Missing Nin
"Sasuke!" Naruto called to him as Sasuke was leaving the Konoha gates, "Have a good mission."
Sasuke just smiled and said "I will dobe." He then turned and headed out the gates, and left to join a few of his fellow Shinobi on an important and rather dangerous mission. "Don't miss me too much," Sasuke added before he ran off into the distance. Naruto stood about ten feet away from the gate to Konoha pouting; he didn't have to say it like that...
_______
"Jiro-san, Maiko-san, Yumiko-san do you have a report for me," Tsunade questioned as the Shinobi and two Kunoichi stood in front of her.
"Hai Tsunade-sama."
"Well, let's hear it."
"We managed to find the enemy's whereabouts, but by the time we caught up to them they had already attacked the village that held one of the scrolls," Maiko reported. "We kept tracking them and we retrieved the scroll."
"I see, so this is why you took so long on this mission?" Tsunade asked.
"Hai. We also had to protect the four villages from the enemy's attack," Jiro answered.
"And I presume that the rest is in your report?"
"Hai," Came the reply from Jiro.
"Alright, so when can we expect the rest of the Shinobi on this mission to return?"
"Soon. They will also be bringing any survivors from the villages with them," Yumiko answered.
"Okay, set up some refugee rooms for the survivors. They'll have to stay there until we can figure out where they will live."
"Hai." The three Shinobi disappeared in three puffs of smoke.
It was barely a day later when three more Shinobi showed up with about twenty-five refugees. Twenty-four of them were taken to the refuge rooms that had been prepared for them, and the last one was taken up to Tsunade with the three Shinobi.
"That's all? Only twenty-five?" Tsunade asked.
"Quite a few were killed, and the others traveled to other villages or stayed to try and rebuild theirs," the Shinobi called Yoshimi answered.
"Good. At least there are more survivors then just them. Wait, who's he?" Tsunade replied.
"This is Sato Kazuki-kun. He was from the second village. He was saved by Uchiha Sasuke..." the 3rd shinobi said.
"Speaking of which, where is Sasuke?" Tsunade asked.
"We don't know. You see he died saving Kazuki-kun and we couldn't find his body..." Yoshimi answered with pain in her eyes.
"What..." a shaky voice form the door spoke before anyone else could answer.
"Naruto...were you listening?" Tsunade asked cautiously because it looked as though Naruto would crumble before her eyes.
"Naruto-san, Tsunade-sama asked you-"
"Don't," Tsunade warned the Shinobi.
"Uzumaki-san...." Yoshimi said tentatively.
Naruto looked blankly at them for a moment, until their words had finally sunk in. He then turned and glared at Kazuki. This is your fault, he thought. You should have died and not him! Suddenly Naruto left the office and ran; he ran as fast as he could to the Konoha gate...the last place he had seen Sasuke. He didn't even notice the three Shinobi that had followed him out of the office on Tsunade's orders which were not to let him leave. Naruto reached the gate and cried out when one of the Shinobi grab his arm preventing him from leaving to track down Sasuke and prove them all wrong!
"Naruto please!" Yoshimi pleaded with Naruto as he struggled against her and the other Shinobi that was holding on to him, while the other three, two of them being the gate guards, were ready to stop him if he tried to escape.
"If you leave now, you'll become a missing nin!" the other Shinobi exclaimed trying to hold on to him.
Missing nin!? Thought Naruto. That's what Sasuke was, and that's what he is now!
"Let me go," Naruto said in a dark, cold voice.
"We ca—"
"Now!" Naruto said in the same dark voice while his blue eyes started to become tainted with red, his skin began to burn, and the Chakra of the Nine- Tailed Fox began to pour out of his body.
The two Shinobi suddenly let go of his arms, their hands burnt by the flaming red Chakra. The other three Shinobi looked terrified and unsure of what to do; the only thing they were sure of was they couldn't stop him now.
"Naruto-kun...No!!" Hinata exclaimed as Naruto turned to run towards the gates, but he stopped when he heard Hinata's voice.
"Don't Naruto, please don't do this, don't let Kyuubi take you over, don't leave."
Naruto growled, and walked slowly towards Hinata instead. Hinata tensed but stood her ground.
"Are you going to stop me?" Naruto spoke almost calmly. "Are you going to stop me from bringing him back? Are you going to stop me from chasing Sasuke?"
Naruto was a couple feet from Hinata; and then he was suddenly right in front of her with his sharpened fox-like teeth bared, and his newly found claws extended.
"Hinata!" The familiar voice made Naruto turn around to see Neji running in their direction. He sounds distressed...huh, Naruto thought.
"Neji-kun, don't!" Neji stopped a few feet away from Hinata ready to fight if Naruto did anything to her. The Kyuubi, Neji thought, this isn't good.
"Naruto-kun please...what's wrong?" Hinata said softly.
"What's wrong?! You couldn't understand, either of you!" Naruto exclaimed. "You have each other...but Sasuke...why?" Naruto's eyes and whiskers slowly started to lighten and the red Chakra began to dissipate.
"Naruto-kun..."
"Why did he have to die!" Naruto cried. At this, Hinata and Neji both looked at Naruto with shocked and pained expressions.
"Naruto..."
"This isn't fair! Why the hell did he save that kid! Why couldn't ...why couldn't he have come home..." Naruto said sounding broken. Naruto fell to the ground, but to his slight surprise, he didn't feel the pain of hitting the ground. When he opened his eyes he realised that Hinata's arms were around him, holding him and keeping him off the ground.
"Naruto-kun..." Hinata said softly as tears fell down her cheeks. "I'm sorry"
"Hinata..." Naruto said shakily as his vision blurred and tears ran his face.
"Let's take him home Hinata," Neji said from beside Hinata.
"Yeah..."
"Here." Neji knew that neither Hinata nor Naruto could hold up too much longer. He gently took Naruto from Hinata's grasp, and started to carry him towards his...and Sasuke's house.
Naruto noticed that he was being carried, but beyond that he didn't care. Except for the fact that he felt safe in the arms that held him...the arms that were so much like Sasuke's.
_____
Naruto woke up on his bed in his house. It had to be very early in the morning. He checked his clock, yep it was 5 a.m.
He got off the bed and headed towards his dresser; he then changed into a new set of clothes and headed out the door.
"Naruto?" Kiba asked as Naruto passed him only a few feet away from Naruto's front door. "Hey Naruto, where's Uchiha? I thought we were-Naruto..." Naruto didn't answer because he was too busy crying, and when Kiba tried to stop him, he ran.
"Naruto?" Neji saw Naruto running towards him and called to him before he realized that Naruto was crying.
Naruto ran. He ran without stopping, and without looking where he was going. He didn't look up until he heard Kiba yell, "Hey, Naruto watch out!"
He ran straight into Neji before he could stop himself, but he had managed to slow down slightly. Nevertheless he still ran into Neji fast enough that he knocked him over.
"Hyuga, Naruto, are you guys alright?" Kiba asked tentatively.
"Yeah, I'm fine..."Neji answered him as he gently pulled himself and Naruto into a sitting position.
"Naruto are you-" Neji asked.
"Yeah I'm fine..."
"Come on," Neji said softly helping Naruto up.
Kiba watched Neji calmly get up bringing Naruto with him, thinking what's going on? I don't think I've ever seen Naruto or Hyuga like this...
"Gomen..." Kiba heard Naruto say weakly before Neji half carried him towards the Hyuga Manor.
"Arigato Neji." Naruto said as he Neji and Naruto arrived at the Hyuga compound and Neji helped Naruto over to the steps leading up to the house itself. Naruto sat down on the top step.
"Naruto-kun, are you alright?" Hinata asked as she came over to them from the direction of her and Neji's room.
"Yeah, I think so...," Naruto answered, "but I don't think I can go home quite yet...it seems so empty."
"Naruto-kun... do you want to stay here for a few days?" Hinata asked sheepishly.
"Is that alright?"
"Sure, come on I'll show you to the room that you can stay in," Neji offered.
"Thank you.... but can I stay here for a minute."
"Alright," Neji said softly and sat down next to Naruto on the step.
Naruto sat quietly until Neji silently wrapped his arms around him.
"Neji..."
"You were right, neither Hinata nor I know what it's like to lose a lover, friend and comrade, but we do know that it's like to lose someone precious to us," Neji said softly to Naruto as he held him. "So Naruto please believe that we understand and are here for you."
Naruto was stunned; he had never heard Neji talk like this. Naruto wasn't sure what to do, so he simply hugged Neji back and said, "Thank you...I understand." Neji smiled and let go of Naruto. This, much to Naruto's disconcertion, made him feel a loss.
"Neji you really do remind me of him," Naruto said.
"I do..." Neji replied sounding slightly confused.
"Yeah."
_____
"Naruto has to come and talk to Tsunade! She has been requesting that he come for four days!" a disgruntled Shinobi said as he tried to get to Naruto's 'room' in the Hyuga compound. The problem was that Neji and Hinata as the new heads of the Hyuga clan were getting every Hyuga to stop people from bothering Naruto, though many had tried as the news of Sasuke's death spread.
"It's alright," Naruto told one of the Hyuga shinobi as he emerged from his room. "I'll come and talk to Tsunade."
"You sure?" Neji asked as he came in from the courtyard.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Hyuga, you don't have the right to keep him here! He's a Konoha Shinobi!" exclaimed the Shinobi told to retrieve Naruto. Neji simply walked further into the compound. This made Naruto chuckle slightly, and Neji smile.
"Okay," Naruto said. "I'm going." He disappeared in a puff of smoke after he had finished his sentence. A thoroughly-put-out Shinobi followed him and then left him at Tsunade's office.
"Naruto," Tsunade said. "Are you alright?"
"For the most part...I'm sorry for avoiding-"
"It's fine, I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Tsunade I know this is sudden, but can I go? I need to talk to someone," Naruto asked.
"Kazuki-kun?" Tsunade said.
"Yeah, I need to know what happened."
"Alright, well this is where he's staying; go talk to him," Tsunade said handing him slip of paper with Kazuki's address on it.
Naruto disappeared through the door and headed towards Kazuki's 'home'.
"Tsunade-sama, are you sure it is alright for Naruto-san to talk to that child alone, I mean-" asked the Shinobi who just entered Tsunade's office.
"Yes, I trust him, and besides the first time they met Naruto was overcome with pain and grief," Tsunade answered in a defiant tone.
Naruto reached Kazuki's room and knocked twice on the bare wooden door.
"Uzumaki-san," Kazuki answered tentatively as he opened his door to see Naruto.
"It's alright Kazuki-san...I'm sorry for scaring you," Naruto said softly to the child in front of him.
"I'm sorry too. I know you cared a lot about Sasuke-san..." the child answered.
"You don't have to be sorry. It wasn't your fault. I know that," Naruto said, "I actually came to talk to you about what happened. Is that okay?"
"Yeah sure, come in." Naruto walked in just as Kazuki told him to.
"Do you share this room with any of the others?"
"Yeah, I do..."
"So what did you want to talk about?" Kazuki asked quietly.
"I want to know what happened, can you tell me?"
"Yes, I can and I will."
"Thank you Kazuki-kun."
"I was in the tool shed when the people attacked us. They destroyed my house, but they didn't know that I was in the shed, so I hid there. I thought I was safe until I heard a loud noise very close to me. Some big raider had blown the door and most of the wall of the shed off. He had a Kunai in his hand and he looked like he was about to throw it at me. That's when I heard a yell and saw Sasuke-san running towards me; he jumped in front of me as the man's Kunai flow. Sasuke had managed to get his kunai out and block the other, but it grazed his side. After that he fell..."
"But that shouldn't have killed him." Naruto said sounding chocked.
"I know, but I'm pretty sure the blade was poisoned...because Sasuke-san couldn't stand up. But after he tried, his eyes turned red and black, and he glared at the raider. The raider then fell to the ground as if he were paralyzed. After that Sasuke-san's eyes returned to normal, and he turned his head to look at me and said, 'If you go to Konoha, please tell Naruto that I love him'. That was when I-"
"Uzumaki-san...?"
"Gomen Kazuki-kun, I just....thank you," Naruto said, as fresh tears rowed down his face. Naruto then kneeled down so that he was at Kazuki's level and hugged him.
"Uzumaki-san..." Kazuki said also crying as he thought about the ordeals he had been through, and the hurt that they had brought to the blonde man knelling before him.
"Thank you Kazuki-kun...I'm glad I know what happened to him. And I'm glad you're alright. It isn't fair for a child so young to go through all of that," Naruto said after a few long minutes of crying and hugging. "And by the way, the reason Sasuke's eyes turned red and the reason the raider was paralyzed was because of the Sharingan which is the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha clan. It is very powerful and it burns brightly in Sasuke." After that Naruto left and headed nowhere in particular.
"I'm not that young." Was all the child could think to say.
_________
"Kazuki-kun? What are you doing here?" Shizune asked as the eight-year-old child entered the Hokage's office.
"I wanted to ask Tsunade-sama something..." Kazuki answered shyly.
"What did you want to ask, Kazuki-kun," Tsunade said as she came into her office behind him, and seated herself at her desk.
"Am I going to be adopted? Am I going to have to leave Konoha? Am I going home?" Kazuki asked quickly.
"Well, let me ask you this first, do you want to live in Konoha, or your home, and do you want to be adopted?" Tsunade answered kindly.
"I...I don't think I could go back to my village. I don't want to live with people I don't know. I don't want to go back to where my father died of sickness and my mother was killed by raiders..."
"Kazuki-kun...you can stay here if you want."
"But I don't want to be alone here, either."
"I'm sure you won't be," Tsunade reassured him. "You know this is exactly how Naruto felt, and this is exactly why he stayed with the Hyuga's...he didn't want to be alone in that big empty house."
Kazuki looked slightly surprised at the statement, but then he understood. "Tsunade-sama I want to stay in Konoha...I want to live here," Kazuki said, finally.
Tsunade smiled. "I'm sure Naruto will be happy, he really did seem to care about you."
"But I haven't-"
"I thought you might have noticed by now...the Uzumaki-san that you know is Uzumaki Naruto..." Tsunade said softly.
"He is...?" Kazuki suddenly ran out of room.
"Kazuki-kun what are you-" Naruto asked as said boy came running up to him looking distressed. Naruto watched as the boy came to a stop in front of him, where Naruto stood in front of the Hokage building.
"Kazuki-kun...?"
"I'm sorry Naruto-san, I didn't know," Kazuki cried as he grabbed Naruto's arm gently. "I didn't know you were 'Naruto'."
"I know you didn't, and I'm sorry for not telling-"
"Don't be, I'm the one who should be sorry!"
"Kazuki-kun, you didn't do anything wrong," Naruto said simply.
"But I-"
"Please, it's alright."
"Okay, Naruto-san..."
Naruto smiled. He was happy to know that Kazuki was happy, and that he was going to stay in Konoha, He had been listening to his and Tsunade's discussion before he came back down to the to the bottom of the Hokage building. After all Kazuki-kun was, to me, a happy reminder of how kind and soulful Sasuke has become, Naruto thought wistfully.
__________
"Tsunade-sama, some of our Shinobi have sensed a powerful yet weak chakra signature, and we don't know what to do with it quite yet because we can't figure out whether or not this person is dangerous," A young gray-eyed Shinobi informed Tsunade in the Hokage office.
"Alright, we'll send in a few...wait what do you mean by 'powerful yet weak'," Tsunade asked.
"The person was obviously low on Chakra, but I could tell that the Shinobi was powerful"
"I see, well if they're low on Chakra then just send someone in to detain them," Tsunade said rather begrudgingly. "I mean that doesn't seem terribly difficult."
"Yes well, we would except for that fact that we noticed something distinctive about the Chakra signature," The Shinobi said.
"What you don't mean the same...oh my god."
________
"Tsunade-sama, where are you go-" Sakura asked as Tsunade rushed past her in a hurry.
"I don't have time to explain, sorry Sakura."
"Sakura-chan, what's going on? Where's Tsunade-sama going?" Naruto asked sounding confused as he turned the corner, now standing behind Sakura.
"I don't know, though Tsunade-sama seemed to be in a hurry," Sakura answered simply. Wait, since when does Naruto call Tsunade-sama, Tsunade-sama!
"Sakura-chan...What's up?" Naruto asked looking worried, "you look upset."
"Do I?" Sakura answered. "Well, you don't and that scares me. Naruto it's only been two weeks!"
"Sakura-chan, do you really believe that I'm alright?"
__
"Alright, whoever you are, show yourself! We can tell you are weak and in need of medical attention." A Konoha Shinobi ordered the figure that seemed to be lurking around the borders of Konoha.
"Show yourself, or we will resort to violence!" Tsunade added as she came closer to the figure that they were now trying to capture.
__
"I don't really know how I feel...all I know is I have to understand and accept the fact that he...he is dead," said Naruto.
"Naruto..."
__
"Alright, well if you are not going to show yourself then-" Tsunade continued.
"I---I—I can't...move," the figure spoke as it fell to the ground.
Tsunade's eyes widened. I can't be...
__
"It's alright Sakura-chan...I know I won't see him ever again...and I know I can't save him, or chase after him and bring him back...not anymore."
__
"Please..." the figure spoke again in a broken, weak voice.
"Tsunade-sama?" the shinobi closest to her asked.
"He is obviously not a threat, at least not at the moment. So help him up. We can interrogate him after he is healed. It will be much harder for him to answer our questions if he's unconscious."
"Hai!" the four shinobi around her replied. The shinobi then moved forward rather cautiously towards the figure. They were cautious because they could sense something about his chakra that they didn't quite believe.
__
"Sakura-chan, this can't be terribly easy for you either, can it? I mean you do care about him don't you?" Naruto asked Sakura coolly, as he watched her with dull-pained eyes.
"Of course I do! I...I-"
"I know Sakura I was just-"
"No Naruto, don't do this! Don't bottle everything up again! How can you be so calm! I thought...I thought..." Sakura said as her voice broke and her eyes stung.
"I'm not. I'm just trying to-"
"Don't lie; I know you're in pain," Sakura exclaimed as she looked directly at Naruto. "As I said, it's only been two weeks...you can't be alright."
"I'm not Sakura, I'm not, but I understand that I lost him."
__
"Do you have him?" Tsunade asked now starting to feel uneasy.
"Yes, but Tsunade-sama we have...a situation," A shinobi said as he stood up bringing the figure with him. Tsunade heard the figure grunt in pain and saw him almost fall.
"What do you mean by-?" Tsunade stopped as soon as she saw the face of the figure, as he came into the light.
"Uchiha...." Tsunade whispered as if she could break everything by just saying that one word.
"I made it," was all said Uchiha could manage before he passed out.
___
With that, Naruto walked down the hall and disappeared as he rounded the corner.
Naruto...I don't know what to do. I don't think there is anything I can do to help you...
___
"What are we going to do about this?" one of the medical Nin asked. They had brought 'Sasuke' to the Konoha Hospital, and he was currently lying unconscious on a bed in one of the hospital's private rooms.
"I don't know..." Tsunade answered in worried tones. If he really is Sasuke then we have to help him! Not only that, but Naruto would kill me if I didn't. But if he isn't really Sasuke then we could be putting the village at risk. I mean he could be a spy, a clone, an impersonator, or even some sort of Gen-Justu illusion. Tsunade's train of thought followed this pattern until she was interrupted by the medical Nin.
"Tsunade-sama, do you think there is any way of checking to see who he really is?"
"Possibly..."
___
"Naruto?" Naruto heard a familiar voice coming from behind him as he headed back towards his house.
"Yeah Neji, what's up?"
"Not much I suppose, I just-Tsunade-sama...?"
"Oh Naruto, you're here too," Tsunade said as she walked up to them both. I can't tell Naruto about this yet. I don't think he'll be able to handle it if it turns out that this Sasuke isn't Sasuke...he shouldn't have to lose him twice.
"What's wrong, Tsunade-sama is it urgent?" Naruto asked calmly.
"No, it's alright Naruto," Tsunade answered as calmly as she could. "Neji, I need you to come with me."
"Hai. Bye Naruto," Neji said still looking concerned. He walked off with Tsunade and left Naruto to his thoughts and confusion.
"Tsunade-sama, what's happened? What do want me to do?" Neji asked Tsunade as the two of them headed back towards the center of Konoha.
"I'll explain everything. Well, everything we know, once we get there," she answered.
Neji was put-off by Tsunade's answer but he hid his surprise as they became closer to their destination.
"We'll be there in a moment." Neji looked around. Why are we at the Hospital? Again keeping his questions to himself, he followed Tsunade into a hospital room.
"This is why I called you here, Neji."
"Uchiha..."
"That's what we think."
"But he's dead! And know he's here unconscious, but nonetheless alive, lying on a hospital bed?!"
"That's exactly why we aren't sure what to do with this," Tsunade explained. "There is a good possibility that he is some sort of fake that one of our enemies' sent; possibly in an attempt to infiltrate our village."
"I see," Neji said.
"Neji, can you tell whether or not he is 'Sasuke'?" Tsunade asked
Neji, without saying a word, activated his Byakugan and turned his attention onto the Uchiha lying before him.
"It is not a clone," Neji stated. "And his chakra signature..."
"Neji, what is it?" Tsunade asked urgently.
"No...It can't be," Neji said coldly. "This has to the real Sasuke."
"What!? But he's dead," Tsunade cried. "Neji...are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Alright, but remember you can't tell Naruto."
"What! We have to tell him!"
"And we will but-"
"I know you are trying to protect him but he has the right to know! He isn't a child and he has already had Sasuke ripped away from him twice, or do you not remember what happened to Sasuke in the Land of Waves."
"Neji...I will tell him, besides it is an order from your Hokage not to tell him."
Neji looked disdainful but he obliged, bowing his head to Tsunade and heading towards the door of the hospital room. Before he disappeared he said, "I have never understood this Uchiha, but I do know that this is him and if Naruto did find this out only to lose him for a 3rd time...I don't think he could take it, and frankly he shouldn't have to. Take care of him, for Naruto's sake if for no one else's." And then he was gone.
He's right...we have to save him, for the good of the village, and for Naruto.
___
"Sakura I need you to come with me," Tsunade said to Sakura.
"But I'm on duty," Sakura answered. She was in fact working in the hospital at that moment.
"I know, and this is part of your job. I'm assigning you a new patient," Tsunade explained. "Follow me; I will take you to him."
"Hai." Sakura followed Tsunade until they arrived at a hospital room. Tsunade opened the door and Sakura looked into the room, and what she saw, she did not believe.
"Sasuke..."
"Yes."
"But...how?"
"We don't know and we can't ask him until he wakes up, so I will put him in your care."
"Do we know-?"
"He is Sasuke, or at least that is what Hyuga Neji, myself, and a few of our other top Shinobi have deduced, but please feel free to see for yourself," Tsunade concluded and exited the hospital room.
Sakura couldn't believe most of what she was seeing and hearing. I mean here's Sasuke right here in front of me, when he was just recently proclaimed K.I.A. Nevertheless Sakura walked towards the bed in the middle of the hospital room. She stood by the bed and looked down at Sasuke's pale, beautiful face. He was asleep, but definitely alive. She could see his chest move as he breathed, and she could feel warmth when she touched her hand to his cheek softly.
"Sakura..." Sasuke breathed as he opened his eyes slowly.
"Sasuke..." Sakura said breathlessly. "You really are alright!" She slowly leaned down and hugged him gently.
"Sakura, where am I?" he asked as soon as Sakura let go of him.
"You're in room 115 at Konoha Hospital."
"I see." It was not long after that when Sasuke fell asleep again.
"I promise I'll take care of you Sasuke," Sakura said as she left the hospital room.
___
"Sakura how is he?"
"He is doing better Tsunade-sama, but he is still a ways from recovery," Sakura explained. "He has gained some of his Chakra back, but he seems to have a strange poison in his system that is slowing his healing process."
"Alright Sakura," Tsunade answered. "Is it alright if I check on him myself?"
"Of course," Sakura replied.
Tsunade arrived at Sasuke's room in time to see him lying awake and staring at the ceiling.
"Sasuke...how do you feel?" she asked him.
"I'm...I don't know," Sasuke answered. "Tired, sore, and I can barley move, so what do you think."
"I see you're awake enough to think up snappy remarks, so you can't be that bad," Tsunade said, almost daring to smile.
"How many people know I'm here?" Sasuke asked, changing the subject.
"Not many; a few Jounin, Neji, Sakura and myself."
"Hyuga?"
"Yes, he was the one that confirmed the fact that you really are Sasuke and not some intruder."
Sasuke looked surprised at this.
"Yes, you see everyone here thought you were dead, K.I.A," Tsunade explained. "So you can see why you showing up at the gates might seem a bit suspicious."
"Yeah, I suppose. Does Naruto know I'm here?" Sasuke asked without giving Tsunade any answers to the question that he knew she would ask.
"No..."
___
"Tsunade we have to tell him!" Sakura cried. It had now been three days since Sasuke returned.
"You're right. Tell him Sakura," Tsunade answered simply, knowing that Sakura was right and that Naruto needed to know.
With that Sakura disappeared into a puff of smoke.
Where is he? I can't find him anywhere! Sakura thought desperately after having searched for Naruto for what felt like hours.
"Sakura?"
"Naruto!" Sakura responded as she heard Naruto's voice call to her from behind. Sakura was at the entrance to the hospital and so, conveniently, was Naruto.
"Naruto I have to tell you something, but I think it will be easier showing you, so will you please follow me?" Sakura asked Naruto.
Naruto looked confused yet curious; he followed Sakura until they were outside of room 115.
"Sakura what am I doing-" Naruto was cut off by what he saw when Sakura opened the door.
"Sasuke..." Naruto said weakly. What's going on!? I thought...I thought...
"Naruto," Sasuke's soft, slightly shaky voice spoke as he looked up at Naruto from a lying position on his bed.
Naruto didn't know what was happening. Suddenly he turned on his heel and run out of the room and down the corridor.
Sasuke watched as Naruto ran as if in fear or offended by seeing Sasuke alive in front of him. Sasuke didn't know what to do; he simply stared, at the place where Naruto had been, with a blank yet pained expression on his face.
___
I can't be! It can't...Why would he hide, why did he leave me if...why did he come back? How?!
Naruto ran, and he didn't stop. He didn't know where he was going.
___
"Iruka, how did the mission go?" Tsunade asked Iruka once he was standing in front of her desk.
"Fine; the full report is on your desk. Where's Naruto?"
Tsunade looked down at her desk and sure enough there was his report. She then looked back up at Iruka and answered. "I don't know, but you do know what has happened with Sasuke, don't you?"
"Yes, I know he was proclaimed K.I.A, and that's why I need to find Naruto."
"That's what we thought too."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Sasuke is back and Naruto has just discovered this for himself."
"What?"
___
Naruto stopped and realized that he was at the back entrance to the Hospital. How did I end up here? Maybe it's because I have to know. No...It has to be some sort of illusion. I mean he can't be here, can he? Kazuki-kun saw him die, or was he lying? Then does that mean that Sakura lied about Sasuke being alive? No, I have to find out! I have to know whether or not I have him back!
Naruto ran through the hospital's back door and headed quietly towards Sasuke's hospital room: room 115.
Naruto stood outside room 115 with his hand on the door handle. He opened and saw the same thing he saw short hours ago: Sasuke asleep on the bed in the middle of the dull room.
Naruto walked up to the bed, knelled down beside it and looked down at Sasuke. He saw his chest move as he breathed and his eyes move as he dreamed. Naruto slowly moved his hand until it touched Sasuke's cheek, and then he moved it down so that his fingers where touching Sasuke's lips. At this point only one thought went through Naruto's mind... Is this really you?
"Naruto...?" Sasuke said softly, smiling when he saw Naruto's face floating above him.
"Yeah..."
Sasuke gently grasped Naruto's hand that had been stroking the side of his face, and pulled Naruto down so that he was at Sasuke's eye level. Sasuke then pushed himself up enough so that he and Naruto were nose to nose. They both moved forward and their lips touched for a few moments before Naruto drew away to say. "It's really you..."
"Yeah, it's really me," Sasuke replied.
Naruto smiled as joy, relief, and happiness flooded over him. He hugged Sasuke and said softly, "I missed you."
"I thought I told you not to miss me too much."
"Sasuke, that's not very funny."
"I know and I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For leaving you, even if was only for a few weeks."
"Sasuke..."
"Alright, visiting hours are over! Everyone that is not checked into this hospital, please leave," a voice from the hall interrupted their conversation.
"That must be a nurse," Naruto said quietly.
"Yeah, must be," Sasuke replied. "Naruto aren't you going to leave?"
"I should, but I don't want to."
"Then come on," Sasuke said gesturing to his bed as he lifted up his covers.
Naruto looked confused until he realized what Sasuke wanted him to do. Naruto got up onto the bed and climbed under the covers.
"Good night, Sasuke."
"Good night, Dobe," Sasuke said wrapping his arms around the blonde.
"You're still going to call me that?" Naruto said. Nevertheless he snuggled closer to Sasuke until his face was buried in Sasuke chest.
"Yep," Sasuke replied, smiling softly.
___
"Sakura!" Iruka cried in surprise as he saw Sakura walking out of Tsunade's office followed by Tsunade herself.
"Iruka?"
"I can't find Naruto!"
"That's not good," Tsunade answered sounding worried now.
"What should we do Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked, also worried, although after seeing the scene that had taken place the day before it was no surprise. Naruto looked so scared...
"I have to check on Sasuke," Tsunade answered, "That's where Sakura and I are going now."
"May I come?" Iruka asked abruptly.
"Of course, but-" Tsunade answered.
"I want to know if he's alright."
Tsunade, Sakura, and Iruka arrived at Sasuke's hospital room a few minutes later. Iruka stood beside the door as Sakura went to open it, worrying about many things, and desperately thinking about where Naruto could be.
"Iruka I think I have your answer," Sakura said smiling softly at the scene before her.
"Found you," Tsunade added.
"Naruto..." Iruka breathed in relief, and also smiled.
Naruto moved slightly while still staying securely in Sasuke's arms. He opened his eyes to see Iruka, Sakura, and Tsunade looking back at him. Suddenly looking surprised and slightly embarrassed he looked down and saw Sasuke's arm still wrapped around him and this, despite the situation, made him smile.
"Let me guess, you didn't want to go home?" Tsunade asked.
"I know I'm not supposed to-"
"It's alright Naruto, I understand," Tsunade said kindly. "But we came to check on him, so could you wake him up?"
"Yeah." Naruto turned around and shook Sasuke softly. He would have gotten up, but Sasuke's arm around him was preventing this.
"Hn...What?" Sasuke asked sleepily. He looked up and saw Naruto. Then he looked around the room and saw everyone else.
"Morning Sasuke," Tsunade greeted him, "How are you feeling?"
"Fine, I think."
"Good, but we still have to check and see if the poison is dissipating like it should."
"Poison!?" Naruto exclaimed looking worried.
"It's alright Naruto; Sasuke's going to be okay," Sakura supplied. "The poison is just slowing his recovery."
This seemed to calm Naruto slightly, but he still looked worried.
"I'm really feeling much better, dobe."
"Alright Sasuke it seems that your recovery is coming along, but remember don't push it, got it? You're going to stay here for a little while longer," Tsunade cut in.
"I figured as much..." Sasuke said sounding put out.
"Sasuke, there is another reason that I came here today," Tsunade continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "What happened to you?"
"I have been wondering the same." Iruka said abruptly by the door.
"Sasuke...I want to know too, I mean Kazuki-kun told me everything, but he obviously got something wrong."
"Kazuki-kun?"
Naruto looked surprised while at the same time he felt his eyes burn. "You risked your life for someone that you didn't even know." I can't believe how much he's changed...and I can't help but think that if it hadn't been for me and my 'strength' then maybe he would have never put his life in danger. But at the same time I know that if he hadn't changed, and began to feel again then I would never have had a chance with him and he never would have loved me.
"Naruto..." Sasuke said smiling softly now. "It was the same. In fact it was almost as if I had gone back in time to the Land of Waves when I protected you against Haku."
"Sasuke..." I remember that...but that means that he acted 'as if my body moved on its own.' ' I never told you to save me!'
"Sasuke," Tsunade pressed. "What happened?"
"I...I will tell you," Sasuke answered reluctantly. "How did Kazuki-kun say it happened?"
Naruto told Sasuke everything that Kazuki had told him back in Kazuki's 'apartment'.
"Just as I thought. Yes, Kazuki-kun is right, accept for the fact that I didn't die, I was unconscious."
"But then why did you tell Kazuki-kun-"
"I thought I was dying," Sasuke said simply. "After I was hit by the poison, which turned out to be a mild poison that basically paralyzed and stopped the body temporarily, I dropped and told Kazuki my 'last words' then after Kazuki had gone, the Shinobi that I had paralyzed with my Sharingan, managed to get up. He must have kidnapped me."
"But why!?" Naruto exclaimed.
"I didn't know," Sasuke answered Naruto calmly. "It wasn't until I woke up in their little 'prison' that they told me that because I used my Sharingan they could tell that I was an Uchiha; the last Uchiha, and that's why they kidnapped me."
Tsunade cut in at this point. "The Uchiha kekkei Genkai...they must have wanted your clan's secret...of course."
"That's possible, but it doesn't exactly matter now-"
"It does if they discovered it!" Tsunade interrupted angrily.
"Do you think I'm stupid enough to let them?" Sasuke replied. "Besides in order for them to know the full power of the Sharingan they would have to have killed me, or used some sort of advanced interrogation justu, which I did not give them the chance to do."
"But then how-" Naruto began.
"I escaped, dobe."
"Hey I-!" Naruto failed at interrupting.
"Not that it was practically easy thanks to the poison and the fact that I was low on Chakra, but I managed to get away from them after a few days of rest."
"...How?" asked Iruka, who was still standing by the door.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not entirely sure..." Sasuke explained haltingly.
"Alright, well I think we've heard what we need to hear, and you seem to be in much better condition so we'll leave you now," Tsunade stated suddenly.
"Yes," Sakura agreed. "I'll check on you later, Sasuke."
Sakura, Tsunade and Iruka left the hospital room. Naruto didn't however; he needed to ask Sasuke something.
"What do you mean you're not 'entirely sure' how you escaped?" Naruto asked. "Didn't you have a reason or a way."
"Of course I did," Sasuke said lying back down on the bed, wrapping his arm around Naruto as he went. "My way was you and my reason was you."
"Sasuke...that doesn't make sense I mean how-"
"Silly dobe, I had to return because if I didn't I couldn't see you. And the way I got home must have been through sheer determination; I was determined not to let you, or the village, down."
"Sasuke, I didn't...I love you," Naruto sighed.
"I love you too, dobe. Now, try not to think too much, you might hurt yourself," Sasuke said earning himself a jab in the ribs.
"Very funny..."
"I thought so."
___
"Neji-kun!"
"Hinata-chan how was the mission?" Neji replied as Hinata ran through the entrance to the Hyuga compound, as she just returned from a mission.
"It was alright..." Hinata walked over to Neji, kissed him and then asked, "How's Naruto-kun?"
"He's back." A smile spread across Neji's face as he spoke. "He's back, and Naruto's heart's been healed."
"Sasuke..."
"Yeah." Neji started walking towards the Hyuga exit. "And Sasuke just got out of the Hospital, and so did Naruto." Neji chuckled because Naruto wasn't hurt in any way, he just basically lived at the hospital while Sasuke was staying there. Sasuke had been in the hospital for three weeks.
"Naruto really stayed with him, huh?" Hinata asked as they made their way to the hospital to find Sasuke and Naruto.
"Yeah, he really did."
They found Naruto walking out of the hospital with his arm wrapped around Sasuke half holding him and half supporting him.
"Neji, Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed as he looked up and saw them walking up to him and Sasuke.
"How've you been, Naruto?" Neji asked stopping in front of Naruto and a rather confused Sasuke.
"Much better than I was," Naruto answered smiling. "Thank you..." Neji knew that Naruto was thanking him for all he and the Hyuga clan had done to help him get through his pain. Hinata smiled. Sasuke, on the other hand, looked lost.
"Well, we'll let you go on your way," Neji said, interrupting the awkward silence.
"Bye, Naruto-kun," Hinata waved to Naruto and Sasuke as they left to go to their house.
They walked in silence until they reach the house.
"Naruto, what was that about?" Sasuke asked looking curious but before Naruto could answer he was interrupted by what looked like a child.
"Naruto-san," Kazuki said quietly as he came up to them.
"Kazuki-kun," Naruto said smiling.
"You're..." Sasuke said unclearly.
"Sasuke-san!" Kazuki said surprised. Sasuke suddenly realized why he recognized the kid standing in front of him.
"Thank for saving me, Sasuke-san."
Sasuke smiled weakly and said, "You're welcome."
"What are you doing here anyway Kazuki-kun? You're pretty far from the refugee camp," Naruto said breaking the pregnant silence.
"I know, I just heard that you were out of the hospital, so I..."
"Well, thanks for coming to see that I'm alright," Sasuke said frankly to Kazuki.
"Have you figured out where you're going to live yet?" Naruto asked Kazuki.
"Yeah, I'm going to live with my aunt...she just arrived from our village."
Naruto smiled. "I'm glad you have someone to stay with."
"Yeah so am I," Kazuki said smiling back at Naruto. "I really missed her; I'm glad she's back."
"I'm glad my 'hero antics' were not in vain," Sasuke commented. None of them really knew how to respond to that so they stayed quiet until Naruto decided to break the silence.
"Sasuke we should get you inside," Naruto said.
"Yeah, let's go Naruto," Sasuke replied. They said good-bye to Kazuki, and then headed into their temporarily vacated home.
Naruto went to make tea while Sasuke quietly sat at the kitchen table.
"So, what was up with you and Hyuga?" Sasuke asked suspiciously.
"There's no need to get jealous. You know Neji is straight and has Hinata."
"I am not jealous, besides don't you think I know that! I just wanted to know. I mean I've never seen you so chummy with the Hyugas before."
"I wouldn't say I am 'chummy' with the Hyugas"
"You're not going to tell me, are you?" Sasuke asked dejected.
"Nope"
"Thought so..."
______
(Naruto thinks he warmed Sasuke's heart for a second time, and if he hadn't then Sasuke might not have died to save a child)