Welcome to Tears of a Statue, episode 1. This story will be rated PG 13 due to relationships and violence.

All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto – san.

This story is set in the future, when team seven is about 25 years old. Naruto is already Hokage and Sasuke has come back to Konoha after an incident at Orochimaru's.

Episode 1 – Tears of a Statue

Naruto stared blankly at the wall, not really listening to the conversations around him. They would be the same as all the other previous conversations; people wanting this, the village needing that. Naruto might have at least tried to look attentive if he hadn't been so worried.

Sasuke was missing. He had been for two weeks, but Naruto was unable to go look for him himself. The Hokage was apparently never to be dispatched on such meaningless tasks.

Naruto harrumphed. As if I could actually concentrate with Sasuke missing.

"Hokage-sama?"

That's asking for a miracle and they know it. Stupid Elders think they know best just because they're older. Senile old buggers.

"Hokage-sama?"

I should just sneak out and find him myself. It's not as if they can keep me captive in my own village. I could jus-

"Naruto!"

"Hmmm?" Said Naruto, surfacing from his thoughts to face an ill-tempered Sakura. The rest of the people in the room seemed to have gone quiet, instead choosing to watch the play unfold in front of them.

"Hmmm! That's all you have to say for yourself? You didn't listen to a word I just said, did you?"

Naruto looked her in the eye, a serious expression on his face. "No" He said quite simply, nonplussed at how Sakura face vaulted.

She rose from the floor, her left eye twitching dangerously. Whacking Naruto over the head with her file folder she started again; "As I was saying, Sasuke has finally showed up…"

Naruto leapt out of his chair and headed for the door, without waiting to hear the rest of the reaport, only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw that Sakura was wearing a solemn look on her face.

"The thing is Naruto, we don't know where he's been. He came back battered and bruised, but he has been refusing to tell us what happened. The Elder's council think he may be playing for Orochimaru's team again".

Naruto jerked his arm away from her and glared. "You know that he would never go back to them, not after what they did to him."

Sakura hung her head in shame and started fidgeting with her vest. Naruto's anger evaporated as quickly as it had come. He touched her chin and lifted her face, smiling down at her.

"Besides Sakura-chan, the Elder's say Sasuke has gone evil every time he comes back from a mission."

She gave a strangled little giggle and nodded her head, pink hair flying in all directions.

With that, Naruto turned away from her and headed towards the door. He knew where he was going. He was going to the same place the Anbu took Sasuke every time he came back to Konoha, the Holding Cell.

Naruto knocked twice on the heavy metal door, listening for the muffled sounds of footsteps. When he heard none, Naruto threw caution to the wind and pushed open the door.

Inside, lying with his head in his arms and gazing at the ceiling was Sasuke. Naruto stood for a moment to absorb the sight of his friend, taking notice of all bandages. After he had convinced himself that Sasuke was indeed not in danger of dying, he gathered up his robes and marched over to the side of the bed.

"Oi! Teme! Just where the hell do you think you've been? Two weeks without word! Who do you think you are? I am your boss, and it might be nice to be given warning before you prance off to get yourself killed!" Naruto stopped yelling, his chest heaving as he glared at Sasuke, daring him to give a satisfactory answer.

Sasuke turned his head slightly to look at Naruto, a blank, dead look in his eyes. Naruto knew that look and what it meant all to well. Naruto instantly stopped glaring and dove to comfort Sasuke.

I can't believe he went to try again… He can't beat his brother yet, not after what Orochimaru did to him.

Naruto leaned forward and gently kissed Sasuke's forehead. Sasuke just lay there, tears flowing freely from his glass-like eyes.

The tears of a statue, thought Naruto, a dark cloud settling over his thoughts.

Naruto sat and held Sasuke close, rocking him back and forth, without uttering a sound. Sasuke continued to cry well into the night, but the Hokage sat silently with him, just as he had so many times before.

Thanks for reading this story. Sorry that the first chapter is amazingly short, but I'm hoping the chapters get longer as I go. A Foxes Den is still in the works, but it might take a while. Thank you all for waiting so patiently. This story was started to kind of break the writers block, since I haven't done much writing since I got sick. I hope to get into the swing of things again soon (maybe after the dreaded exams?). Thank you again for reading.