Lost of Innocence
Chapter Twelve: Aftermath Part One

Rated: PG-13
Disclaimer: As usual I don’t own Naruto or any of its characters, locations, or Make-Out Paradise.  I like studying the effects of things though.


“Gah!”  Naruto groaned as he opened his eyes.  Almost instantly he realized where he was, the Konoha Hospital.

“Looks like he’s finally regained consciousness.”  He hear a familiar voice say as he closes his eyes, the effort of opening them having been harder of him than he’d though.  
He sighed as he felt the medical gown on him instead of his usual suit.  How long did I stay there with Kub?  He wonders, his body feeling more like dead weight than that of a ninja’s.  The only part of him that felt anything else was his right arm which had an IV attached to it.

“Good.”  He heard another one say, he knew the voice, but right now he was having  a hard time clearing his thoughts.  “Naruto…can you hear me?”  He heard as he opened his eyes, seeing a familiar blond standing over him.

“Granny Tsunade.”  He manages to utter, his throat feeling extremely sore.  “How long…?”

“You’ve been out cold for the last three days.”  She pulls out a clipboard and looks it over.  “Though looks like your coming along nicely.”

“Yeah.  We also managed to remove the reversal seal that Kabuto put on you.”  Shizune says as she appears behind her, suddenly giving Naruto the answer to the question of who’s voice he heard earlier.

“It…wasn’t needed.”  Naruto mutters then coughs, prompting Tsunade to grab a cup of water and help him drink it.

“I read the reports.”  Tsunade says bluntly.  “It might not be needed, but I still prefer to have it there as a precaution.”

“Ok…”  He sighs, knowing that Kub is still resting from his birth.  “How is everyone?”  He groans.

Tsunade grins lightly.  “Better than we expected actually.  Only three people were killed, all at the hands of the giant snake.”  She informs him.  “Everyone else was knocked out, but well enough.  Only one person suffered worse than some minor concussions.”  She frowns.

“Tenten…”  Naruto mutters, having remembered watching her fall through Kyuubi’s eyes.  “So she’s ok?”

“She’ll be here in the hospital for another week, but she’ll survive.”  Tsunade smiles lightly.  “Nix saved her life.”

“Huh?”  Naruto groans as he pushes himself up, still feeling extremely stiff.

“She owed Shino a favor from freeing her.”  Tsunade explains.  “He cashed it in by having her save Tenten’s life.”  She pauses, almost as if she’s considering something major.  “Tell me something, how much do you know about Nix and Suigetsu?”

“He was from the Mist Village and wants to capture all of the Seven Swords of the Mist.  Nix…she’s sadistic from what I could feel, but I think she’s trustworthy…if you can pay her price.”  He groans as he forces himself  to take another sip of water.

“So…you think they were working for Kyuubi with no other motive?”  She asks.  “Other than money?”

“Yes.”  He nods.  “Why?”

“I’m still filing the charges.”  Tsunade says.  “Since Sakura and Hinata were forced to help I’ve given a pardon, but they will be on probation for the next year.”  Tsunade informs him.  “No missions unless they’re escorted by an ANBU agent.”

“They were trying to…”  Naruto looks at her, the tears forming in his eyes.

“They were trying to help both us and you, I know.”  Tsunade says.  “If there had been any other reason or if it had been anyone else then I would have had them executed.”  She says bluntly.  “Don’t worry about them either.  Hinata and Neji were both found passed out, but they were healed up fast enough to be released yesterday.”  She smiles lightly  “Sakura just had some cuts and scratches.  I’ve been keeping her at the mansion though.”

“Oh…”  Naruto frowns, but understands.  Hinata and Sakura would probably be watched for the rest of their lives, despite the one year period.  It was his fault though…like everything else.  “Sasuke?”

“He and Karin were executed yesterday.”  She explains.

“NO!”  Naruto reaches up and grabs her by the neck of her top and pulls himself to her.  “Why!?  They were doing it…”

“For their kid.”  Tsunade says.  “I know.”  She frowns.  “And you too.”  She swallows.  “I’d let you see the bodies, but they were burned…there isn’t anything left of them to see.”  She says, hoping that he’ll catch on to the weight of her last words.

“Still.”  He lets go, seeming to have at least some understanding.

“Don’t worry.  I sent their possessions to Rion and his family.”  She says.  “I couldn’t just let him go like I would have liked though.  He chose the sentence.”

“…fine.”  Naruto looks away.  “What about Kabuto?”

“He’s missing.”  She says.  “Choji fought him and lost, but Kabuto apparently vanished afterwards.”

“So…he was faking it.”  Naruto comments.

“Excuse me?”  She looks at him, slightly confused.

“He reported his victory, but then passed out.”  Naruto says, explaining to her.  “I saw and heard it through Kyuubi.”  He explains.  “Kyuubi figured he was lying, but decided to move on away.”

“Well, I wish he’d of killed him.”  Tsunade frowns.  “We lost his trail, but he’s still out there.”  She frowns.

“What about Nix and Suigetsu?  Are you going after them?”  He looks at her.

Tsunade looks at Shizune for a moment then nods.  Nodding back Shizune walks out of the door of the room and seems to stand guard, acting as if she’s stretching.  “What I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave this room, ok?”

“Ummm…ok?”  He looks at her, the confusion obvious in his voice.

“We’re not going to try and capture them.”  She informs him.

“Why?  They attacked us for money!”  He glares at her.  “I know she saved Tenten, but still…”

“And thanks to them we were able to survive with as few casualties.”  She says softly.  “Remember…sometimes things aren’t what they seem.”

“You…mean…”  Naruto looks at her.

“I hired them.”  Tsunade grins.  “I knew that Kabuto would try to hired the best mercenaries and they’re currently on top of the list.”  She explains.  “I got lucky and hit them first.”  She touches the necklace on his chest. “They gave me a full report of what happened according to Kabuto’s boasting.  They also got this back to us.”

“Oh…”  Naruto nods, understanding.  “I guess you really did think of everything.”

“Not really.  I sent a message to Gaara asking him for his aid due to his connection with you, but…they were intercepted before they got here.”  She sighs.  “That was a hard one to work out.”

“Huh?”  Naruto looks at her.  “Who stopped them?”

“The same people who stopped you.”  She swallows.  “I’ll go get them.”  She kisses his forehead then gets up and walks to the door.

“Hey Granny.”  He looks at her, making her stop before she touches the handle.  “What about me?”

“What about you?”  She asks, not looking at him.

“What’s my punishment?”  He looks at her.  “I’m just as much to blame…”

“No, you’re not.  I made the mistake of sending you into the fire alone.”  She looks over her shoulder at him, the tears forming in her eyes.  “You managed to save the village though, defeating Kyuubi…doing something your father never could.”  She grins lightly then grabs the door handle.  “The elders suffered a major stroke during the evacuation.  They’re currently unable to speak on the village’s affairs.”  She turns the knob.  “I can’t punish you for saving the village after I allowed you to be attacked by Kabuto.”  She frowns.  “If you’re desperate enough for punishment, then seek it out on your own.”

“Ok.”  Naruto sighs, then lets himself fall back onto the bed.  He knew that Tsunade was taking a huge risk by letting him get off the hook due to being imprisoned by Kyuubi, but he’d never forgive himself for what happened regardless of if anyone else did.

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“Why didn’t you tell me about that?”  Neji looked at Tenten while they ate at her hospital room, Lee going out to fill out his report for Tsunade now that she was fine.

“About what?”  She pokes at her chow mein almost absentmindedly with her chopsticks.

“Your grandfather.”  He looks at her, the hurt and anger obvious in his face.  He‘d been angry at her for the last two days since she confessed the truth of her heritage to Lee and Neji while she was still drugged for pain.  “That you were a decendant of the previous daimyo.”  He sighs.  “You realized things might have worked out differently then?”

“So?”  Tenten says, finally taking a bite of her food.

“SO?”  Neji glares at her for a moment.  “We could have been free of the constant harassment and pain of my family breathing down out necks when the topic of marriage came up.”

“So…would you have felt any different about me if you had known the truth?”  She looks up at him, her face completely blank.

“I…probably.”  He frowns.  “I still would have liked you though.”

“Maybe.”  Tenten shrugs.  “But the thing is though, I’m not like Neji.”  She puts her hands together.  “I know what its like struggling at the bottom.  For all your fate thinking, the fact remains…your well off in that you’ll never need to ask for money or struggle to make your voice heard, even as a member of the Hyuga clan’s branch family.”  She looks down.  “I loved how you wanted to change things, but you can’t do it all in one turn.  It’ll take time.”  She frowns.

“I’m patient.”  He says bluntly.

“Not patient enough.”  She puts down her chopsticks, her food suddenly losing its interest to her.  “You don’t want a family, that’s fine.”  She says bluntly.  “I do however.”  She sighs.  “So does Lee.  We like each other and you should just accept that.”

“I do.”  He frowns.  “I just…wish you’d been honest with me.”

“I never lied to you.  I told you I was an orphan and that my mother and father died fighting Kyuubi during the attack.”  She weakly grabs a glass of water and takes a sip before putting it down.  “You never asked if I knew who my family was.”

“I…”  Neji grunts, but remains quiet, knowing that’s she’s right.  “I really am happy for you and Lee.”  He says quietly, forcing himself to eat despite his anger.

“Then stop bugging me about things that happened with us.”  She says quietly, grabbing her cup and taking another sip of water.  “I’m going to get some rest now.”  She looks over at him, her eyes showing sadness and frustration.  “When I wake up…I expect you to be gone.”

“Fine.”  Neji sighs, getting up.  “If you need anything…”  He puts his hand on the door knob.

“I know…”  She sighs.  “I just want some time to myself right now.”

“Pleasant dreams.”  He says as he leaves the room, closing the door a little louder than he would have liked.

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Naruto opened his eyes as he heard the door slowly open.  First came Hinata who was bandaged up slightly, but otherwise fine.  Naruto sat up to wave at her, but suddenly found himself back on his back as Hinata practically jumped him with a long hug, glad to have her beloved back and safe.  Over her shoulder Naruto saw Kushina stepping through the door and smiling lightly.

“Naurto-kun.”  Hinata kisses his cheek.  “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Hinata.”  Naruto tries to push her off weakly, not having expected her to be so happy to see him.  “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry…as long as you’re back I don’t care.”  She grins lightly, but sits up so Kushina can walk up to him..

“Umm…hey.”  Kushina says weakly, not sure what exactly to say to Naruto.  She was sure that ‘Sorry I missed out on you growing up’ wasn’t going to cut it.  “I…ahhh…”

“Thanks mom.”  Naruto grins lightly then sits up to hug her.

“You’re welcome.”  She grins, having expected him to hate her more than anything.  “I’m sorry I wasn’t around…”

“You came when I needed you the most.”  He kisses her cheek.  “That’s more than enough.”  He smiles lightly, understanding better than anyone the curse of carrying a tailed-beast in them.  “You did what you had to do for both of us.  I couldn’t have asked for anything else.”

“Thanks son.”  She swallows.

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“Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I can’t still sense you Kakashi.”  Itachi says as he turns his head to ‘look’ behind him.

“I thought you were dead.”  Kakashi says as he steps out from around stairway on the roof of the hospital.

“Sorry to disappoint you.”  He says, then turns his head back so he’s facing over the edge of the roof.

“I’m not disappointed.”  Kakashi walks up to him and then leans on the railway of the roof.  “I was just surprised.  It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”  He sighs.  “I never thought you would have actually captured a spirit.”

“It caught me.”  Itachi grins lightly.  “I’m glad that my gift to you worked out for you.  I still have a hard time believing you could activate Mangekyou Sharingan  even though you’re night a member of our clan.”

“I’m just glad u were able to teach me.”  Kakashi says bluntly, Though at the time I was surprised you bothered, but then again I didn’t know the truth until recently.”

“About the Uchiha?”  Itachi asks, his eyebrows raised slightly.  He’d tricked Kakashi into learning how to activate his Mangekyou Sharingan under the ruse of making Kakashi a worthy challenge for him, but in reality it was to protect the village from the Akatsuki when they made their move.

“Yeah.”  Kakashi frowns.  “What didn’t you just come to us then?  We would of helped you.”  Kakashi says, referring to ANBU back when he was still in it.

“It was my job alone.  Besides, I didn’t want to risk Sasuke getting hurt.”  He says softly.  “It also would have caused a civil war.”  He frowns.  “My work would have been for nothing.”

“I guess.”  Kakashi sighs, then looks down at the ground.  “You tell Sasuke?”

“No.”  Itachi shakes his head.  “Its better for him to think I’m dead.”  He turns his head.  “He has a family of his own now anyway.”

“Your nephew shares your name too.”  Kakashi chuckles.  “You sure that you don’t want to hold him?”  He asks, his voice going flat.

“I would like to.”  Itachi says.  “I’m tired of the constant fighting and lies that surround my life.”  He lets his head drop lightly.  “But I have a job to do.  Besides…there’s too much blood on my hands.”

“I think that’s the truth for all of us.”  Kakashi says under his breath just loud enough to be heard.  “You staying?”

“No…”  Itachi shakes his head.  “Even if I wanted I couldn’t.”  He shrugs.  “Too many people remember me and it would be too difficult, even for me, to bridge up the gaps that I left in the village when I ‘betrayed’ the Leaf.”

“Enough of us know the truth.”  Kakashi says.

“Perhaps, but look at Naruto.”  Itachi smiles.  “He’s put his life on the line time and time again for everyone’s sakes and even now some of the villagers would be happy to have him die for real.”

“I guess…”  Kakashi says.  “Some people are just too stubborn.”

“Not everyone.”  Itachi smiles lightly.  “Those are the ones that make it worth while.”

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“According to Tsunade you’ll be out within the week.”  Kushina informs Naruto with a grin.  “She’s wanting to study the interactions with the new fox though, see if he gives you the same traits that Kyuubi did.”

“Probably.”  Naruto says lightly as he holds Hinata’s hand.  “What about you?”

“I’ll…be leaving shortly afterwards.”  She frowns.

“Huh?”  He looks at her confused.

“I’m not running or anything, but there are a lot of painful memories here.  That and I’m wanting to travel with Gobi and Itachi.”  She looks down for a moment.  “I’ve been with Gobi so long it feel strange, even after all this time, not having her in me.”

“I think…I understand.”  Naruto nods lightly.

“Thanks.”  She kisses Naruto on the forehead and gets up.  “I’ll give you two some time alone.”  She looks at Hinata and bows lightly.  “You’re a lucky young man son.”  She smiles and waves to Naruto then steps out, knowing that she’ll be back soon.

“She’s nice.”  Hinata says with a grin.

“Yeah.”  Naruto frowns as he looks up at the ceiling for a moment.  “Hinata look…I really am…”

“I told you…I don’t care.”  She squeezes his hand hard, using the pain to shut him up.

“Ouch.”  Naruto grunts.

“If you keep on there’s going to be a lot more where that came from.”  She warns him.

Despite the fact that he’s still upset with himself he can’t help but to chuckle.  His sweet and soft spoken Hinata had turned forceful about a few things, but it made him appreciate her even more.  “Fine.”  He grins lightly.

“Besides…I was with you.”  She grins lightly.  “That’s all I care about.”  She swallows.  “It has made me think some about the future though.”

“Huh?”  Naruto looks at her confused as she looks away.

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Shikamaru sighed as he sat across the living room of his house from Gaara, almost feeling the killer intent.

“So, when were you two planning to tell me.”  He says silently, almost as if he’s measuring his words.  Matsuri sits next to him hold on to him, trying to calm him down.

“Trust me, it wasn’t my intention.”  Shikamaru sighed.

“I don’t understand what your problem is.”  Temari crosses her arms.  “Just because I’m pregnant both of you start treating me like some sort of helpless wimp.”  She looks at both of them in the middle of the room, standing between the two of them and looking down at them.  “I’m still strong enough to protect the home I chose!”

“I never said that you weren’t.”  Gaara says quietly.  “But what about your child?”

“I was fighting to save its home too.”  She glares at him.

“I th-think Lord Gaara means…”  Matsuri starts, feeling even Gaara’s nervousness and fear of an angry Temari.  “…if you had fallen then your child would have too.”

“I know when to retreat!”  Temari glares.

“But you might not have been able to if you had to.”  Shikamaru sighs.

“You two better drop it now or else I’m going to beat you both into a pulp.”  Temari glares at them as well at Matsuri, warning her not to get involved or in the way.

“What a drag.”  Shikamaru sighs, but grins lightly, being reminded of why he loved Temari.

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“What do you mean you’ve been thinking about the future?”  Naruto asks.

“Well umm…”  Hinata looks away, trying to think of how best to say what’s on her mind, but preparing herself for the worst.

“Well?”  He looks at her, trying to coax what hiding out of her.

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“Are you sure you forgive me?”  Sakura asks Lee, glad that he dropped by so they could talk with one another and so she could beg for his forgiveness.

“It is water under the bridge.”  Lee grins.  “Staying upset about something like that would be stupid.  I can not change the past.”

“Tenten is lucky.”  Sakura grins and shakes her head, regretting, not for the first time, that she and Lee broke up.

“No, I am the lucky one.”  Lee grins lightly.  “Have you been able to manage to mend things with everyone else?”

“For the most part.”  Sakura frowns.  “Ino came by in the hospital while I was being checked out and we talked things out, but…even though everyone’s forgiven me for the most part, I just don’t know if I can forgive myself.”  She frowns.

“You will be able to eventually.”  Lee puts a hand on her shoulder.  “Just give it time.”  He smiles.  “With the help of your friends time mends even the deepest gaps if we work for it.”

“Maybe.”  Sakura grins lightly, even though she finds Lee’s comment as cheesy as anything he’s ever said.

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“I…don’t really know how to say it.”  Hinata swallows.

“Well, maybe you should just blurt it out.”

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“Hey dog breath.”  Koneko grins as she sits down at Kiba’s table at the restaurant with a bowl of meat stew and a cup of tea.

“Oh, it’s the stray.”  Kiba shrugs.  “You feed them once and they always come back for more.”  He grins as he pokes at his sesame chicken and looks at his own glass of tea.

“We also bite if you poke at us too much.”  She grins, revealing her razor sharp teeth.  “You doing ok?”

“Yeah.”  Kiba nods.  “Akamaru is still being treated for pulling a muscle in his front left leg though.”  He frowns, feeling horribly guilty for pushing his friend so hard.

“Its…part of our jobs.”  She says, trying to comfort him without being too obvious.  “On the bright side though, your sister told me you finally managed to score a date.”

“I guess.”  He shrugs then takes a small bite of his sesame chicken.

“Look.”  Koneko frowns.  “Akamaru did what he felt was best for you.”  She says with a small hissing in her voice while she resists the urge to hit the table.  “He did it for you and the village.  You should be thankful for him, not upset at yourself.”  She points a claw at him.  “Keep on and I will give you something to pout about.”

“I know.”  Kiba nods.  “And I’m sure you’d make do on your threat.”  He chuckles lightly, forcing it a little.  “I just…wish I could have done more.”

“We live and improve.”  She grins as she starts eating her bowl of meat stew.  “Besides, we can’t take their place, no matter how much we want.”  She sighs.

“How is Mika by the way?”  He looks at her.

“Good.  She’ll be in a splint for the next few weeks, but she’s alive.”  Koneko grins lightly.  “That’s the important thing.  We all are.”

“Yeah.”  Kiba nods, feeling slightly better after seeing her point.  “Wanna train after this?”

“I think I have some free time.”  She grins.  “I’ll pencil you in.”

“Smart ass.”  Kiba chuckles, the first honest laugh he’s had since the briefing.

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“Umm…well I think…”  Hinata sighs, still not sure what to say.

“Yes?”  Naruto gulps, fearing what she might say next, but knowing that it needs to be said.

“Ok…I’ll just blurt it out.”  She frowns, this not going nearly like she’d hoped.

“Alright.”  Naruto nods.

Hinata looks him in the eyes.  “Naruto…I think we should…”