TO LOVE AND TO LOVE AGAIN

THE BURDEN OF LOVE

To Love and to Love Again Chapter 39: The Burden of Love

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER AND AUTHORS NOTE: I do NOT own Naruto. The awesomeness of the Naruto Manga and World is the creation of Masashi Kishimoto. This is Purely Fanfiction. All things Medical in this entire fanfiction should not be taken as serious medical advice or facts. PLEASE CONSULT AN ACTUAL DOCTOR FOR ANY MEDICAL INFORMATION/QUESTIONS. THANK YOU AND ENJOY!

There was only one word to describe the sequence of events following the mission: Bedlam.

A full scale investigation was launched into the current Sound Operation takedown. Every Agent was interviewed and cross examined to eliminate any potential accomplices of Danzo Shinamura. No question was left unasked and no avenue of possibility was left unexplored. The task took a grueling three weeks to accomplish before the CIA was satisfied that Danzo had acted alone in the matter.

That's not to say that his plans hadn't left a deep impact on the agency's leaders and Special Agents.

The CIA was meant to protect and serve the nation from danger. That's why the organization only recruited the most extraordinary of people to bear the burden of protecting citizens from evils the world may never know were there. Yet one of their own was responsible for countless deaths, all in the name of power.

What made it worse was that the biggest victims were also one of their own. That was the hardest truth to accept, and days of speculation and questions ultimately warranted the need for the findings of the investigation to be presented to those it affected the most.

And so, three weeks post incident, the best of the best the CIA had to offer sat in their command center, eagerly awaiting the news.

"What the hell is taking them so long?" Tenten asked to no one in particular as she toyed with a senbon needle between her fingers. She was eager to get back to the nursery and check on her children. Ino felt the same way, as the residual distrust of the agency lingered and parents were still paranoid about their children's safety.

"It's taken them this long just to compile all their info," Neji remarked. "Whatever they have to say to us will not be easy to absorb."

"No kidding captain obvious," Kiba retorted from the other side of the room. Neji didn't even bother glaring at the jab, although he did notice Tenten point the senbon toward Kiba in a threatening manner. Kiba noticed as well and shifted in his seat.

"It's been three weeks. As if we haven't waited long enough," Ino huffed. "We know it's going to be intense but sitting here and waiting for nearly forty-five minutes is pushing it."

"Be patient," Yamato ordered from his spot standing by the wall. The room was filled to capacity with Agents, who were getting more hostile by the minute. "When something this close to home occurs, it takes a while to process. It's happened before and it's always worse when history repeats itself against our best efforts."

Shikamaru leaned back in his seat and sighed. "Nothing about our line of work is ever pleasant or easy to handle," he commented, wishing beyond anything he could take a much needed nap. "But keeping us all waiting like this is such a drag."

Gaara showed no reaction to that statement. He and his siblings were also asked to participate in the meeting since he had been involved in the initial investigation. Kankuro and Temari flanked him as they leaned against the opposite wall, assessing their Tokyo branch colleagues with amusement.

The table consisted of Neji, Tenten, Rock Lee, Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Shino, Kiba and Kurenai. Asuma, Yamato, and Guy stood behind them by the wall. All of them added to the hum of voices as they waited for the meeting to start.