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For a Favor	By : Tatemshope Category: Naruto > General Views: 1123 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
I don�t own these characters.
~~~~
Mina sat quietly at the table in Gaara�s apartment waiting for his return. She knew it would probably be wiser to seek out a bed somewhere else, but Gaara had intrigued her and she wanted to see if she could help him... if he would let her help him. Noticing that with use, her powers were growing stronger by the hour, she reached out her mind to find all the occupants of their floor. She could sense Naruto and Sasuke being cuddly. She could sense Neji�s suspicion of her, but nothing seemed to get by him, so that was to be expected.

Gaara was a bit of an enigma because he had a lot going on in his mind at once. There was an attraction to Naruto, a mild attraction to Neji, and a serious aversion to her. Well, that wasn�t quite right. Gaara didn�t have an aversion to her, he had a... hmmm... no words were coming. Whatever it was that he felt about her, it wasn�t being made clear. As he headed back down the hall toward his own room she could feel him trying to steady his mind. He had a plan. That was what those strange feelings had come from. He was plotting something. When he entered she gave him a well-practiced glare and he glanced at the bed.

�You can sleep in here if you want. The bed�s never been used, not even once. I prefer to just sit in a chair by the window and stare at the moon.� He said in a voice that was not completely his own. This voice was... friendly? Unfortunately, friendly from Gaara came out sounding more pathological than pleasant.

�You don�t ever lay on it to rest?� Mina asked, a little unnerved by Gaara�s sudden change in attitude. What was he going to gain through this?

�The bed taunts me.�

Mina�s eyes opened wider. This certainly wasn�t where she had expected the conversation to go.

�Why are you telling me that?� She asked, still feeling a little thrown off.

�You won�t read my thoughts if I say everything that comes into my head.� Gaara said, his eyes narrowing into slits. �The best way to take away someone�s power is to give them no chance to use it.�

Mina could barely believe her ears. Was Gaara serious about this? There was only one way to find out.

�Are you in love with Naruto?�

Gaara shrugged nonchalantly. �Why ask questions you already know the answer to. I love only myself, but I desire to have Naruto and to have him love me, if that�s what you meant.�

�Why did you spare the assassins?� She quizzed.

�Again, you know the answer to this. I do not want to be a killer, but I am who I am.�

�Would you kill my brother, if given the chance?�

�Which one?� The red head asked, barely suppressing the smirk that threatened to take over his face.

�Both actually.�

�It makes no difference to me if Itachi lives or dies. I would say yes, though, I would kill him if given the chance. I would not kill Sasuke because then Naruto would hate me. I would love to hurt him though, and if he so much as looks at me wrong tomorrow, you�re going to have to choose sides quickly.�

�Choose sides?� Mina asked. This whole conversation was freaking her out a bit. She wasn�t sure how Gaara knew that it would unnerve her to have someone offering up all of their deepest thoughts, but it had.

�You won�t find Itachi without my help. If you come to your younger brother�s aid, I won�t help you. You�ll miss out on your revenge. So if Uchiha and I fight, keep that in mind.�

Mina glared at the boy before her, and Gaara glared right back.

�You seem confident Gaara, and I�ll give you credit, you threw me off.� She said as she stood up and closed the distance between the two of them. �However, you�re underestimating me, and that�s a dangerous thing to do.�

Gaara stood up and stared down at her, noticing for the first time that he was taller by a few inches. That made him feel good for some reason.

�Trust me; of all the things I plan to do in the next few days, underestimating you isn�t one of them, and don�t worry; your little brother is safe, at least from me. I think the better question would be; is he safe from you?�

Mina stared at Gaara unblinking. He had won this fight... and he didn�t have to throw a punch.

~~~~

Sasuke had gone to sleep almost the moment Naruto had turned the light out. The poor boy must have been exhausted after everything that had happened. They hadn�t had a chance to go over all the details, but from what Naruto could piece together, there hadn�t been more than a moment or two in the last few days that Sasuke wasn�t being raped, beaten, or run all over the countryside.

Propped up on an elbow he stared down at his boyfriend and considered all of their options. The option that sounded the best to the blond was to wake up early and take off back toward Leaf Village as fast as they could. Maybe they could even try a witch�s door. He wasn�t sure exactly how they worked, but he thought it might be possible to convince the boy who had let them through the door before to help them out. The way he that boy had looked at Neji and Naruto, it was clear he was interested in them for more than their eyeliner. Unfortunately, the plan would most likely not work, because Sasuke would never agree to it, and it would leave a very pissed off Mina to deal with. He also had the feeling that before he so much as took a step out of the front door, she would know what they were up to and stop them.

A second option was to go racing into the desert like Mina had asked, but keeping a close eye on Sasuke for any signs that he might be cracking under all this stress. Naruto couldn�t pretend to understand why Sasuke was suddenly much less angry at Itachi, but he had a feeling it had to do with spending some time with him after all of these years. The pull and allure of family was strong, but at least they had Mina now.

Mina... she was the biggest complication in every plan. Could Neji be right? Naruto had seen Mina�s power, and somehow he knew that what he had seen was only a fraction of what she was capable of. His biggest fear was that the Hyuuga boy�s prediction was correct and after Itachi had been caught Mina would release him... but that she and Sasuke would accompany him... leaving Naruto alone. Would Mina do that to him? Honestly, he didn�t think she would. She would take him with them. If she could keep Itachi under control, maybe they could actually have a happy life.

Naruto shook his head. He couldn�t believe that thought had just crossed his mind. A life with Itachi? That would never be a happy life. He needed to get Sasuke away from here.

~~~~

Mina had her eyes closed, but she was not asleep. Far away she heard Itachi call her name. Focusing all her energy on closing the distance between them, she called back.

�Itachi? Are you asleep or did you pass out?�

�Passed out. Don�t I look wounded? I�m not sure I�ll ever see out of my right eye again. I don't suppose it matters though, because I won't live past 48 hours.� Itachi said in an even voice, despite the gravity of what he was saying. Mina looked at him carefully, but his skin was unflawed.
�You're mind doesn't always reflect your physical state. Hang on, ok? We�re coming for you. Don�t die until we get there. I won�t be pleased if those bastards rob me of my revenge.�
�I�ll see what I can do.� He said, his voice conveying more depth this time. Sadness crept up through the guarded walls of Mina�s heart and she brought up the image of a large tree in her mind. The next thing Itachi knew, he was sitting on a wide branch, staring into the face of his sister. Sunlight was streaming through the leaves and casting twinkling shadows wherever it fell.

�Can you tell me where you are? Mina asked, dangling her legs below the branch and enjoying the feeling of wind under her feet.

�The Red Valley... we�re not there yet, but that�s where they�re taking me. You said �we� before. Is Sasuke coming with you?�

�Yes, and Naruto, Neji and Gaara.�

Itachi looked disappointed.

�Only Sasuke and I will come for you once we get close. I�ll put the others to sleep, or to task doing something else. It is only our right to make decisions regarding you, not theirs.� Mina moved closer to Itachi on the branch and gazed sadly into his eyes. �Do you regret what you did? I�ve always wanted to know, but I�ve never had the courage to search your mind for the answer.�

�If you�re referring to our parents, no, I don�t regret what I did and I would do it again.� He shook his hair loose of its ponytail and looked off into the distance. �Hurting you... hurting Sasuke...� His voice broke off. �My captors are returning for another round of torture. Do you think you might be able to leave me here? In this tree?�

�As long as you do not climb down from this tree, the image will remain for you. When you climb down, you�ll wake up.� Mina saw Itachi cringe and his face twist in pain as she pulled herself out of her vision. She was crying before she knew it was happening, and the harder she tried to calm herself down the louder her sobs became. Her body began to scream for air and her heart broke for her brother... someone was going to pay.

~~~~

Shikamaru,

We�re all safe. Please let everyone know not to worry. We�ll be on our way home soon. An opportunity has presented itself to retrieve Uchiha Itachi, who was the one who took us captive in the first place, and we have decided to not let the opportunity pass. We�ve received some unexpected help from Gaara of the desert, as well as a witch who is related to the Uchiha clan. While I�m gone, I would like you to try and find out some information for me. This is secret though, so I�m enclosing it on a separate piece of paper. After you read it, please destroy it. I�ll try to speak to you again in a few days. Keep an eye out for me in your dreams. That may be the easiest way to contact you next time.

Neji

~~~~

Gaara stared at the girl crying on his bed, but made no moves toward her to comfort her. He wasn�t sure how to do it in the first place, and in the second place, her chakra was flying all over the place. He wasn�t sure if she was having a nightmare or if she was truly upset about something, but either way, he was out of his depth. He continued watching her for the next few minutes, waiting for her to calm down and explain herself, but the crying did not cease. Finally, unable to sit idly by any longer, he walked over to the bed and sat down next to Mina.

�Stop crying.� he demanded.

Mina looked up at him with watery eyes, her weeping slowing down a bit.

�If you have some sort of malevolent intent, this is the time to take advantage Gaara. Go ahead. Hurt me.� She said, narrowing her eyes and finally getting some control back over herself.

�I�m doing this for self preservation Mina.� Gaara explained slowly. �A few more minutes of your sobbing and I was going to have to go sleep up on the roof. Compared to staying in this room with your out of control chakra, the assassins seem a safer bet.�

�Did you just make a joke?� Mina asked in mild disbelief, her last cries turning to sniffles.

�Maybe. If the truth is funny.� He muttered to himself. �Did you speak with Itachi?� he directed at her.

�Yes as a matter of fact. They�re taking him to The Red Valley. Have you heard of it?�
Gaara tilted his head and gave her a sympathetic look. "We can't get there."
Mina's eyes betrayed the confusion she was feeling. "What do you mean we can't get there? We can get anywhere."
"And yet we can't get there... I'm sorry, Mina. It's not possible."
"Explain before I dig this out of your skull." She said fiercely.
"The Red Valley is only for the dead."
"Like a cemetery?"
"It's a cemetery for souls. You have to be undead to get in there."
"Then how are they supposed to get Itachi in?" She asked, before the realization of what Gaara said sunk in. "Oh... they'll kill him. Can we intercept them before they get there? Itachi said they hadn't made it there yet. He said we have 48 hours."
"That seems about right, but it would be a 72 hour journey for us if we started now."
"And if I could find a witching door?"
"We might make it in time. You go inquire about the door, I'm going to pack the supplies we might need."
Mina gave Gaara a small smile.
"Thanks for your help Gaara. You'll be rewarded for this." Noticing wariness in his eyes she continued. "Your heart's desire... I'll make certain you have it when this is all over. "
~~~~
Naruto needed to speak with Mina now. He'd tried calling for her in his head, but this time she had not responded. As he stepped into the cold hallway he was surprised to see her emerging from Gaara's room.
"You're up early, Naruto-kun. Not trying to run away are you?"
"I could ask you the same thing, Mina." He said, relieved at the friendliness in her voice. Maybe she didn't know.
"Oh, I know... I just don't blame you for feeling the way you do. I know you only want what you think is best for him."
"It's what I know is best for him. Let us leave Mina. Please." He urged. Mina gave him a sad look.
"I wish I could. I know you don't trust me like you did before, and that's fine. You've only known me for a few days after all. Just know this; even if you left, Sasuke wouldn't follow you. He has to see this through."
Naruto's eyes clouded over and he leaned against the door for support. His heart felt sharp in his chest as he realized the truth. Until Itachi was gone, he would never have Sasuke to himself.
"So you're still going?" Mina probed.
"I'm still going." Naruto confirmed with a sigh.
"When this is over, you'll still have him. I promise. I give you my word; I won't try to take him from you."
"That's good to hear." he said, flashing her a smile. "Now you better get back to what you were doing, and I'll get back to Sasuke. Neji wants us to question you in the morning. Tell us that you plan on killing Itachi. At this point, I don't care if it's the truth or not. If you don't say it, we won't go with you."
"Thanks." Mina finished as she headed down the stairs. She had witch business to attend to, and it was going to involve more than just finding a door.
~~~~
The next morning came quickly after that, and Mina had just sat back down in Gaara's apartment when there was a knock at the door. She opened it to see the three very serious faces.
"We need to talk." Neji started. Mina made eye contact with Naruto and they shared a look between the two of them that Neji didn't fail to notice. He'd ask the blond boy about it later.
"Good morning, brother. Did you sleep well?" Mina asked.
Her younger brother looked at her carefully. "Yes, I did, but I think you already knew that. Were all my dreams memories of yours?"
"Yes. I thought that might be easier than explaining all of this to you."
"Thank you." Sasuke said with a nod. "I understand now."
Naruto shifted uneasily in his seat. Mina hadn't told him she was going to show Sasuke her memories. It didn't surprise him though; he just wished he knew what had been shown.
"Mina, what are your intentions for when we find Itachi?" Neji started.
"To kill him after we rescue him. I've told you that already and I won't tell you again." Mina answered.
"And why have you let him live so long, when it's obvious you're powerful enough to defeat him?" Neji continued.
Mina fixed him with an intense glare, narrowing her eyes softly. As much as she liked Neji, she wanted nothing more at that moment than to backhand him across the room. How dare he question her on that? She stifled a growl she felt forming in her chest and instead looked at Sasuke. She didn't need to answer though because Gaara stepped in front of her and pointed at the dark haired boy.
"Why don't you ask the same of him?"
"Sasuke's not powerful enough to fight off Itachi." Neji defended.
"No? Are you sure?" Gaara said, taking another step toward Neji, his fists clenching and unclenching.
"Enough." Mina said, stepping around the boy and his gourd. "I have not killed him because he was the only family I had and as I said, I was bound. If you'll recall, Neji, if I'm to have any chance for a normal future I need to have him alive."
"What about Sasuke? You have him now. He could unbind you." Neji answered.
Mina's face quirked into a half smile as Sasuke fixed Neji with a glare. "Would you be so quick to fuck Hinata, Hyuuga? I'm not sleeping with my sister unless we've exhausted every other possibility." the dark haired boy said angrily.
"I hadn't told them that part, Sasuke." Mina explained, placing her hand on her little brother's shoulder.
Sasuke looked at Gaara, Neji and Naruto, and it was obvious from the shock on their faces they had not known.
"Because Itachi is the one I'm bound to, simply doing the hand seals with him would be enough. For another relative to break the binding... a sacrifice is required. Neither Sasuke nor I are interested in exploring that, so getting to Itachi is my only chance."
Neji's eyes glowed with apology. "I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn about things I didn't understand."
"That's true, and all is forgiven." Mina said, grabbing Neji's arm gently. "We need to get moving. We have 48 hours. I'll explain the rest on the way."
~~~~
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