Summary: AU fic! Naruto volunteers to help his best friend by taking in his friend's not-so-stable brother for a week. After all, taking care of a ten-year-old is easy, right? However, when it came to the Uchihas, they were as complicated as they can get. Uchiha Sasuke wasn't an exception.

Warnings: Unbeta'd, not-so-good plot (cliché, I guess)

Anyway, hope you like it!

.: Endless Dream :.

-Zephyr Blue

Prologue

"Is he OK?" Itachi asked Naruto again. Naruto knew Itachi was talking about Sasuke. Itachi was in the hospital bed and here was Naruto visiting him.

Naruto nodded a yes. Never once in life had he been so tongue-tied and his insides were mad at Sasuke for making his brother worry at a time like this.

Itachi sighed, "You don't have to lie."

Naruto grunted and said angrily, "You could have been killed as well and your brother doesn't even come visit you and decides to runaway from home! Can't your brother even think how huge the whole thing is and you have to stick together?"

"Sasuke was in danger too. He is only a ten year old, Naruto! He is just a kid besides Kakashi found him after he ran away."

Naruto did not want to argue when Itachi was hurting both physically and emotionally and especially since Itachi was right. Sasuke wasn't at fault either.

Naruto had never seen Itachi looking like this. Itachi looked like he had not slept for ages and the expression on his face was something Naruto had never seen him wearing before. It was so un-Itachi-like that Naruto began to do the one thing he had been doing the past week: worrying over it. Comforting Itachi was the first thing he wanted to do, after all, Itachi was his best friend. However, consoling Itachi was not easy. At all.

It had been a week since it happened. It was the murder of Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto, right before the eyes of their two children in their own house. The killer was wearing a mask and had tried to kill Itachi and Sasuke as well but quick thinking and fighting on Itachi's part and sudden arrival of Kakashi and Obito had saved the Uchiha brothers. Itachi had taken quite a beating, which would explain the reason why he was right now in the hospital, while Sasuke was unharmed physically but Sasuke's psychological condition was another story but that was the only thing on Itachi's mind.

If Naruto had been in Itachi's situation, he would break under the pressure and go insane.

Kakashi and Obito entered the hospital room. They were obviously visiting Itachi. Before they could inquire about Itachi's health, Itachi had asked them, "How is Sasuke?"

Kakashi and Obito exchanged worried glances.

"There has been a little progress, actually," said Kakashi after a while.

Obito nodded, "Yeah, he talked to us. It was only a few sentences about how 'Nii-san' was and he adamantly refused when we asked him to come with us to visit you. He started throwing a tantrum and started crying, refused meals, and locked himself in his room."

"We broke his room's door to get in, by the way," Kakashi added, "for making sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Itachi nodded stiffly.

Naruto wondered loudly, "Why doesn't he want to see Itachi?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Scared, I suppose."

"Yeah, he hasn't talked to anyone but Kakashi and me but only when we ask him something. He gets all even more down, if that was even possible, whenever Itachi was mentioned," Obito said in a tired-tone.

"Why don't we just drag the brat here? Itachi is really worried, you know," Naruto said.

"He can come when he wants to," Itachi said firmly shutting Naruto up, "At his will, not against it."

Kakashi turned to Itachi, "I'm going to be busy with your parents' murder case and Obito is busy with taking care of Fugaku-san's duty as the head of Uchiha enterprise. Sasuke only tolerates Obito's or my presence. Now, we are sorry to say but we are going to be busy and leaving Sasuke alone with a maid or some stranger will not be a wise option."

"He won't even visit me, let alone stay with me in the hospital," Itachi said sadly, "Can't either of you spare some time?"

"Some time," Obito said patiently, which was so contradicting for he had never been patient, "will not be enough for Sasuke. You have no idea how he gets if he is left alone. Tsunade-sensei also said never leave him out of your sight."

"Let's not beat around the bush," Kakashi said gravely, "We took Sasuke to Tsunade-sensei, after 12 hours convincing him, Tsunade-sensei agrees that Sasuke might be not be right in the head because of our situation here." In other words, in between sanity and insanity.

Itachi was depressed but still tried not to show it and asked, "What about Shusui? Can't Sasuke be with him until I am discharged? Sasuke likes him."

Obito shook his head as Kakashi explained his opinion, "He doesn't want to be with any Uchiha."

Naruto, seeing that Itachi was getting depressed, said the only thing that came to his mind, "Do you think I could take him?"

After feeling three pairs of eyes staring at him, he continued, "…for just the week, you know. I'm no stranger and I want to help Itachi out. You can trust me, right?" he glared at Itachi.

"I can trust you with my life," Itachi said, "It's just seeing how Sasuke is, can you handle him?"

Kakashi simply said bluntly, "Naruto, we know your sixteen-years-old and all and you are good with kids. We would be happy to leave Sasuke with you under normal conditions but Sasuke isn't stable and your parents are seldom home. It won't be easy for you. You haven't seen how he is right now."

Naruto remained obstinate, "Why don't we ask Sasuke if he wants to stay with me? Kids love me. I'm sure Sasuke and I will get along."

Itachi agreed. Maybe Naruto will help Sasuke. After all, he did help Gaara, Neji, Tsunade-sensei, hell, even me.

"Yosh, it's decided!" Naruto grinned, "I'll take good care of Sasuke, 'Tachi. Don't worry." Naruto was happy that he was able to help his friend. The past week was really the worst week in Naruto's life. Not being able to help his friends was something Naruto hated. He was that type of guy who believes in friendship and all that stuff. Besides, even if he found the fact that Sasuke didn't visit Itachi a bit annoying. Sasuke must be scared and frightened too.

Obito nodded, "We'll bring him to your house tomorrow."

Kakashi waved his hand, "See you then, Itachi, Naruto."

"Hey, Naruto..?" Itachi said.

"Yeah?"

"Will he even talk me from now on?"

"Of course he's your brother and I'm sure he loves you."

When Itachi remained silent, Naruto asked something that was bugging him for a while, "You know, I kinda wondered… you are worried more about your alive-not-so-stable brother than your…umm…" he placed his hands on the back on head before tentatively continuing, "…not-so-alive parents."

Itachi simply shrugged, "We- Sasuke and I, weren't that close to our parents. Besides, you said it yourself, the keyword is alive. Sasuke is alive not my parents."

With that, visiting hours was over and Naruto left. Naruto thought it would be easy taking care of a ten-year-old, wouldn't it? Especially since, there is no school and plenty of time to spare?

-TBC-

Review? Feel free to point out the mistakes and give me any suggestions.

If it is too strange that Sasuke hasn't seen Itachi after their parent's death, I'll let you know again he is not stable and right in the head and Itachi is in the hospital recovering for another week. The thing is Sasuke refused to see Itachi and has avoided it many times at any cost. Heh, Uchihas..Go figure! Reasons come in later chapter. Might get corny, be warned but I wont make it OOC (No, this Itachi isn't OOC...-shruggs- it's my opinion as a up-to-date Naruto manga-reader. dont wanna give spoilers.)

According to me, Sasu-chan doesn't make right desicions and acts like a kid...or like a brat most of the times :P Now, that is going to be Sasuke's character in this fic.

I'll shut up now and request you to review.

xx Zeph