Reckoning

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

Abandoned Corn Farm, 25 miles south of Greenwood (the next day)

Gaara walked down the gravel road, surrounded by FBI agents. 

“Doctor Gaara.” Kakashi called loudly as soon as he saw the redheaded alpha coming up the path. “If you’ll follow me.” He said, handing the redhead a pair of blue rubber gloves. “You might want to prepare yourself Doctor, you’ve never seen anything like this.” 

“I am sure I haven’t.” Gaara responded as he slipped on the gloves and followed Kakashi into a tall half rusted grain holder. 

“How could a human being go so bad?” Kakashi said to himself as he walked in to find dozens of bodies stitched together and forming a circle like some grotesque puzzle.

“When it comes to nurture or nature I chose neither.” Gaara responds as surveys the corpses. “We are built from a DNA blueprint, and born in a world of circumstances which we do no control.” The redhead crouched and looked at the bodies. “What did it look from above?” He asked and Kakashi grudgingly handed him the picture. “Fascinating.” Gaara said simply, before handing it back. 

“Ritual sacrifice.” Kakashi stated before crossing his arms.

“I am not sure if this would classify as an offering.” Gaara corrected. “Though it is certainly a gesture.” 

“A killer who could do this sort of thing, would they be likely to continue doing it?” Kakashi asked

“This could be his beginning or his end.” The redhead answered still engrossed in observing his surroundings. “The killer may never kill again.” 

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

FBI Headquarters, Northside Konoha City (later the same day)

A knock echoed on Kakashi officer door and he looked up to see Sasuke standing there. The raven haired man was a day early for the session to discuss Gaara.

“Hello Doctor Uchiha, What can I help you with?” Kakashi said gesturing for him to sit.

“Closure.” Sasuke replied as he carefully took a seat across from the FBI agent. “I am afraid this may have to be our last conversation, or at least on  subject to Gaara.” 

“Are you… pleading the fifth?” Kakashi questioned carefully with a frown. 

“No.” Sasuke countered with a shake of head. “I simply cannot offer you any more insight than I already have.” 

“Not accounting for future insight, of course?” Kakashi said with a half smile. Sasuke took a short breath.

“As of three days ago, I am no longer Gaara’s psychiatrist. I believe it would be irresponsible for me to continue to see Gaara.”

“Irresponsible? For who?” Kakashi asked slowly, the smile dropping and carefully calculated look appearing in his eyes.

“For me.” Sasuke answered. “I can only help Gaara if am I feeling secure, emotionally that is. I do not feel secure. Therefore, I am removing myself from the situation.” Sasuke paused taking the chance to lace his next word with more meaning. “I hope you understand.”

“I’m… not sure I do.” Kakashi said slowly and flicker of exasperation filled Sasuke eyes.

“Gaara and I were both traumatized by dangerous patients.” Sasuke responded. “He had his Naruto, I had mine.” He swallowed. “It has been a needed, although unpleasant reminder that I have…. unresolved issues.” 

“Perhaps Gaara can help you work through your issues. He’s an excellent psychiatrist.” Kakashi offereded. Sasuke clenched his fist in his lap.

“I am attempting my best to avoid working through my issues with Gaara.” Having said everything he came to say Sasuke stood. “I can not control if the FBI contacts me, however, I will tell you what I told him: I prefer that you don’t. 

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

Kaguya’s Hospital for the Criminally Insane,  Northside Konoha City

Naruto hadn’t been expecting anyone, so he allowed himself to drop into an uneasy half doze. Sleep was difficult. It wasn’t because his dreams or anything, it was the cold stiffness of the mattress. The discomfort was made worse as another cramp twisted around in his gut, and Naruto fought not to curse aloud. 

“Get up.” One of the guards called out from the other side and the blondes nose twitched and the strangeness of her scent a she stood and allowed for her to cuff him. He’s seen her around before with her dark purple hair and aloof air. He shook away the distracting thoughts as she guiding him to the vistors hall and locked him in a smaller cell for visitors to speak to. Gaara and Ino were buzzed through the door and the blonde grunted when he saw her carrying another file. 

“Again?” Naruto asked. “Now your just taking advantage. Your going to wear me out before my trial. What would Kakashi say?”

“Kakashi is not often prone to acts of mercy.” Gaara murmured, and the blonde snorted. ‘Oh and you are?’ Naruto thought fighting not to roll his eyes. 

“Naruto. It’s hard to concentrate and some of the stuff I’m been tasked to do. I could use your help.” Ino half-pleaded half-told. Naruto wanted to smash his head against the walls as he noticed Gaara pause and glance at Ino at her words.  ‘Oh fantastic, way to tip him off that I’m up to something.’ The blonde thought. 

“Fine. Give it here.” Naruto growled, taking the picture that she handed to him and allowing his empathy to wash over him. 

I am surrounded by dozens of bodies— 47 to be exacts. All of them different. All of them with a slightly different skin tone. Quietly, surrounded by the work i did I say, 

“I made you malleable. Molded, set and sealed you where you all lay. This is my design.” I look upwards from the chaos. “I am fixed and unseeing— unless someone else sees me.” I murmured before a pause and look around at my work once more. “One of you, is not like the others. One of you— don’t belong.” Suddenly I stumbled and there I see it. At the center, curled up and missing one of the legs.  “Who are you?” I asked, looking at the omegan corpse. “Why are you so different from the rest? I didn’t put you here.” I realize sharply. “You— are NOT my design.” I say aloud before a strange echoing slithering sound jerked my attention upwards. There looking through porthole— sat the oh so familiar sand monster. 

“You. You put me here— in my own work.” I finish saying, clenching my fists and glaring at the sand monster.

“He’s in the mural.” Naruto mumbled and Ino blinked.

“What?”

“The killer, than your looking for is sewn into his own mural.” The blonde said rolling his eyes and pointing at the picture. 

“Well, then what happened to his leg?” Ino questioned. 

“Who ever sewed him in took a part of him.” 

“He must have had a friend.” Gaara suggested, having been silent during this little interaction. Naruto silently watched the redhead from where he was trapped.

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

Kaguya’s Hospital for the Criminally Insane,  Northside Konoha City (later)

Naruto was once again, brought to the visitors hall by that strange dark haired guard. ‘It seems I have visitor.’ Naruto thought vaguely, wondering who it could be. The sound of heels clicked against the hard stone echoed as a tall harsh women approached. 

“Naruto Uzumaki.” She said as she came to stand before, setting her briefcase down. “I’m Niko Airi.” She explained. “I’m from the office of FBI oversight.” 

“Am I still and FBI employee or uh… is that pending the outcome of my trial?” Naruto asked, partly curious and partly because he felt… bored. Everything he could to make his situation better was slow building, and this… Niko wasn’t part of any of that. 

“The point of the trail isnt if you did or did not do it. It’s if you knew you knew what you were doing when you did it.” She snipped and the blonde let out a snarky laugh.

“Sounds like I’m unemployed.” 

“Doctor Sakura Haruno is hard at work on you unconsciousness defense.” 

“Ah right. The FBI made me do it.” Naruto muttered. 

“That the FBI made you a murderer, yes.” She answered with a nod. “That is Miss Sakura’s position. As you can imagine she’s not popular.’ 

“What’s your position?”

“Our point of view is that you were already a murderer.” Niko responded and suddenly Naruto realized what she was. ‘Oh hell, she’s an omega.’ The blonde thought, already calculating his odds of getting out with her anywhere dropping. 

Contrary to popular belief, Omegas weren’t exactly lesser creatures. They simply lack the physical size and extra muscle mass that alphas or beta had. Following stereotypes means Alphas have the best fighting abilities and pain tolerance, Betas have the best brains, and Omegas are the fastest. Sigmas were the wildcard. That said, Omega tended to be on the side of caution unlike alphas— they’d rather lock of the wrong guy up then let a bad guy get away. 

“The prosecution will paint a picture of you as an intelligent psychopath.” Niko said crossing her arms. “You conspired with your neurologist to cultivate an illness that would ultimately be your alibi.”

“Then what? I killed my neurologist to cover my tracks?” Naruto questioned hating how it all sounded. It was so far from the truth yet it sounded believable. ‘The courtroom would believe it. Undoubtedly.’ Naruto thought. 

“That’s what everyone in that courtroom tomorrow will hear.” Niko explained, “regardless of what you say.”

“Oh what’s to be done about that?” Naruto says sarcastically feeling a prickle of disgust towards the omega in front of him. 

“Let's discuss it. If you plead guilty, you will spare us all a trial. And I would personally see to it that your made comfortable here.” She offered. 

“I’m pleading innocent.” Naruto growled and she took a step back on instinct before scoffing and forcing herself to step forward to where she was. 

“You very publicly lot you mind. Some would argue…. theatrically. The prosecution certainly will.” She pressed her mouth into a thin line. “You will be found guilty and then you will be given the federal death penalty.” She took a half step closer. “I’m trying to save your life.” 

“Guess I’ll have to save my own life.” Naruto snapped, leaving the omega speechless before she picked up her case— turned and left. 

Naruto was escorted back to his cell by that same dark haired women and left alone. ‘Funny. I never thought of myself as being particularly social, but I’m alone now more than ever and it— it hurts.’ Trying not to dwell on it too much Naruto tried to distract himself from his growing cramps by imagine himself in a lush and wild forest. Somewhere far away from where he is. 

(After several hours maybe?) A buzzing sound jerks his attention back and Naruto catches the scent of tomatoes and leather. Standing there, on the other side of his cell bars stood a raven haired man— an alpha. ‘Strange. They didn’t escort me back to the visitors hall. It must be not be regular visiting  hours. Weird they let me stay in my cell.’

“I don’t know you.” Naruto stated, after waiting for the alpha to introduce himself. ‘Because of Gaara I forgot how rude people can be in day to day life. The blonde realized, not sure how he felt about that entire thing. 

“My name is Sasuke Uchiha.” The alpha responded and Naruto's eyes got wide. 

“Your,  your Gaara’s psychiatrist?” Naruto swallowed and tried to think of something to ask that would help further his cause— namely getting out of Prison including but not limited to putting Gaara into Prison because he’s a dick sometimes. What came out was, “what’s that like?” 

“I have heard so much about you I feel I almost know you.” Sasuke murmured instead of answering.

“You don’t.” Naruto snapped warningly.

“No. I don’t.” The alpha agreed and the blonde felt a prickle of discomfort at how…. soft the alpha was. How bendable he seemed. “However, I understand you more than I thought. Therefore I wanted to meet you before I withdraw.” 

“Withdraw from?” Naruto wondered, stepping closer to the alpha, feeling a bit confused at the power and yet willow dancer like movements he seemed to possess. ‘Could it be…?’ He wondered taking a curious sniff of the hair before mentally kicking himself. ‘If he is, I won’t be able to smell it. That’s not something you can smell.’ 

“Social ties.” Sasuke answered.

“Well your a psychiatrist, isn’t our sense of self tied to our social ties?”

“They certainly are in your case.” Sasuke answered calmly not bothered by Naruto rough voice or tone. ‘Fuck you.’ Naruto thought repressing a growl. “It May be small comfort,” Sasuke said quietly, “however I am convinced that Gaara has done what he honestly believes is best for you.” Naruto's heart stuttered and beat and then started to race. ‘That’s not a small comfort, that’s… that’s no comfort?’ Naruto thought before wondering. Sasuke's wasn’t someone he figured he would ever meet. Let alone talk to. “The traumatized are unpredictable because we know we can survive.” Sasuke took a half step closer to him. “You can survive this happening to you.”

“Happening…. to me?” Naruto says slowly, and suddenly his world seemed to shrink down to those few words. Slowly, Sasuke inches forward, leaning against the cell bars and whispered,

“I believe you.” The words made took his doubts and tossed them to the window. Validating his beliefs with a lush brightness he hadn’t truly believed in since he got thrown into the cell and essentially abandoned. ‘This is… this is crazy.’ Naruto thought. ‘Sure I always sorta believe that it was Gaara— had memories but to have someone else believe it? To validate it out loud and confirm it?’ The blonde swallowed his words.

Sasuke was immediately escorted out for breaking the rule— he was supposed to even touch the bars let alone get close enough to whisper to Naruto. The blonde was left gasping for air and thinking about what this meant. 

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

Dr. Uchiha home, Central Konoha City (that night)

Gaara drove up silently to Sasuke's house. He was dressed in his regular clothes with a clear plastic suit over top of it all. Carefully, the redhead picked the lock and pushed open the front door. 

All of Sasuke's furniture was covered by thick dark sheets, various pictures were missing from the walls and a small tomato plant which had been growing in a pot of soil in the kitchen was missing entirely. 

The demure yet strong alpha had left behind everything he didn’t consider immensely important— and ran. With one exception. In the chair Sasuke normally sat is during their sessions, he left a bottle of his favorite cologne behind. 

“And the conclusion I’ve drawn is that you are dangerous.” Gaara murmured, repeating some of the last words that Sasuke has said to him.