Reckoning

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

Fire County Courthouse, Downtown Konoha City

Naruto sat in the court room next to his lawyer, waiting for what he knew would come next. Sure enough, his lawyer called Gaara to the witness stand. ‘And the old friend that betrayed me returns— here to pick up the peices of a shattered friendship.’ Naruto thought, trying his best to not think of the future. Of what could happen. The idea of his death had kept him up last night again. Funny, not that his head was okay and he wasn’t sick he wasn’t sleeping because the law decided to be an ass and his body realized it was healthy enough to reproduce and was trying to go through an internal puberty all at once and decide if wanted to be a boy or girl this month. ‘I freaking hate being a Sigma.’ Naruto thought as a cramp hit him so hard it took his breath away and he gasped quietly. 

The blonde didnt look forward to the actually event. So far it was just his body adjusting internally as it decided if it wanted to go through a heat or a rut. The blonde feared for the time when it actually decided. 

Gaara however, looked remarkably calm and well put together despite all of the pressure. The whole- Narutos life in his hands thing. ‘Try not to get me killed.’ Naruto inwardly pleaded.  The redheaded alpha took the oath and Naruto had a weird moment where he imagine cracks of sand appearing on the redheads face. It faded quickly, a flash of imagination. 

“Morning Doctor.” Naruto lawyer said stepping closer. “Would you please describe your relationship with Naruto?”

“I was asked by agent Kakashi Hatake to monitor Naruto's emotional well-being should he worked on cases. However, i was never officially his psychiatrist.” 

“If you weren’t his psychiatrist what were you?”

“I was meant to be his stability. I failed him in that.” 

“How did you fail him?”

“I was unable to determine if Naruto's condition was due to mental illness or stress because of his work at the FBI.” Gaara replied steadily. ‘So far so good.’ Naruto thought to himself, as he could practically feel the room lean in a bit closer to listen— to believe. The blonde looked down at his hands. ‘He’s so good at lying it’s all most criminal.’ The blonde thought ironically.  “My mistake was never considering Naruto's innocence until the murder of a bailiff fro Mathis courthouse.”

“How did you know about the murder?”

“I have been asked to consult on the case by Agent Kakashi as he wanted a profile of the bailiffs killer,”

“Do you believe the bailiffs murder was committed by the same person who killed Naruto's supposed victims?”

“Objection!” The prosecutor said loudly, standing up. “Profiles are not evidence. They are looking and this is hearsay.” 

“Overruled.” The judges declared. “I will allow this.” 

“Thank you your honour.” Naruto's lawyer said with a satisfied smile. 

“There are alarming similarities in the crimes committed.” Gaara said simply. 

“Now, Naruto accused you of the crimes he is standing trial for right now and yet here you are testifying on his behalf for the defense.” 

“Naruto was under an intense illness and rightfully could not accept their actions to be his.” Gaara answered before continuing. “Furthermore, Any mind faced with idea of commuting such heinous acts will find an alternative reality to believe in.” 

“Do you blame him for accusing you?”

“No.” Gaara answered, watching the blonde. Naruto could feel the weight of his eyes resting on his shoulders like a some sort of mildly itchy blanket, half comforting and half annoying as fuck. ‘His eyes just scream i am your friend.’ Naruto thought feeling himself sink inwards. ‘The prosecutor is going to sniff it out and rip him apart.’ Naruto closed his eyes and tried to accept his oncoming death. There would be no going back no.

“Your witness.” Naruto's lawyer said. The curvy beta stood up and stepped right up next to the redhead, half invading his desk ally space. 

“Doctor, what was the actually cause of death in the bailiffs murder?” She question loudly, cutting right to the heart of the matter. 

“A bullet to the heart.”

“I see. And how did Naruto's victims die?” She questioned. A new thought occurred to Naruto and he almost smacked himself for not thinking of it sooner. ‘What if this is just some clever plan of Gaara’s to make my death come sooner so i stop making accusations against him?’ Naruto's thought feeling dread curl up in his stomach. ‘I really need to stop trusting Gaara. It never turns out right with him involved.’  

“Mutilation.” Gaara answered. ‘You might as well have killed me yourself.’ Naruto thought feeling his chest tighten. 

“That us very different from a bullet.”

“The similarities between—“

“Your honour,” she interrupted “The witness’s personal beliefs and biases are driving his conclusions not facts.” She crossed her arms. “There are in fact two different cases and two different killers.”

“Your honor— there are sufficient similarities to consider this a defense.” Naruto's lawyer interjected quickly standing up. 

“Enough.” The judge said before it could escalate any further. “I am ruling this line of defense inadmissible.” He finished. 

“Thank you your honour.’ The Beta prosecutor replied before taking her seat.

“All previous testimony on the matter will be stricken from the record.” The Judge declared and Gaara blinked once and took in a sharp breath before dating to meet Naruto's eyes again. 

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

Later that night Kakashi sat alone in his office comparing the pictures of the various crime scenes as thought looking at it with fresh eyes. Gaara’s testimony may have been stricken from the official records, but those involved had heard it— and it raised some questions. 

Gaara himself, had to attend to a patient after that evening but when the patient left the redhead sat quietly in his chair. His face twisted into a sort of shocked resentful look that seemed to burn like fire. The look only seemed to grow in intensity the longer he stared at the empty seat across from him. The spot where Naruto would sit in when they talked to each other. Where they would have a glass of wine. Gaara have sat there for an hour —what used to be Naruto's time— before he got up and prepared to leave. 

The next morning, the judge’s body was found hanging in the courtroom. 

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

Fire County Courthouse, Downtown Konoha City (the next day)

“It appears that the Judge was murdered in his chambers before being hauled out here to be put on display.” Kakashi said with a long sigh. 

“Not only is Justice blind, it is mindless and heartless.” Gaara murmured. “How did the killer get so close?”

“There are no signs of a struggle.” Lee stated. 

“He was killed with a bullet just like the bailiff, you just can't see the entry wound because he removed the heart.” Ino explained loudly from where she stood next to the body. “There is an exit wound though.” 

“No slug or casing though.” Kiba added. “The killer must have taken it with him.”

“A trophy.” Gaara explained simply. 

“Doctor,” Kakashi said gesturing for him to follow. With this judges death there won't be a verdict. It will be as though the trial never happened.” Kakashi explained before frowning and looking confused, “But why?”

“Psychopathic violence is goal oriented.” Gaara stated. “A means to a very particular end.”

“So our killed wanted a mistrial?”

“It is an elegant if unusual solution.” Gaara responded. 

“So the killer spares Naruto a guilty verdict for the moment— thus saving his life.” Kakashi reasoned, “but the question is this, is it the same killer?” The agent eyed the redhead closely as he spoke again, “Is Naruto still on trial in your mind?”

“The use of a gun, death first, mutilation last…” Gaara said slowly and shook his head. “I feel wrong, having to deny Naruto for the third time however— I’m not sure this is the same killer.” Kakashi ran a hand through his hair looking back at the murder and shaking his head at the brutality of it. 

‘Who ever our killer is, he was careful. He left very little almost no evidence behind.” 

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

Kaguya’s Hospital For The Criminally Insane

I was hoping that a verdict would have helped smooth your mind. Helped you to focus on getting better.” Sakura admitted. “I can't exactly blame this on the lawyer.” 

“Faith in legal justice has never been any more comforting than a…. nightlight.” Naruto mumbled as thought wasn’t already were of what Sakura's intentions were. 

“You know that there are several miscarriages of justice— especially when it comes to psychopaths. You could have easily been misdiagnosed.” Sakura offered and Naruto snorted.

“I have already been misdiagnosed.”

“But not by the court.” She countered as encouragingly as a possible. Naruto blinked and stared at her.

“Not yet.” He said flatly. The blonde let that sink in as he stewed on the fact that his stay in Prison has been lengthened, though he didn't feel any spark of hope of getting out of here legally. That old plan of hid that he had set aside in favor of pursuing other options to survive came back to his mind. “The killer will reach out to me.” Naruto blurted out, “he will want to.”

“Why?” Sakura asked, curious. “What does he want?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He wants to know me..” The blonde answered, before noticing the cold distance in her eyes where none used to be. ‘Sakura once would have reached across the table of hold to hold my hand or something.’ Naruto thought watching her as she sat back in the chair. She was leaning away from him. “What is it that you want?” Naruto murmured quietly, taking in her change. ‘Sakura isn't in love with my anymore at least.’ Naruto thought.

“I want to save you.” She whispered.