A/N: so... I know that lots and more lots of fics like this, with alternative continuations for the 698/699, were made, and that most of them are really fucking great, but I really wanted to contribute. Mainly because I had an idea that I didn't see in any other fics. Also, I want to apoligize already for my bad english and poor choice of words. English isn't my first language and I didn't get a beta reader - tho I'd like one - so if you notice any kind of mistake, tell me, I won't be offended or anything. I already posted more 4 chapters on a portuguese 'fanfic-posting' website called 'Fanfic Spirit', with the name 'Oshiko', so if you saw this there, it's not plagiarism, ok?

What I pretend with this story is rewrite the ending, turning it into something that would be better to me. But guess; I don't only have a problem with the pairings, I have a problem with pretty much everything, so pretty much everything will have to be changed. I'll try my best to keep characters IC, but I want to develop the girls in some ways and want some other characters to mature and change views in some other ways, so that'll be kind of inevitable. The drama here won't be 'oh, my, Sakura put an aphrodisiac at Sasuke's food and seduced him, making him cheat on Naruto (?)' or anything similar. It's more like, decisions, consequences, torture, deaths. You know, this kind of stuff.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this first chapter, I guess it gives an idea how will the story progress. I little bit. Not much. Actually, it gives you 0 ideas of how will progress, since I got some plot twists and stuff like this. Well, either way, enjoy!

Prologue

When Naruto woke up, he couldn't say how many days had passed. He didn't feel much pain, thought he could see bandages all over his body and had a missing arm. The memories from the last battle he had with Sasuke came to mind, and he recorded passing out due his lack of chakra after undoing the Eternal Tsukuyomi. Looking at the bandages on what lasted from his right arm, Naruto felt like he should have felt angry or annoyed, freaked out at least, but really, he couldn't care less. Sasuke was with him.

"Sakura-san, Naruto-san woke up" a nurse Naruto hadn't notice was there spoke through an intercom. "I have to do some check-ups with you. Please, cooperate." She said, a professional smile on her face.

After some minutes of exams, Sakura arrived slamming the door. She ran and gave Naruto a tight hug, while crying in his shoulder. The nurse blushed and got out the room, muttering something about 'continuing the exams later'.

"Naruto, you asshole! Do you have any idea how worried you made me?! How worried were all of us?!" Sakura exclaimed, squeezing the blond even more in her hug. "Spend 6 months unconscious is unacceptable, Naruto, unacceptable!"

"Ugh! I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, sorry! But can you release me, please? I can't breath!" Naruto asked, placing a hand on her shoulder while she broke the hug, drying the tears rolling on her cheeks.

"Stupid, fool, idiot..." Sakura hiccuped. "Tsunade-sama and I were almost losing our hope. You didn't wake up, didn't react, no matter what we did… I really thought I was going to loose you, Naruto.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan! I'm not gonna leave you and everyone else so easily!" Naruto grinned at her, making her smile. "And certainly not now that everything is solved! Kaguya was sealed, the war is over, so is Akatsuki, and Sasuke… Sasuke is back… After all this time, we're finally together, the old team 7!

Sakura's small smile died and she looked away. Her expression changed from relieve to worry, and she only stared at the floor in response, like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Naruto didn't ignore the change.

"Sakura-chan? What's wrong?" The blond went pale. "Sasuke's okay, isn't he? Please, Sakura-chan, tell me he's okay!"

"He… His punishment for betraying Konoha's still undecided. The Council…" She stopped, grimaced. "Let's not talk about this now, you just woke up. It's reason to celebrate!"

"Not if Sasuke end up being killed! Tsunade-baa-chan won't let it happen, will she?" Naruto snapped, gritting his teeth.

"Tsunade-sama is doing what she can, and, for now, Naruto, all you can do is hope for the best. If you interrupt the Council during the decision…

"They're deciding Sasuke's punishment right now?!" Naruto shouted, and, without wait for an answer, got off the bed he was in, only not falling hard on the floor because Sakura caugh him before it could happen.

"Calm down! I know how it's appealing go there and tell them that Sasuke-kun must go unpunished, but if we do this, we'll probably not help and maybe even make the situation for him worse!" Sakura explained, forcing Naruto back to the bed. "We need to trust Tsunade-sama about this, yeah?"

Naruto gritted his teeth again. He didn't want to stay there, still, waiting for everything to go right. If the Council decided death penalty, he wouldn't know what to do. Maybe he'd have to rescue Sasuke in the last second and run away from the village. Thought he didn't like to admit it, Sakura was right about this. And Tsunade would probably make the best of the situation, as long as she didn't bet on anything.

"And Sasuke is…?" The blond asked, his voice very weak, staring at Sakura's green eyes.

"In his room, resting, just like you should be. He still didn't wake up but… He's receiving the right treatment. Will you calm down now?"

Naruto hesitantly nodded, relaxing a little bit in the bed. Sakura moved away and pulled a chair to sit on. She took some seconds of thoughts, before her serious expression broke in a smile.

"You became the World's Savior, do you know that? The hospital had trouble keeping people away from this room while you were unconscious. Everyone claims you as a hero, and I bet that, now that you're awake, you'll be welcomed back with a really huge party. Wait until the news spread, and there will be people fighting to bring the cake."

Naruto laughed lightly. It was funny to think how things turned out. Before he was seen as a demon, unwanted, child. Now, he was the hero of the world. He wouldn't complain, but it was still strange.

"Me, Tsunade-sama and Shizune-san are searching about Hashirama's cells. We want to see if we can get you a new, completely functional arm. It'd be hard to be a ninja without being able to make seals." Sakura laughed.

"Unless I went to missions with Sasuke, then we could do the seals together, or something like this." Naruto commented, then blushed a bit when noticed that it sounded like a romantic movie quote. Sakura laughed a bit more.

"It'd be funny!" She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I still have some patients to take care of, a lot of shinobi were hurt in the war, the hospital is a real mess right now. Do not force yourself too much, or get off the bed until me or Tsunade-sama come and give you a special complete check-up on you. If you get out, I guarantee you that you'll spend three more mouths in this bed."

"Yes, mum!" Naruto answered, noticing the subtle threat in Sakura's warning.

The rest of the afternoon, many people came visit him. From friends, to people he never ever talked to. Sakura really didn't waste time to spread the news. Soon after the sunset and the end of the visiting time, Tsunade entered Naruto's room, with a serious expression.

"Tsunade-baa-chan? Sakura-chan told me about the reunion… How was it? What was the decision?" Naruto quickly asked, not wanting to waste time.

"The condition of the Uchiha boy is worse than I expected. I tried to avoid this meeting as much as I could until you and him woke up, but I couldn't." She sighed. "Ironically, in the last second, you both woke up."

"Eh? Is Sasuke okay?!" Naruto moved toward the Hogake.

"He's… Alive. But not much stable. I just want to make it clear that I did all I could to make the situation for him better, but I can't take decisions alone, all the council needs to agree."

"So..." Naruto pressed.

"So Sasuke won't be killed" The blond smiled in relieve, and Tsunade continued. "But there are conditions. He won't ever again be accepted as a ninja, in any country allied to Konoha. His chakra will be drained or sealed, depending on what he chooses, and he won't be allowed to live alone, and if insists, will be watched by ANBU 24h.

"W-What?! Tsunade-baa-chan! This is too much! There's no need for all these conditions!" Naruto protested.

"There's still more: any suspicion of conspiracy or treason, and will be interrogated by Ibiki, confirmation, and he'll die. The Uchiha will receive PTSD treatment at the hospital, as well as he'll have his injures treated.

"But Tsunade-baa-chan! This is unfair! I won't let..."

"Naruto." Tsunade interrupted. "The counselors were considerably kind, and I already pushed them too much. The simple fact that Sasuke will continue alive already displeases the Raikage, and leave him unpunished would be an insult to him, the other kages and all the village of Konoha. Sasuke's lucky that Konoha has consideration and a different treatment toward those who are mentally ill.

"M-Mentally ill? What are you talking about, Sasuke isn't ill!" Naruto screamed, not believing.

"Yes, he is, Naruto. He saw his whole clan be killed by his own brothers, Hiruzen didn't care enough, or didn't think about, giving him any treatment, and no one cared about taking care of him as a child. After that, he tried to murder his best friend to get stronger, ran into the hands of a rank-S criminal, spent 4 with exclusive contact with a mad man and his follower, and God knows what else Orochimaru did to the boy through these years."

"But Sasuke is recovered… He's okay!"

"Stop looking only what you want to and accept the reality, idiot." Tsunade demanded, crossing her arms. "Not only that, but he also killed his own brother and after turned against the village where were his last friends. I don't know what made him attack us, but it's clear he's very easily manipulable. And very powerful. Anything could make him destroy the village from one second to other.

"No, I wouldn't let him!" Naruto snapped, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Naruto, there's nothing I can do to improve you friend's situation, and, honestly, I doubt Kakashi, Sakura or even you can do anything to help him. I'm satisfied enough with how the things went. If you want to complain, then defend your points with facts and valid arguments, not with the emotion of your heart." Tsunade put a finger on Naruto's left breastplate. "And if you consider him a friend, you'll stay by his side even if he's mentally ill or extremely problematic. I know this, Naruto, this is just the kind of person you are."

Naruto said nothing else, only squeezed his bed's cover with his only hand. Of course, he knew Sasuke was someone full of problems, emotions and confusion, but he never really thought he could be mentally ill. He simply thought Sasuke was Sasuke, and that was all, enough for motivate him to never give up on the brunette. What if he never recovered? Would Naruto abandon him? No, no way in hell.

It was probably the best to accept the decision of Tsunade and the Council.

"Can I at least see him?" Naruto asked quietly. Tsunade hesitated, narrowed her eyes and took some time to think before answering:

"Wait five days, then Sasuke will probably be stabilized and it'll be safe for you to see him."

Naruto didn't know what she wanted to say by 'stable', but he had the light impression he wouldn't like to know that yet. Tsunade soon left the room, and the nurse came in to finish the exams with Naruto.

A/N: not much, but enough for a prologue, I guess. If you have anything you'd like to comment, feel free :) I'll probably post other chapter in the next days.