A/N: NOT DEAD!

Not dead, not dead, not dead at aaaaaaaaaaaall!

My internet was out for two days so I couldn't do jack all!

Now before you break out the pitchforks and torches, hear me out!

I would've had this out back on the 22nd but Anthem came out and...broke my heart for a little bit. I may stop writing Bioware stuff because of it. Such a shame...

Life reared its ugly head and I found myself...occupied for a bit. I've also got a little nephew running-crawling really-around the house now, so I'm not as limber as I used to be. Being ill will do that do you, it seems.

I'm also getting old and nowhere near as active as I used to be thanks to this defective body of mine. My hands hurt on a daily basis, which makes writing...difficult to say the least. I won't bore you all with my health woes, but I recently had several surgeries-two of which were only FOURTEEN DAYS APART-and a nasty case of bronchitis. Thankfully I'm doing a bit better in that regard.

Now its bloody flu season and I'm doing my best to avoid THAT business.

So here we are, an interlude, a bit of a breathe before we leap right back into the action again.

Romance of course, because that's sorta my shtick these days...

...yes, its short. Sorry about that.

Next one will be longer~!

"Well! There you have it."

"What am I going to do now?"

"You'll do what you do best; rise above this."

...just promise you won't leave me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Really? I think you'd be just fine, you can kick plenty of ass without-owowwowowokay! Point taken!"

~?

The Art of Breaking (Interlude)

Apparently Naruto's definition of the word "talk" consisted of trussing up Nathan and Cole up like wanted criminals.

Followed by shouting.

Lots of shouting.

Binding their arms and legs with great skill and care-using an unhealthy amount of duck tape he'd acquired from gods knew where-the newly rejuvenated blond wholly ignored their protests and thrust them into a pair of metal chairs before taping them further still into the metal fixtures. He then bolted the legs of said chairs down to the floor, denying them even the honor of attempting to escape. All told, it made for quite the sight once he finally finished working, for he'd deliberately left naught their heads unbound.

With a laugh, he spun to face their captives.

"Gentlemen!" There was a high, manic look in Naruto's eyes as he stepped forward to survey his work. "Have you had time to reflect on what you've done?"

Aiden murmured consolingly in Jodie's ear as she watched them argue. She did not lift a finger of protest.

-was doing it for her own good!" distantly, she heard Cole protest. "Its not safe out there for someone like her!"

"Oh ho!" sharp, bitter laughter from Naruto served as a rejoinder to her minder's reply. "Was that why you taught her to defend herself, hmm? No, wait! That was me!"

"And as for you!" he rounded on Nathan with a snarl, eyes burning like twin coals in his skull. "How dare you! I saved your family and this is how you repay me?! By breaking Jodie's heart? Trying to tear her apart?! What do you have do say for yourself?!"

"I swear I only had the best of intentions for her-

Naruto struck him.

A sharp, open-palmed slap cracked across the older's man's cheek; not enough to inflict any lasting damage, yet more than enough to silence him all the same.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions, man!"

More words buzzed through her ears like so much static as Nathan and Cole tried to defend their reasoning; she cared for them not, heard them not, wanted them not. Whatever it was must've mollified Naruto somewhat-if only because he didn't kill them outright. Try as she might, Jodie still couldn't muster up enough sense of self to care. On a certain level she'd come to accept what had happened, but the shock-and what a shock it was!-had yet to fade. When it did, anger was quick to rush into the void left behind.

Fearing the imminent explosion, her feet carried her away and she slumped against a wall.

Tucking her knees into her chest, she stifled a small sob. Followed by a snarl.

For one so slow to anger, for one so kind, when her fury was well and truly roused...well. Maker help you.

From an objective viewpoint one might consider her anger justified; at the moment? Jodie was feeling very justified. Even now her fingers curled into fierce fists at her sides, painted nails biting down into the flesh of her palms with enough force to draw blood. It was all she could do just to breathe, let alone think. How dare they. How dare they. She'd trusted them. Believed them. They were family, a family she'd loved with all her heart and soul as only an innocent can love. And they'd betrayed her. Tried to ship her off to the FBI without so much as an iota of resistance.

And for what?

To make her a weapon, most likely. If not for Aiden and Naruto, they would have succeeded.

Her eyes flashed anew at the thought but before it could consume her, a faint rustle of cloth drew her back to her world.

"You alright, there?"

Belatedly she realized someone-Naruto!-had laid his hand on her back and given her a light shake. Warm fingers squeezed her through her jacket and slowly, reluctantly, she looked up. He was looking down at her with an expression of mild concern-not pity, she couldn't stand pity-waiting for her, for an answer, for some semblance of a response. In the end, she gave one.

...not at the moment." a small, broken smile flitted across her face as she dared to look up at him. "But I will be."

He grunted, uncertain of what to say, but in the end he said his peace regardless. "Wanna talk to Nathan?"

No, something angry hissed in her, Never again.

The mere mention of her mentor sent a fresh stab of pain through Jodie's heart. Traitor. Betrayer. She'd thought of him as her father, her real father. Cole had been like a brother to her. And yet they'd sold her out. When all was said and done neither had stood up for her; instead they were content to let agent Clayton cart her off as though she were some lab experiment, no, a pet...!

In the end, she settled for a slow shake of her head.

"I don't think that's a good idea." she murmured.

"Want me to slap him around some more?"

Jodie didn't much blame him for the enthusiasm; after being trapped in an immaterial form and rarely possessing someone lest he kill them outright, this experience was akin to a drug for him. With agent Clayton's body firmly under his control and molded to his liking he looked quite pleased indeed. Would this newly crafted body last? Maybe. Maybe not. Regardless, he'd saved her. Speaking of which...

Clad in the scorched remnants of his host's suit, Uzumaki Naruto looked quite the sight. Good lord, you could grind meat on-Ack! No! Bad Jodie! Now was not the time for that!

Aiden chuckled softly.

'Stop that!'

"..."

Thankfully, Naruto didn't pursue the matter any further than that.

At a loss for anything else, he slid down the wall and sat beside her, taking up a silent vigil alongside Aiden. Moments later another faint weight registered against her shoulder and a warm arm encircled her shoulders. Jodie didn't resist, on the contrary, she seized on that quiet consolation the moment he offered it; buried her teary face into his battered chest, and did not speak. Again, Naruto did not gainsay her this show of weakness. No, this time he held his tongue and for that, gained her eternal gratitude. He'd never been the sort to make her do something she didn't want to do, he was content to let the trainwreck of her grief run its inevitable course.

When the tears came this time, Jodie couldn't fight them any longer. "It hurts...

Strong arms tightened around her.

"I know."

That was it? That was all he had to say? Where was his silver tongue now?! Something in his gentle response broke the dam. A sob tore its way out of her throat, bringing with it a searing flood of emotion that drowned all rational thought. It was too much, too soon, too overwhelming. She clutched at the tattered remnants of his jacket and beat at his chest, not trusting herself to speak again. If she did she feared her heart might break into a thousand pieces. Her shoulders heaved with a wellspring of pain and anguish and above it all fear and she couldn't hold it back.

"It sucks, I know." his gentle, rough voice gradually coaxed the tears out of her. "But they wanted the best for you, in their own way. Respect them for that, if nothing else."

Looking back, she couldn't say how long they lay there; no when her tears finally ran dry. But eventually as all things do, they did. The pain was still there of course, but reduced to a dull, throbbing ache rather than the raw stabbing agony she'd By the end she was left feeling hollow inside, as though someone had reached into her chest and scraped sandpaper over her very soul.

"This is your fault you know." she groused in faux-anger.

He cocked his head like a curious fox.

"Is it now? How so?"

Before she could further dwell on it, she leaped in; reached up and too his face in her hands, cupped his cheeks between her palms. Then she kissed him. Slowly, languidly, drawing out the moment as long as she possibly could.

She wondered about that.

"What are we going to do now?"

Her companion scoffed softly in reply.

"You'll do what you do best; rise above this."

...just promise you won't leave me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Really? I think you'd be just fine, you can kick plenty of ass without-owowwowowokay!" he hissed as she pinched his cheek. "Point taken!"

A/N: And there we go. Feels good to get back to this story...considering its one of the few Naruto x Beyond stories

So, in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review Would You Kindly? Unless you want to deal with an angry Aiden. And of course, enjoy the preview! Yes, it may be a large one, but it is ohhhhhhh so SATISFYING.

Oh, and movie reference is obvious reference.

(Previews)

"Do you trust me?"

Jodie frowned warily. "Yes...?"

"Oh. Good." Naruto beamed. "Then don't let go."

He grabbed her by the waist and leaped, heedless of her shriek.

"ARE YOU INSAAAAAAAAAAAANE?!"

"Together, then?"

R&R!=D