Time for a change ...

hey guys

sorry it took so long in writing this chapter, be a bit all over the place. moving back to scotland today so been packing and making sure i have said good-bye to everyone and fixed up all the loose ends. Uni will start n tuesday, very exited to get back despite having to do my very long dissertation of 70 pages long.

anyway, thank you to everyone that has commented this far and of cours thanks to all the readers, never thought i'd get this many to read this one. oh and this chapter isnt betad yet, but it will by my precious beta =) just thought i'd give u an update before i left, seeing as i will be without internet until end of next week i think, might be longer or shorter, depends on how easy the instalment of the mac is on the server at uni, they are very anal about viruses, which is understandable i guess it just that they wont allow u until u have done a virus scan and then u have to send it on on what ever prossess it is if it cant get rid of any viruses u have on the computer. not that i think my mac is infected, i mean it is a mac ... heheh sorry to all the windows users.

anyways i leave a basket of cookies for everyone to help themselves from to eat whilst hopefully enjoying this unbetad chapter. and please dont forget to comment.

******************************************************************************************************************

“Miss Uchiha, where is Sasuke-san?” the Haruno girl asked mikoto

“I’m sorry Sakura-chan. Sasuke had some pressing matters to attend to and could not join us for dinner.” Mikoto smiled the best she could.

“Sasuke-sama seems to have a lot of those pressing matters these past few weeks,” the pink haired girl.

“Has he now?” Mikoto raised an eyebrow. “Well, hopefully, he will be here for tea after the meal, you can call him and remind him if you’d like.”

“Thank you, I think I will,” Sakura bowed a little and walked in the direction of the phone.

***********************************************************************************

Sasuke stood next to Naruto holding his hand as they reached the door of Kakashi and Iruka’s apartment door. Gaara and Shikamaru stood behind them. Naruto knocked on the door and waited.

“Boys!” Iruka greeted them as he opened the door, he was wearing a blue apron. “Come in, come in!” The brunette moved to make room for them enter. As soon as they where inside Naruto began sniffing the air.

“Chocolate chip cookies!” He suddenly erupted, the blond was smiled from ear to ear and immediately began pulling on Sasuke’s arm. The raven smiled, somehow watching the blond get excited over the smallest thing, was rather fun, mainly because he looked so cute.

“Yes. The cookies should be ready in a couple of minutes. Kakashi is in the library.” Iruka pointed in the direction of the library before disappearing into the kitchen again. Gaara, Shikamaru and Naruto moved towards the direction Iruka had just pointed them in, Sasuke took his time he studying the pictures on the wall. They were all of different children, he assumed they were some of the children from the orphanage Iruka worked at. As he let his eyes wander he noticed a familiar picture, or rather he recognised the people in it, it was a picture of Gaara, Naruto and Shikamaru. But the picture was odd in someway, they were not smiling just standing there staring into the camera. But their eyes, they were different. Sasuke moved a bit closer.

“It’s a picture from when they first came here,” a voice said from behind his back. Sasuke turned to see Iruka standing behind him with a small basket of cookies. “Sorry didn’t mean to scare you,” the brunette said.

“You didn’t…” Sasuke stated, although his heart was beating a little bit faster.

“Good.” Iruka smiled before looking at the photo, he knew he had given the raven a fright but he didn’t want to damage the Uchiha’s pride. “They look so different don’t they,” Sasuke looked at the photo again.

“Yeah.”

“I never thought I’d see them smile, they were like robots, no self-reliance at all. But now …” Iruka pointed at another photo of the trio, but unlike the other photo they were smiling, well as much as Gaara could smile really. It was completely different, they looked alive, the emptiness was gone. “… Now they look alive.” Sasuke nodded.

“Well, then shall we join the others, I am sure Naruto is starting to wonder where the cookies have gone.” Iruka broke the silence that had followed his last statement. The boy only nodded again and followed the older brunette into the library where the others were waiting.

“The only problem was … “ Kakashi was sitting by the desk with Shikamaru hanging next to him as he explained how he had cracked the code. Shikamaru was very fond of codes, despite his lazy attitude. Gaara and Naruto were sitting on the floor by some of the bookshelves with a book each, this was the standard routine when coming to Iruka and Kakashi’s. There in the library, Naruto and Gaara found books they did not sell in the bookstore. One could be sure that Kakashi had ordered a new book each time they came. However, as soon as Iruka entered with the small basket of cookies the tranquility of the room disappeared. Naruto smelled the sweet aroma and jumped in the air shouting cookies.

“Ne Iruka, can I have some now?” Naruto stood before the brunette with big blue eyes. Iruka had to smile, whenever there were cookies around, Naruto acted like a puppy getting his bone for the day.

“Help yourself.” Iruka held out the basket for Naruto, who eagerly took one from it and began munching away.

“Sasuke-kun.” Kakashi greeted the raven.

“Hatake-san.” Sasuke bowed.

“Come now, no need for the formalities, Kakashi is enough. Besides, I guess you’re part of the family.” Iruka gave Kakashi a glare “… well soon enough,” he patted Sasuke on the shoulder.

“Doubt it,” the raven mumbled looking in the direction of the older brunette.

“Don’t worry he’ll come around, you just have to walk on egg shells for a while,” Kakashi smiled, “come lets get some cookies.”

“Sorry I don…” The sound of his mobile phone going off in his pocket interrupted the conversation of sorts. “Excuse me.” Sasuke took the mobile out of his pocket and flipped it open. “Uchiha.”

“Sasuke-sama,” as soon as he heard the familiar female voice he cursed himself for not looking at the display before he answered the phone.

“What is it Haruno, I’m busy.” Sasuke snapped at her through the phone.

“Rare of you to use my last name Sasuke-sama. We are not strangers you know,” Sakura said.

“Right … so what is it?”

“I was wondering, as was your mother, when you will be arriving for coffee. My parents are looking forward to seeing you an…” Sasuke interrupted her mid sentence.

“I am not coming home so you can have the damn coffee any time you like.”

“But Sasuke-sama …” This time it was Naruto who interrupted her mid sentence.

“Ne Sasuke can I have your cookie, I know you don’t like sweets,” Naruto walked up to Sasuke showing his big blue puppy eyes. “Pleeeeaaasssee?” Sasuke looked at Naruto and smiled.

“As I said Haruno, I don’t care when you have it cus I’m not coming home,” Sasuke grabbed Naruto’s jumper as he lowered the phone from his ear, “but only if I get something in return.” Sasuke smirked and hung up the phone as he pulled the blond closer.

“Oh, what?” Sasuke leaned closer so that both their noses touched, he gently tilted his head up a little performing an Eskimo kiss before tilting his head a little to the side and kissed the blond.

“A kiss and … “ Sasuke moved his head so that his mouth was only inches from the blond’s ear and whispered something to him, turning the boy beet red in the face.

“O-okey b-but I’ll do it later.” Naruto looked down at his feet still completely red. Sasuke smirked ‘mission accomplished’.

“Well then, what was the interesting information you had for us Kakashi-san?” Shikamaru said, deciding it would be best to leave the couple alone.

“Yeah, come here and I’ll show you.” Kakashi pointed at the desk. “And Sasuke you think you could leave Naruto alone for just a couple of minutes, he … or rather both of you need to hear this.” Sasuke huffed to the statement before stealing another light kiss from the blond.

“As I was showing Shikamaru earlier, some of the information encrypted was just useless. Unless … one wants to know the recipe on how to cook up a good dose of painkillers. This however this …” Kakashi took another sheet off the table for everyone to look at.

The 4 boys studied the piece of paper. Kakashi watched the them as they read, the happy faces that had been there a couple of minutes ago had changed to serious but questionable looks.

“Well that’s … new.” Naruto looked at Kakashi.

“Enhancement drugs.” Shikamaru said picking up the paper to study the formulas a little closer.

“I thought those where banned from production.” Gaara said leaning closer to Shikamaru joining him as he studied the paper.

“It is.” Sasuke said, not looking up from where the paper had been lying. “Question is, why is it in my father’s safe?” Naruto could see the disappointment in Sasuke’s face. The blond placed the hand he had on the raven’s side, on his back and gently rubbed it, trying his best to comfort the raven the way he had seen it done in the TV dramas.

Iruka entered the room again and noticed the change in the atmosphere, he sighed. He and Kakashi knew that any information that would appear, would not be good news. They had prepared themselves with the boys but then again everything was different when it was actually there. The brunette placed the tray of glasses and water on the small table by the sofa and walked up to his lover.

“Bad news?” He asked as he placed a hand on the back of the silver haired man’s neck.

“Well it depends, first we have to figure out what it’s been used for or on. This is just a recipe… For all we know it could have been confiscated.” Kakashi added trying to cushion the blow that his father seemed to be harvesting a recipe that had been banned from the drug list for the last 70 years.

Sasuke gave a little huff as he heard Kakashi; but he was somewhat grateful for the last statement and Kakakshi could see a small smile coming from the ravens right corner of his mouth.

“Well dinner is ready, you boys want to help me set the table?” Iruka said looking at the 4 boys.

“Sure Iruka.” Naruto smiled and Shikamaru and Gaara nodded.

“Sweety, may I just borrow Sasuke for a second?” Kakashi gave Iruka a kiss on the top of his hand, the brunette nodded in response before following the trio out to the kitchen. “My dolphin has the sexiest ass, especially without clothes.” Kakashi said breaking the silence that had occurred after the trio had left with their father figure.

“That’s one image I would rather live without Kakashi-san.” Sasuke said as he sat down across from the silver haired man. “So what do I owe this one on one with you to, Kakashi-san”

“Enough with the -san, makes me feel old,” Kakashi responded.

“You are old.” Sasuke smirked as the silver haired man pretended to pout before the two broke out in a slight giggle.

“You have changed drastically … and not in a bad way,” the silver haired man added quickly.

“Really?” Sasuke smiled a little, he liked the thought that he might have changed, even a little. He knew the world he was coming from and it was cynical and cold. And the young Uchiha had decided it was a world he would rather not become apart of, at least not anymore.

“I’m sure there is a good reason your father had it in his safe.” Kakashi said, trying to ease the document into the conversation.

“Sure he has, just not for the reasons you’re implying.” Sasuke huffed. Sasuke knew his father. He was a ruthless business man who always got his way, he could still remember all the speculations the media had published throughout his life. The raven also remembered how his father’s home office had been crawling with the Uchiha’s different specialist lawyers to cushion whatever damage the tabloid had been spitting out. “He’s the head of the Uchiha clan, I doubt it’s anything else but personal gain.”

“Maybe so, but he might surprise us.” Kakashi could hear the huff at that last statement. “Anyways, you are always welcomed here,” the silver haired male said as he looked at Sasuke.

“You sure? Iruka-san did not seem to happy with me.” The raven responded, Kakashi laughed a little.

“Iruka is very protective when it comes to the boys, he worked very hard to get them where they are now. But he is a very compassionate person to everyone and he wouldn’t leave even an Uchiha hanging when they ever need help. Besides Naruto would be upset if you weren’t around.” Kakashi smiled, memories of the smiling blond appeared in the raven’s head.

“Dinner you two?” Iruka called from the dining room.

“Coming.” Kakashi replied back following the raven out to where the rest of the group was waiting.

After they had eaten dinner they began talking about the new developments in the trio’s lives. It even seemed like Iruka had warmed up to the Sasuke a little.
While Kakashi and Iruka had finished the dishes the 4 boys drank their tea and chatted about every and anything, which would probably seemed like something useless but Sasuke had enjoyed himself.

“We’ll see you on Wednesday Iruka.” Shikamaru and Gaara walked out the door after saying their goodbyes. Sasuke thanked Iruka and Kakashi for having him over and bowed slightly before following the two others.

“Be good now, all of you.” Iruka said giving Naruto a pat on the head.

“Yeah, see you later Iruka, Kakashi,” he waved as he ran after the 3 shouting for them to wait up.

As Naruto neared the 3 boys Sasuke held out his hand for the blond to take, Gaara and Shikamaru were already holding hands as they walked down the street.

“Ne Sasuke, I’m sorry about what happened.” Naruto held Sasuke’s hand a little tighter.

“Not your fault Naruto.” The raven smiled back. “So Nara, what’s to come of the information?” Sasuke asked the brunette, it seemed that the brunette always had a plan swirling inside his head.

“I dunno, I guess the first course of action is to figure out what it was used for or on.” Shikamaru replied. “Seeing how you so kindly put it earlier, our only chance of getting into the institution is going though you …”

“I wouldn’t say that,” an unfamiliar male voice interrupted Shikamaru. The 4 boys looked in the direction of the voice and spotted two dark clothed people. Shikamaru, Gaara and Naruto automatically went on the defensive, ready to take out anything that might attack. From the looks of it, there were about 4 more people standing around them.

“Who are you and what the fuck do you want?” Sasuke stepped in front of Naruto placing an arm on the blond’s chest. It was a nice gesture but Naruto would have preferred that he were in front since he had more fighting knowledge.

“Oh, I heard rumors that the youngest Uchiha had switched sides,” the man spoke again.

‘What?’ Sasuke half whispered, how did he know who he was. He tightened his grip on Naruto, afraid he might end up losing him.

“How do you know who we are?” Shikamaru finally decided to talk.

“Oh I know a lot about you, Shikamaru. And I have a feeling we will get to know each other better with time,” they could hear the amusement in his voice as he said it.

“I doubt it,” the brunette snapped back. “Now tell me who and what you want or I’ll make sure you become a little more friendlier with the pavement.”

“Now now, that was rude …” the man said but was cut off by another voice, however this voice was too familiar for the trio’s liking.

“I agree, I thought Orochimaru and I raised you boys better than that,” a grey haired man stepped out to the street light, he had a smirk across his face.

“Missed me boys?”

******************************************************************************************************************

there it is, it is going to be a bit angsty as the time goes on, and sorry for the cliffy, they just seem to happen. Dont forget to comment.