Chapter - 18

"Can I come in," Sakura asked surprised he didn't offer.

Naruto felt a little self-conscious about letting her in considering he had needed to open a window to air it out a little since the smell of sex had been rather thick. Hoping that it had a little he said, "Come on in." Sakura entered the room and was surprised that it was so clean while Naruto went and busied himself in the kitchen.

Sakura saw him preparing tea and waited for him to say something when it became apparent that he was doing the same thing, she asked, "Aren't you going to ask how the mission went?"

"I figured that was what you were here for," Naruto said with a shrug as he waited for the kettle to begin boiling.

The kettle began to steam so he poured it into two cups handing one to Sakura. She took a sip and recognized it as a white tea that Ino liked. Staring at him as he sat in his leather chair, she wondered when he had even begun to drink tea. Naruto waited for Sakura to collect her thoughts as he enjoyed the tea that Ino had brought since she figured she was going to be spending a lot of time over.

"I take it that the mission wasn't a success," Naruto finally said causing Sakura to nod. "Oh well, did you at least find out who the spy was?"

"It was Kabuto," Sakura replied, "But apparently he betrayed Sasori. We…we ran into Sasuke."

"Was he there to help Kabuto kill Sasori?"

"No, our teammate Sai betrayed us. He met with Orochimaru for some reason, but after we tracked them down we ran into Sasuke."

"Oh," Naruto said watching her closely; she appeared on the verge of tears so he figured the meeting had gone rather poorly. "I take it he's still being a stubborn bastard and refuses to come back."

"He… he-he tried to kill us," Sakura said sadly. Looking at him hopefully she added, "Maybe he's still under the curse marks influence."

Naruto sighed but said, "I really don't think the curse mark is controlling him Sakura."

She looked at him and although she believed it was probably true a part of her had come here hoping Naruto would tell her otherwise. That he would in effect tell her everything was going to be okay. Much as he had when she had confided in him about her fears that Sasuke would seek out Orochimaru on the night he had ended up defecting. Feeling betrayed by her expectations,she snapped, "So you are just giving up on him now. Is that why you blew off this mission?"

"I blew it off for the very reason I gave you Sakura," Naruto said calmly which infuriated her more, "Do you really think my being there would have changed anything? Sasuke doesn't want to come home, I think we'll get a better understanding of what he plans for the future if he finds and kills Itachi."

"But… what about what Orochimaru has planned for him?"

"Sakura do you really think Sasuke is going to allow that snake to take over his body if he hasn't completed his ambition?"

"But…"

"Look Sakura, have faith that Sasuke has at least thought out what he's doing," Naruto said cutting her off.

"What if you're wrong?" Sakura said challenging.

"Then he'll become Orochimaru's next host body and we'll have a lot more to worry about then," Naruto said.

"Why…why are you acting like this," Sakura said, "You sound like you don't even care anymore?"

"I just have a lot on my own plate right now Sakura," Naruto said beginning to get annoyed. "I understand you care deeply for Sasuke, but let's not forget that I have to deal with Akatsuki which is after me. So forgive me if I'm not freaking out over Sasuke since anything that happens to him he did to himself okay. We'll bring him home if we can but I can't make it my main focus."

"Naruto…," Sakura said shocked at how he talked towards her, "I'm sorry."

"Forget it," he said with still a little hurt in his voice.

Sakura nodded but couldn't help feel something had changed between them and that it had probably happened while she was gone, yet it had solidified just now. She placed the cup down and not finding the support she was expecting said, "I should go."

"Okay, I'll see you at training when Kakashi gets out of the Hospital," Naruto said walking her to the door. She smiled as he opened it for her, but frowned as he closed it almost as soon as she stepped out and didn't watch her leave as he had Ino.

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Naruto was making his way to the hospital; he was still a little sore about Sakura's visit even a day after the fact. But it had made him all the more confident in his intention of leaving her alone. Still it had hurt a little that with all of Akatsuki after him all she could think about was getting Sasuke back, as unlike the Uchiha's, his problems weren't of his own making.

It was approaching midnight and Ino was watching the coma ward. The plan was for Kyuubi to make her attempt at waking Tayuya, and should she succeed, Ino and he would sneak the kunoichi out. Hopefully that way when the day shift nurse entered she would assume that Tayuya had died and since Tsunade was making the shifts it would most likely be someone who had negative feelings for Sound.

Entering the hospital he managed to get to the coma ward while encountering a limited number of people. Walking up to Ino, he returned the smile she gave him. She stood and kissed him deeply having not been able to see him that morning as had been the norm.

"What did Sakura want?" Ino said having been dying of curiosity since leaving his apartment the night before.

"For me to feel sorry for her about Sasuke not wanting to return to the village," Naruto said prompting Ino to frown at how bitter he had sounded about it.

"Forehead you idiot," she thought disappointedly. While it was true a week before she would probably be in the same boat as Sakura, she still couldn't help but be surprised that after being teammates with Naruto for so long that she was still so focused on Sasuke. However, she figured that either Sakura would come around or she wouldn't so decided not to dedicate too much concern to the matter. "Well let's get this show on the road," she said motioning Naruto to follow her towards the red-head's bed.

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Kyuubi kept her back turned towards Naruto as he approached her. "Are you ready?" he asked stopping several feet away from her.

"Yes," Kyuubi said concentrating as much as possible. She got a vague image of Tayuya lying in the bed in front of Naruto. Addressing her host she said, "Raise your arm and hold it over her chest." He was about to leave the seal to do so but Kyuubi said, "Concentrate and try to picture your surroundings. That way you shouldn't need to leave the seal."

"Okay," Naruto replied. Doing as instructed the area around them began to change into the hospital room. Complete with Ino, Tayuya, and another him. Picturing the doppelganger of him raising his arm it did so until it hovered over her chest.

"Good," Kyuubi said containing her surprise. She then tried to concentrate her limited power to send a tendril of energy into the girl. Naruto's hand began to glow red, but she couldn't muster the power necessary. She thought about telling him to touch Tayuya, but knew even then she simply didn't have the power. She tried again and noticed that behind the bars of the seal red energy began rising off her original form and was trying to come towards her but was being stopped by the seal.

Naruto noticed it as well saying, "Maybe you could do it if you were standing in the seal and reached a hand out."

"No," Kyuubi said disappointed since if Naruto didn't need her feared she would never get what she wanted, "the seal prevents too much of my power from escaping. Plus, if I accidently touched the bars I'll be zapped and may make the Sound-nin worse."

"Try again," Naruto said.

"I said I can't," the Kyuubi snapped.

"Just try," he said insistently.

Sighing the Kyuubi began to try again. She had moved closer to the bars hoping that some more of her power would bleed through but knew it was no use. She closed her eyes about to admit defeat again when she felt something warm take her hand. She was then filled with a surge of her power. Opening her eyes she saw Naruto holding her hand and with his other was touching one of the bars of the cage.

Smiling at her he said, "I guess you just needed someone to complete the circuit."

Kyuubi was tempted to try and overpower him, but knew all Naruto would need to do was let go of the cage so resisted. Instead, she concentrated causing a chakra claw to shoot forth from Naruto's hand outside the seal burying itself into the red-head's chest.

"Fascinating," Kyuubi said as she began to work her chakra into the girl's body. She was surprised that she couldn't feel any of the menace that using her chakra usually gave off.

"What is?" Naruto asked, causing Kyuubi to look at him and she wondered if Naruto was filtering it somehow.

"This girl's cellular structure seems to allow for her to change her form."

Naruto nodded saying, "Yeah she had a curse mark like Sasuke."

"Ah yes," Kyuubi said, "I think I can use that."

Naruto frowned but before he could ask felt a pulling sensations and when it was over found himself standing at the edge of a grass field Tayuya was sitting in front of him with her backed towards him. He felt a warmth on his hand and saw Kyuubi was with him.

He let it go and she said, "Now let's go talk to this Sound-nin shall we."

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