in a bear hug. "I accept!" Naruto said happily. "I'll learn everything, I'll be the best assistant and bodyguard a Hokage has ever had. I won't let you down, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi fought free of Naruto's enthusiasm. He straightened his clothes with a small smile. Same old Naruto, he thought. "Yes," he said out loud. "About that. You can't call me 'Kakashi-sensei' anymore. You must refer to me with the proper respect and call me Hokage-sama."

Naruto bowed deeply and held the posture. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

***

Sasuke smiled. It hadn't happened yet, but it was only a matter of time. He knew Kakashi would groom Naruto well. This was only the beginning, but for all intents and purposes his demon had done it, he'd achieved his dream of becoming Hokage.

His eyes shone with love for the blond now exiting the house with The Seventh Hokage, listening intently to what his former teacher was saying. "I love you, Naruto."

Only the sleeping baby was there to hear. Sasuke didn't mind. He went upstairs and put her down in her crib. The triplets were already asleep in theirs. He stood looking out the window in the nursery. Winter was almost here. It had been a little over a year since he'd returned from the dead.

Long vistas of peace and happiness stretched before his mind's eye. He had his Demon. Their kids were happy and safe. Life was good.

Suddenly Sasuke grinned.