A/N: Dedicated to everyone who has PM'd me regarding this story. I forced myself to read my old writing - what the hell did I write?! - and finish this. Also, I wrote this all in one go so excuse any mistakes. I don't have a beta.

One Week Later

All eyes flicked to the door when the sound of a knock rang through the room. Yamato was the first to move, his gun already in his hands.

Seeing the firearm, Naruto immediately jumped to his feet. "Hey! That's Sai!" He was at his guard's back within seconds, blue eyes narrowing on him. "Put that away!"

Yamato ignored him while he checked through the peephole for confirmation. Spotting the lone figure with Juugo on the other side of the door he clicked on the safety of his gun and returned it to his holster underneath his jacket before opening the door for them.

"Sai," Naruto tried to push past him but Yamato kept him a bay as his eyes made contact with Juugo's. The guard had snuck Sai in through the "back" way making sure no one spotted them on their way in. Yamato trusted the guard to do his job let them step inside without a word. Behind him, Naruto glared at him but let it go in favor of the questions he so desperately needed answers too.

"Did you find him? Did he really try to kill Sasuke?!" Naruto immediately asked as Juugo walked past him to take up a position behind his ward who sat in the middle of a room on a cream-colored sofa.

Sai put on one of his practiced smiles as his eyes ran over the room catching sight of Neji and Gaara who were seated distinctly away from Sasuke and his two guards who watched his every move. His smile stretched wider, the expression one he'd perfected for his business dealings long ago.

"You might want to sit down Naruto," he walked past Yamato and further into the room where everyone seemed to have congregated for this meeting.

"Where's your guard?" All eyes turned to Yamato at his question, before sliding back to Sai waiting for an answer.

Sai kept the smile in place. "He has other matters to attend too."

"What kind of shitty guard leaves their ward defenseless?" Suigetsu put in, which had his smile broadening further and his eyes curved in fake cheer succeeding in further annoying the guard.

"The kind that follows orders."

"Get to the point already." Sasuke interjected, cutting off any further inquiries from his men. All eyes turned to Sai then, and the businessman stepped further into the room while Naruto sat down across from Sasuke.

Sai turned to the pair standing in the corner, first things first. "Temari and Kankurou have checked in after their flight. They're safe." Gara's eyes instantly flicked to him, while Neji inched closer to him. Interesting. "They will contact you by tomorrow when they've settled in. Hiashi has made every arrangement to make their stay as comfortable as possible."

A sense of relief swept through him at those words. He had been worried about his siblings ever since Sai had first contacted them on behalf of the Uchiha and Hyuuga family.

"I spoke with Sakura last night." Sai continued, as he mentally checked off Gaara's siblings off his list. "Deidara's condition has stabilized." Neji looked at Gaara who nodded at Sai at the news. He felt an odd sense of relief on hearing that the clay artist would pull through. He might not have been on the best of terms with him, but Deidara had effectively saved their lives when the idiot had stormed into his home that day. He'd been shot in the chest, the bullet tearing through the muscle and miraculously hitting bone, which meant he hadn't died instantly. Instead, the bone had shattered and caused internal bleeding. When he'd finally been admitted to the ER he'd been wheeled off to the surgery room where Sakura had managed to pull him back from two flat lines. He was put on life-support for days after the surgery and Tobi became a fixed sight at his bedside during visitation hours and a constant sight in the hospital from what the nurses told him.

Neji pressed his shoulder against Gaara's offering support from the simple gesture. Gaara looked back at Sai and nodded at the news, thanking him silently while Sai set his briefcase down on a drawer near the entrance. Now to get to the reason for his visit.

"Hyuuga Hiashi and Uchiha Itachi have agreed to the terms." He opened the briefcase and pulled out what looked to be two small booklets of papers. "I've put together the contract." He gave Yamato the set and the guard handed on to Naruto and Sasuke who stared at the contract. "Look over it and when you're ready to sign it, I'll finalize the paperwork."

"Did they make any changes to the initial proposal?" Sasuke asked.

"Only in the details. They agree on the terms overall." Sai looked at Naruto, expecting a word in edgewise from him but when none was forthcoming his eyes returned to the group.

"Now that we've gotten the necessities out of the way," Suigetsu put in. "What about Kimimaro? Did you find him?"

Sai closed the briefcase. "I did."

He had been searching for an angle to tackle this Kimimaro problem ever since Izumo tied the guard to his bedpost. So, when Itachi contacted him to use his connections to find the guard, Sai had immediately accepted the job. No matter how clever Sasuke thought he was he could never fool his older brother. Itachi had found out about the attempt on his life within hours of its occurrence. He had contacted Sai the next morning asking him for Kimimaro's whereabouts, his sources already having pinpointed the perpetrator. Izumo had lost it when he hadn't immediately turn him over and instead asked for some time to locate him. Those first few days had been the most anxious of his life. He knew how far Itachi would go to protect his younger brother. What he'd do to him if he thought he was double-crossing him. And Izumo…. his guard had been less than pleased when he found out what he was planning. Still, he couldn't turn him in so easily. Kimimaro was the first person Sai had ever felt a connection to aside from his adopted brother. He couldn't lose him the same way he'd lost Shin. He was stronger now, he could do something to help him unlike his brother.

"Orochimaru ordered the hit."

Juugo's shoulders stiffened, unable to hide the reaction. He had known, but to hear it confirmed. He didn't want to kill his only friend.

"Kimimaro did not comply-"

"What do you mean didn't comply?! Sasuke wasn't in the damn emergency room because that bastard didn't comply!"

"Suigetsu." The guard bit back the rest of his retort at Sasuke's interference, but that didn't stop him from burning Sai with a seething look. Sai ignored it, used to such displays directed his way. After all, one didn't become a business man with deep connections to the underground without learning to ignore a few things.

"Kimimaro was forced to keep an allegiance to two men," Sai continued. "Bound to both, he acted in the only choice left to him. Obey the order while keeping Sasuke alive. He did not fail Orochimaru, he disobeyed him, which is why he now has a reward on his head. You already have enough enemies to deal with, I suggest you don't make another from someone who wants to help you."

"We won't kill him," Sasuke put in, having already come to the same conclusion regarding Kimimaro's true intentions long before Sai stepped into the picture. "But we won't work with him either."

Suigetsu nodded, Juugo said nothing. Knowing it was the best he'd get from the young Uchiha heir, Sai inclined his head. "You don't need to work with him. His part in all of this is already underway."

Sasuke didn't like being left in the dark. He knew his brother had already found out about Orochimaru's part in all of this. He'd tried to keep him out of it, tried to fix things on his own but in the end he was left on the sidelines while Itachi did what he could not. His eyes burned a hole in the ground.

Seeing Sasuke like that Naruto delegated to step in. He knew how how Sasuke felt about his brother, knew he hated being a shadow to the Itachi. It was the reason why he'd left with Orochimaru all those years ago and he hated seeing that look in his eyes again. But, he also knew that this was the best course of action for them. Sasuke couldn't make any moves without endangering himself or the people closest to him. He needed to stay out of the snake bastards reach and for that he needed to stay put. Naruto knew he was inviting danger by housing him in his home, but how could anyone expect him do anything else? If something happened to Sasuke, he'd never forgive himself, and if something did happen, he at least had a chance to help. Naruto knew Itachi could have moved Sasuke long ago. He knew the older Uchiha had the resources to move his brother safely since his name first registered in the hospital's database while he was still under medication, but he hadn't. He had allowed Sasuke to make his own escape, allowed him to stay with Naruto, to stay together. Naruto might have been brash but he wasn't stupid, and he knew Sasuke must have known all along. Itachi had let them escape and bunk together because they weren't putting themselves in danger while he dealt with the head instead of the tails.

"So…." Naruto put in, entering the conversation for the first time. "What do we do now?"

"You get ready for the wedding," Sai answered easily. "You're both expected to be there," he looked at Sasuke and Neji. "Itachi's plan is already in motion. He will take down Orochimaru before he can disturb the occasion."

"And how will he be doing that?" Sai looked back at Sasuke at that question, noting the pointed stare.

"That's a question better posed to your brother." Sasuke narrowed his eyes on Itachi's messenger, and the guards looked at each other. They were effectively background noise at this point. They would not be allowed to eliminate the threat to their wards themselves, but instead were charged to keep them safe while someone else dealt with the enemy. They understood their roles perfectly, and accepted it. After all, their wards safety was their main priority.

"The only thing I can tell you is Kimimaro is the key."

It was the only reason why Itachi allowed him to live after what he'd done. He knew Orochimaru better than any man at the Uchiha's disposal, and even more important, he knew his base of operations - all of them. Kimimaro provided them with a wealth of information Itachi would never have been able to gain, let alone in the time allotted them, especially when his wedding was no more than a month away. Sai had given him the all the facts to draw him to the same conclusion any logic-based planner would reach: it was better to use Kimimaro and his wealth of information of their enemy than to dispose of him for an attack he was forced into making. Itachi, realizing the nuances of the position Orochimaru had placed the guard in, had made his decision only after he had met with the man in private. Sai had no idea what the two had spoken about, and every time he asked Kimimaro he'd been met with a stone wall until he eventually stopped asking.

"When will Neji be leaving?" Gaara put in, causing Neji to tense beside him. Gaara felt it of course, what with his shoulder pressed against his. They had gone over all the important details except for one. They all knew Neji would return to the Hyuuga compound, much like Sasuke, Neji had been allowed to stay with Naruto for the the same reasons. Hiashi had allowed it. Instead of forcing his nephew to leave Gaara's side he arranged for both of them to be snuck into the compound.

"Tommorow. The arrangements have already been made." He turned to the blond. "He's very grateful to you Naruto, but he believes it's better to have his nephew near his own people in case anything happens."

"I still don't know what he expects to happen," Naruto grumbled. He didn't know why they were insistent on this. It was like they didn't trust them to keep him safe. Even Itachi trusted them! So, why was he forcing Neji to go back to that place when he knew just how dangerous it would be if he was seen.

"It's okay Naruto," Neji put in. "I've already spoken with my uncle. It's best this way." Naruto looked like he had more to say about it when Gaara shook his head. He knew why Neji needed to go back. If this lasted any longer, Neji would start to show symptoms without the Hyuuga medication. Of course, neither Sasuke or Naruto knew about his condition and Neji had no intention of letting them find out.

"Fine. But you guys better not go and get yourselves captured! I'll kick your assess!" Naruto threatened, which had Sasuke rolling his eyes at him.

Sai's phone buzzed in his pocket, and all eyes turned to him while he pulled it out and read the message on the screen.

He turned up his business smile and inclined his head toward them. "I have to go." He picked up his briefcase and turned to Neji one last time while Juugo stepped away from Sasuke to escort him out. "You and Gaara will be picked up tomorrow at two o'clock. The driver will meet you the same place Juugo met with me today. He will give you all the details."

With that Sai left with Juugo a step behind him.

Hours after Sai had left, Neji and Gaara lay on the bed in Naruto's spare bedroom. They were both lying on their respective sides, staring at the ceiling with their hands intertwined in the middle of the mattress. "What do you think will happen tomorrow?"

"I don't know." Neji answered truthfully. "But I'm glad you're coming with me." He squeezed his hand. "Even if they don't know about us, they know our history. They'd investigate you at least. Kakashi already told the press about your plans to travel with your siblings after the incident with Deidara so they don't have a reason to think you're still in Konoha."

Gaara squeezed his hand back. Everything had happened so fast after Deidara got shot. Gaara remembered the sound of that gun blasting in his ears, the way Deidara had looked at him, the shock of seeing so much blood. Gaara had barely caught him before he hit the floor. He'd screamed at Tobi to call the ambulance while Neji struggled with the assassin. It was all a blur now. Those handful of seconds after the shot. But Neji had subdued the assassin with the help of Tobi who landed a boot to his head when he couldn't hear the dispatcher from the sound of the two struggling on the ground. The ambulance had come followed by Naruto who had texted him to warn him about the bounty on Neji. They were both safely in Naruto's home when Neji locked himself in a room to make the call to Hiashi. It was his uncle who had insisted on Neji returning to the Hyuuga compound, but Neji wouldn't leave without making sure he was safe too. After all, the assassin had traced Neji back to his cabin. It would be easy enough for another to do the same. Hiashi agreed to the stalemate until they could get Gaara and his siblings to safety. Temari and Kankurou were each alerted and immediately took extra precaution. They put out a statement to the press about travel plans to another country while each sibling was moved to safety until Itachi, who was already on Orochimaru's trail for the attempt on Sasuke could make his move. Gaara hadn't been moved along with his siblings, insisting on staying in Konoha until everything was resolved. In the end, Neji had asked his uncle to move Gaara with him, and Hiashi had agreed.

"Let's go to sleep for now."

Gaara nodded, shaking the images of that day away. Deidara was out of danger, and they were safe now. Behind him, Neji moved closer and curled an arm around him but it would take half an hour before either of them fell asleep.

Sai went straight back to his hotel where Izumo was already waiting for him outside. The guard fell in step behind him while they made their way back to the hotel room. Sai kept silent until the door closed safely behind them. He turned on Izumo who answered his unspoken question without being prompted. He knew just how anxious Sai was for news since their departure four days ago.

"We completed our objective. Kimimaro's information was right. He was there."

"And?"

"The truth serum worked. He gave us Orochimaru's location."

"What about his plan?"

"You're going to have to add another clause to the contract you made for Itachi and Hiashi." Sai stilled, unsure what he meant. He knew Orochimaru was interested in the virus and the Uchiha's multi-national corporation but he'd already planned for that. It was the reason for the contract. Normally, two corporations like the ones belonging to the Uchiha and Hyuuga family already had iron-clad contracts on the right of succession of their companies but with the threat of Orochimaru, and his subsequent threats against their family had brought the two powerful companies together to destroy him. Sai had spent the last four days putting together an addendum to their right of succession. He was supposed to be the impartial party, the one with nothing at stake. Each company had used him on different occasions for various matters because they trusted him, but this time Sai wasn't altogether truthful. He did have a stake. He had negotiated a deal with them in order to steer Kimimaro's fate away from death's doors.

Even if bodyguard did his job and left when all this was over it would still be worth it. Sai knew he'd regret it for the rest of his life if he didn't at least try to help him. He wasn't in love with Kimimaro, he didn't know him well enough for that. But he did feel something, and for someone who had felt nothing for most his life that single spark of interest meant the world to him. It left him daydreaming about stupid notions that would never have entered his head had it been anyone else. He thought about the nights he spent alone in his hotel room with no one to speak to but his bodyguard. The people who sought him out wanting something from him. It was always the same. None of them cared. Well... Izumo cared, and while Sai knew he cared about him beyond the paycheck it was honor and duty and not himself that bound the bodyguard to him. Sai wanted more. He'd even played with the idea of buying a home somewhere, instead taking up residence in endless hotel rooms. When his deals were done he had nowhere to go, nowhere to be, no one waiting to share a meal with him. It the was loneliest feeling the world.

"What kind of clause?" Sai asked, shaking those thoughts away. He had a personal stake in this which meant he had to be on top of everything more than usual.

"The Hyuuga Heiress. Orochimaru plans to use her as his trump card."

"..."

He needed to tell Itachi immediately.

"Itachi already knows." Izumo put in, already knowing where Sai's thoughts had headed too. "He's already contacted Hiashi and they've decided to move against him before he can use her."

Sai stiffened. "When?"

"Tommorow."

Tommorrow? That meant that Kimimaro wasn't going to be coming back tonight. When he'd first received the message from Izumo early that night in Naruto's home he had felt a sense of excitement stir at the pit of his stomach at the simple words. They had completed their mission which meant they would be returning soon. When he spotted Izumo waiting for him alone had been a tad disappointed but hoped the other guard would be waiting for them at their hotel room, when he wasn't the feeling subsided but did not vanish. He still held onto the hope that he'd see him the next day thinking he had other matters to attend to, but if they were moving against Orochimaru tomorrow it meant he wouldn't see Kimimaro until after that mission was completed, and only if he made it out alive a second time. Sai knew just how much the stakes would rise when they went after the head, and they already knew about Kimimaro's involvement in the first hit. They'd be ready for the second.

"Thank you for the information, Izumo." He said in a stiff voice. "You should get some sleep." The didn't move. He knew his ward better than the man thought he did. Izumo wasn't stupid, he could see Sai's infatuation - at least what passed as infatuation when it came to him - with Kimimaro. It was the reason for all the risks he'd taken on his behalf and if he was going this far for the other guard, then the least Izumo could do was make sure he didn't get burned. That was the reason why he followed Sai's orders and helped Kimimaro and Kisame with the extraction mission. Why he'd written down Kimimaro's new phone number when they discarded their old ones after the mission, and why he was now giving that number to his ward.

Sai blinked at his guard, staring at the small piece of folded paper in his hand. "It's his new number," Izumo told him. He knew he had done the right thing when he saw Sai's face relax into a small flirtive smile that held no hint of forgery.

"Thank you. Izumo."

S: Are you asleep?

K: No.

S: How are you?

After five minutes with no answer, Sai sent another question.

S: Did anyone die?

Again no answer. Okay… Maybe if he changed the subject to something else.

S: What time are you leaving tomorrow?

K: Early.

S: Is Itachi there?

K: Yes.

S: Is he going with you?

K: No.

Sai stared down at the string of one word answers. He knew Kimimaro didn't talk much and his efforts of trying to draw him into a conversation were probably annoying him by this point, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to talk him, even if it was by text. Sai understood he couldn't tell him any real facts but he'd hoped they could at least have a small conversation, but this…. this wasn't it at all. In hindsight, he knew he was lucky Kimimaro had answered him at all.

S: I'm sorry for disturbing you.

No answer, not that he'd expected one. Back in his hotel room, Sai set his phone down on his bed and began getting ready for bed. When he was done, he checked in with Izumo whose room was attached to his own and got into bed. Outside it had begun to rain and Sai listened to the sound letting it draw him to sleep when his phone pinged beside him.

"...?"

Sai reached for his phone and blinked down at the message displayed on the screen. Slowly, his mouth twitched into a little smile that brightened his entire face.

K: Goodnight, Sai.

He opened up the phone to type in a quick response and sent it on its way before settling back down to sleep. This time, he settled down far easier than before, and when he fell asleep, his smile still linger at the corners of his lips.

S: Goodnight, Kimimaro.

"What's the news?"

"The dental results came in. His body wasn't among them."

Orochimaru stood up and turned his back to his guard. "Clever. So they used the fire to waste our time identifying the bodies, while they interrogated Kabuto."

The guard said nothing.

"Kimimaro. You really have been a bad boy." Orochimaru knew Itachi would never have found Kabuto so quickly without an inside source. It had been the reason he wanted the guard eliminated as soon as possible, yet none of his people or the ones underground had located him. Where had he gone? He couldn't have gone to Juugo, not after the attempt on Sasuke, and he couldn't move on his own, not without his network of spies finding out about it. So where…

Orochimaru had never expected Kimimaro to be so resourceful and if he hadn't already betrayed him twice, he might have forgiven the first one. But this, he had forced him into a corner.

"Make the call. We're moving on to phase three of the plan."

"What about phase two?"

Orochimaru gave the guard a look, and the man quickly nodded, pulling out his phone to make the the necessary arrangements while Orochimaru walked out of his plush office. They would all find out what a snake was capable of when cornered.

A/N: 3 chapters left:

Ch. 10. The Hit.

Ch. 11 The Wedding

Ch. 12 The End.