Chaos
A/N: WIP. Something serious for a change.I don't know for how long I've been playing with this idea in my head shuffling it around and editing the characters and plot. I will try to update as soon as I can (my laptop is still not here). Yes I know the beginning is a lot of angst but the plot gets better. Trust me!
Rating: M (for later chapters)
Warnings: Yes this comes loaded! InoXNaruto, Character Death, Major Angst, (In this chapter and maybe the next three) and age gap.
Disclaimer: Naruto and all its characters are the property of Masashi Kishimoto.
"Uchiha-sama, there's an urgent call for you on line two," Karin's sudden appearance paired with her urgent voice made Uchiha Sasuke raise his head sharply from the blueprints he was studying with his clients. Since Karin was the most professional and efficient secretary, the sudden interruption in her boss's business meeting meant that something was urgent. "It's the hospital." The frown that was already marring the pale smooth forehead deepened and wordlessly Sasuke picked up the receiver with his left hand.
"Uchiha Sasuke speaking," he politely intoned into the receiver.
"Uchiha-san, I'm calling from the Konoha Hospital. There has been a complication with Mrs. Uzumaki's delivery…" Sasuke did not wait to hear the rest. He nodded towards his clients, barked Karin's name and practically ran towards the door.
Shit…Shit...Shit…Ino…Naruto…
"What's the problem?" he demanded from the nurse who'd called him. How he'd managed to get from the office to the hospital in ten minutes, from the hospital reception to the concerned ward was a feat in itself.
"Not good. The baby has shifted positions. Dr. Tsunade will explain it to you better." The nurse spoke in short sentences as she led him towards the cabin of the gynecologist concerned with Ino's pregnancy and Sasuke sat down tersely opposite Dr. Tsunade who had her hands folded in front of her on the table and was giving Sasuke a very troubled look.
"We have to operate Ino right away," she said.
Sasuke frowned. "Tell me everything," he said. His hands were shaking as he pulled back the chair opposite Tsunade and sat down on it. He knew how much this child meant to both Naruto and Ino and if what he was guessing was correct then this was going to be hell pouring down on him.
"There is no time for that!" Tsunade stood up and began pacing in the little space behind her chair. She stopped, banged her hands against the table and looked at Sasuke urgently. "Sasuke, we must operate her right away to be able to save at least one of them." It sounded like she was forcing herself to stay calm now.
"What do you want me to do?" Sasuke asked, dread filling his insides and his stomach suddenly went unsettled.
"Choose. You're Naruto's closest friend and his only family. Since he's away please make this decision and sign the papers. Who do I save mother or child?" Tsunade's voice sounded hoarse but at that moment Sasuke could not hear anything much. His blood ran cold in his veins and his heart thudded with a madness past bearing.
How could he? Who was he? It wasn't even his place! Naruto you stupid fool! This is your decision to make damn you! Sasuke ran an agitated hand through his hair and then dragged one across his face. After what seemed like an eternity he looked up at Tsunade and with wobbly knees and sweaty hands signed the papers with his decision. He was sure this is what Naruto would choose too.
He stood up then; a little uncertain on his feet but the look he shot Tsuande was full of certainty. "Save both Tsunade. We both know what they mean to Naruto."
Tsunade nodded and walked forward to lay a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "I'll try my best." She hurried out of the office already relaying instructions as she hastily moved towards the Operation Theater where Ino's operation had already begun.
For how long Sasuke waited he didn't know. Three hours? Seven? Hell it could have been days for all Sasuke cared! It seemed as if time had lost its essence. He paced along the hospital corridors trying to calm his wildly beating heart just hoping, praying that Ino and her unborn child be safe. He sat in anguish, dialed Naruto's number for what had to be the millionth time leaving his stupid best friend voicemails to call him back but to no avail. Naruto was currently on a plane to Konoha and the sixteen hour flight would end in exactly an hour from that time. Frustration was etched into the usually stoic Uchiha's face as he waited for Tsunade to come out of the OT and deliver the news or his stupid best friend to turn up.
Business the precise reason why Naruto was away to leave Sasuke to deal with all the problems. Silently Sasuke cursed under his breath. Naruto was currently in the middle of negotiating a deal with Tanazuna-san from the Country of Rice and because Naruto was a complete technology retard he never turned on his phone after turning it off on a flight. Sasuke cursed the day Naruto went to the Country of Rice. I mean who the hell leaves their eight months pregnant wife to go travelling for work?
Naruto…Sasuke breathed in another agitated sigh. Naruto…the man Sasuke had been in love with for as long as he could remember. But the oblivious blond man had never known and Sasuke had done his damnest to make sure he never would. His friendship to Naruto meant more than his love for the man. So it had taken all his willpower not to cringe when Naruto had come in with stars shining in his eyes talking about this woman he'd fallen in love with. Naruto had gone on about how he'd met Ino who was a florist and made beautiful bouquets and had the most perfect shiny blond hair and an unusual eye color and how they both had botany in common. But the words that had struck Sasuke's innards like shards of ice were, "I'm going to marry her one day Sasuke! Just you wait and see…"
Initially Sasuke had passed it off as one of Naruto's infinite crushes and obsessions thinking it wouldn't be long that Naruto would get bored of Ino and come back to him. But no, that hadn't been the case. Ino had clearly swept Naruto off his feet and before he knew it, Naruto was making plans on the perfect proposal for the "perfect woman" as Naruto called her.
Oh how Sasuke's heart had bled when he'd seen Ino walking down the aisle towards Naruto and how Naruto's eyes had practically glowed in love and admiration when he took her hand in his while Sasuke stood stupidly on the side as the best man with a smile painted on his face.
After the wedding the blissfully in love couple moved to Iwagakure much to Sasuke's chagrin because Naruto was setting up his tea business there. And then within the short span of an year Naruto had built up his way up the success ladder with franchise and stores opened all across the Fire, Water, Sand, Mist and now if this deal were to become a success then the Rice Country as well, monopolizing the market and tea sales in the country.
However, success in business meant little time for fun. What began as monthly visits to Konoha gradually declined to once-every-six-months to twice a year and recently only when Naruto had some work.
And then that year on Sasuke's birthday, Naruto dropped the bomb on Sasuke about Ino's pregnancy. So far Sasuke had willed himself to believe that Naruto's busy schedule wouldn't let things exceed to that extent and one day Naruto would call up Sasuke and deliver the news about their fallouts and the failure of their marriage. He knew it was a completely mean and selfish thing to want but the pain of being without Naruto was past bearing. He'd booked the first flight to Iwagakure to tell his best friend his feelings regardless of the fact that it could end his relationship with his best friend.
So with a resolution carved in steel, he marched up to the Uzumaki mansion, but when he saw Naruto and Ino beaming happily at him, the resolution vanished. How could he have been so stupid? He couldn't do it, he just couldn't. And so he settled to accept and understand Ino. For the first time he willed himself to see the woman past his veil of hatred and loathing and actually accept her. By the end of his stay he could see the charm and he knew why Naruto was so smitten with her.
With Konoha's medical facility being one of the best in the country, Naruto had Ino admitted to the hospital for the last days of her pregnancy and also "For Sasuke and he to spend some time together." Sasuke had been glad for that. And now, the very same woman his best friend had fallen madly in love with fought between life and death to give Naruto the most precious thing a woman could ever give her husband.
How Sasuke wished Naruto didn't have to suddenly go to the Rice Country for the business deal!
He sighed for the millionth time that day and turned to look at the OT wishing the doors would open up sooner and Tsunade would tell him that both the mother and baby are safe and everything is alright. The doors to the operation theater opened just when his phone rang. He put the phone to his ear as he watched Tsunade step out with a bundle in her arms.
Sasuke's distress gave way to elation when he saw the baby. Over the phone, his other best friend Kakashi was saying something but the words were lost on Sasuke whose entire concentration was on the baby Tsunade carried. Tsunade placed the tiny baby in Sasuke's arms as Sasuke juggled the phone against his ear for a better grip on the little being that both Naruto and Ino had created. Kakashi was still speaking but Sasuke wasn't even listening anymore as he looked down at the baby. Blond hair peeked out from under the cover of the white towel and Sasuke half guessed the color of the eyes even before they opened. But still his breath hitched when he saw them - blue just like his father's. The baby began crying as soon as its eyes fell on Sasuke.
Tsunade took the baby from Sasuke and cuddled it to her chest. Sasuke noted that her brow was furrowed and knew that she wanted to talk to him.
"Kakashi I'll call you back." Sasuke hung up unceremoniously and looked at the baby first and then at Tsunade. "Sorry about that. How is Ino?"
Tsunade first looked at the wailing bundle in her arms and then at Sasuke. She noticed how Sasuke's entire frame froze when her eyes met his. "We lost her."
Sasuke's ears seemed to be ringing, Tsunade's voice sounded far away. It couldn't be…it just couldn't be! How the hell was he going to tell Naruto this? How the hell was Naruto going to live all his life? He rubbed a hand across his face wiping away stray tears.
"I need to call Naruto," was all he managed to whisper as he raced out of the building cursing everything that came to mind. He had to call Naruto, he had to hear Naruto's voice. He needed Naruto. But most importantly he had to give Naruto this news. It had to be him.
He punched in Naruto's name for the fourteenth time cursing when the damned voice kept chirping about the phone being turned off. His frown darkened. Naruto should have landed by now. His phone should have been on and not off. He fished for the pack of cigarettes blindly in his pocket as he hit redial yet again. He cursed when his phone rang before the call to Naruto could actually get through.
"What Kakashi?" he barked into the phone as he hastily put a cigarette to his lip and hunted for the lighter.
"Sasuke," Kakashi's voice sounded frantic and immediately Sasuke stilled, dread already pooling at the pit of his stomach. "The-there was an accident. The p-plane crashed. Naruto didn't make it Sasuke. He's - he's…"
The phone dropped from Sasuke's hand and clattered horribly against the asphalt of the sidewalk going dead. The cigarette that had been dangling in between lips joined the dead phone and a second later a pair of knees clad in expensive black fabric hit the sidewalk.
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