When Love Fades

Chapter 43 - The Damage Done I

Sasuke looked at his watch as he walked into the small coffee shop three blocks from his brother's apartment. He had scheduled his meeting with the woman from Children's Services for when he knew his brother would be working. Not that he didn't think for a minute that Itachi wasn't going to know the purpose of the conversation he was about to have with Konan before the evening was over. But - based on the rare praise Itachi had said about the woman - Sasuke had confidence that Konan would at least not divulge any of the specifics of Naruto's background unless Sasuke agreed to it. Konan was evidently one of the very short list of people who could actually say no to Itachi.

Sasuke was looking forward to meeting her, as it would also give him the chance to see if one of his suspicions about Itachi was true.

He glanced around the coffee shop, his eyes resting on a woman who looked only slightly older than Sasuke with purple highlights in her hair. An odd choice for a professional woman and a detail that Itachi hadn't mentioned, but the way the woman's amber eyes lit with recognition and not an ounce of flirtation at this face told him she

was definitely the one he was here to meet. Konan stood as he approached where she was sitting in the secluded corner booth of the cozy coffee shop.

"You have the same eyes as your brother," she greeted him. "I'm Konan."

"Sasuke," he said, trying not to tense at the comparison with his brother.

Konan arched a brow as though sensing that Sasuke had not liked her comment. "Your message about why you wanted to see me was rather vague."

Sasuke removed his jacket, glancing over to the short line of people waiting to order their coffee and looking back at the steaming mug already enviably in Konan's hands.

"Why don't you go and order yourself something, and we'll talk," she said, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Hn."

Sasuke told himself he didn't feel nervous. He might not be completely comfortable talking with a complete stranger about anything other than business, but this was the most direct route to getting the information he needed. As much as he'd tried to write off Kiba's words, they were coming back to him at annoying times. It was interfering with his sleep and making him feel somehow uncomfortable with his relationship with Neji. While he and Neji had both agreed that the nature of their relationship was going to be short term and not emotionally entangled, he knew that he was pulling away from Neji lately. It would not be good for either of them to continue things unless Sasuke got his head on straight about what he wanted or didn't want.

Talking with Konan would be hopefully give him the unbiased perspective he needed to either write off the scene with Kiba, or make Sasuke re-think things. It bothered him slightly that he honestly didn't know which outcome he was hoping for, but there was no point in putting the conversation off. At this point, he just needed to know.

Sasuke ordered his espresso from the barista and took it back to the table where Konan was waiting, her eyes somehow seeming older than her years. He wondered briefly the types of things the woman had seen in her line of work and what kind of person it would take to deal with it day in and day out.

"I am assuming you had a reason for asking to meet with me outside of my office on one of my few nights off. And it seems pretty clear that you're not here to ask me on a date," Konan said drily.

Sasuke took a sip of his coffee, nodding slightly in acknowledgement of her statement. "Itachi told me that you're the one he calls when he gets a particularly tough case down at the hospital."

Konan shrugged a slender shoulder, the faintest tinge of pink tracing her delicate cheekbones. "Yes, he usually calls me when Children's Services is needed. Though it's possibly because I'm the only one not terrified of him when he's on a mission about a patient."