What was lost summary: Sasuke is a single parent of two twin sons, Obito and Madara, and fighting a losing battle to keep them safe. Which is why social services assign him home-nurse Uzumaki Naruto to help out. But can he heal the wounds below the surface too. AU, SasuNaru

Warnings: Angst, mentions of abuse, eventual SasuNaru, slash fic

Wordcount: 3579

Chapter 1 – Unwelcome inhabitant

Sometimes he wondered if he was cursed.

With all this sorrow and death to last him more than a lifetime, what else was there to conclude about him? The first time was when he was 9 and his brother, whom he greatly admired as a child, was a young lad of 16. That year his brother murdered their parents in a psychosis, and afterwards he was locked up on heavy medication for the rest of his life in a mental institution.

The second time was when he was 17 and his girlfriend Temari was 16. She died giving birth to their twin boys. With this much technology in the world you wouldn't think something as simple as childbirth would be enough to kill someone, but the doctors said her body gave up from the stress of giving birth to two children. She had simply been too young to handle it.

But tragedies always come in threes, so even though he thought he had lived through hell in his short life, it still wasn't over. The idea of the curse came to him when the doctor emerged into the waiting room and found a sleep-deprived Sasuke, at the age of 27, holding his 10-year-old son Madara. In that moment right there Sasuke was finally convinced he was cursed. Because Obito had been raped by a teacher at their school and beside the fact that he had suffered a massive trauma, it actually got worse, because the bastard who violated his son turned out to be HIV-positive.

As he sat there and imagined a too small hourglass with his son's name on it, something snapped inside Uchiha Sasuke that night at the hospital.

Something he deemed meaningless and a waste of time in the years to come compared to his life so far.

But this very something was about to walk back into his life once more, though he didn't know that yet.

And like hell if he was going to allow it back without a fight.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Madara POV

Madara woke with a start. He wasn't sure what had awoken him until he noticed his twin brother by the door to their shared bedroom. Obito was looking at him through the darkness of the room with those stoic eyes of his, so alike their father's and his own. He motioned Madara to be silent with a finger on his lips.

Madara nodded his understanding, and got out of the bed to see what Obito was doing. As he neared the door, he heard voices coming from downstairs and he instantly recognized the voice of his father.

"…don't understand why you think this is any of your concern! These boys are my sons, and I know damn well what's best for them!" He was arguing with someone.

"I know you may think that Mr. Uchiha, but keeping them in a forest on a mountainside isn't exactly considered safe when it comes to raising children." Madara recognized this voice as well; it was Miss Haruno, who started coming to their house a few days ago. Father said she was of no concern to them, and she was only there to bother them on behalf of the government. But Madara knew Miss Haruno was from the social service, and she was there to see if father neglected them in any way, Madara heard him talking about it on the phone one time when his father didn't know he was listening.

"That may be, but they are not suffering so why do you keep bothering us this way? I educate them myself, I clothe them and I feed them, I'm not doing anything wrong! I think this is bordering to harassment!" Madara touched his brother's arm and squeezed it lightly. He wasn't sure if it was to comfort Obito or himself. Father was rarely this mad. Or rather emotional.

"Yet the nearest hospital is miles away from you. Don't you understand that if something should happen to-" Father didn't let her finish that sentence, but Madara knew what Miss Haruno was trying to say. And he had to admit, he had actually worried about the same thing several times for the sake of his brother.

"Don't you even dare go there! I will protect them! I won't let anything-" Miss Haruno interrupted father this time. Beside him Obito shifted uncomfortably, and Madara draped his arm around Obito's shoulders, this time it was definitely to comfort him.

"You are missing the point! I do not doubt your skills as a parent, merely your ability to heal broken bones with the touch of your hand. If one of them should fall and crack open a skull, what good does it do them then?" For a while father was silent.

"I am never going back to the city again, I would be the worst father in the world if I did that to either of my boys, why can't you see that?" Someone sighed, Madara's guess was that it was Miss Haruno.

"I'm not asking you to do that, just consider your options before the decision is taken from you. That boy of yours will eventually be in need of a hospital, and regular therapist consultations for the both of them wouldn't be a bad thing either. They've had a rough life I don't deny you that, too rough for their age, yourself included Sir, but that is not an excuse to put your need to protect them before their need of assistance. Please keep that in mind when you make decisions on their behalf."

Madara loved his father with all his heart, but ever since Obito had gotten sick 4 year ago he had changed so much. He would never intentionally hurt them, Madara knew that more than anything, but he was blinded by sorrow and hatred and that affected his actions which in the long run reflected on his decisions, especially concerning his two sons.

Madara sighed, he knew he was too young to be thinking this stuff, but he couldn't help it. Whenever his father had been incapable of taking a decision, Madara always felt he had to step up and assist him.

"I am truly sorry Mr. Uchiha, I mean that. But I may still be able to help you, if you'll let me. I notice you have a lot of empty space here so I can put in a good word for you and have them send you someone to help out." Miss Haruno said.

"Help? Help how?" He sounded far from convinced.

"Well I actually have someone specific in mind Sir, his name is Uzumaki Naruto, he is a private nurse and he has experience taking care of children with limited means. He will be able to help taking care of your boys, Kami knows you need this Mr. Uchiha. Maybe this will ensure they can stay with you."

"What will this cost me?" Asked father, he sounded immensely tired, like he had just suffered a defeat in battle.

"I will talk with the bureau and see if we can come up with an arrangement, but I must remind you that you chose it to be this way, and it will not be cheap." She sounded like she was scolding him. When father spoke, he no longer sounded tired.

"I love my boys." After that there was a long, awkward pause.

"They are lucky to have you as their father Mr. Uchiha. I'll see myself out." And then she left. Madara sought Obito's eyes, but he wouldn't look at him. He just turned around and got back into bed without a word having ever passed between them.

Right then Madara wanted to cry. It had been so long since he had cried, mostly he just kept it all inside, but right now he just couldn't. Not when his father hurt them this way, even when he tried to protect them, not when Obito turned to stone on anything that involved emotions, not when a stranger was going to live in their house and interfere in their lives up until his brother had to go.

Overwhelmed with these many feelings he stepped into their small bathroom joined to their large bedroom and wept.

When he was done and had composed himself, he went back to bed.

But just before he fell asleep he felt his madras shift as another person crawled under the covers.

Madara felt a few tears leak out as Obito pecked his forehead and lay down to share his pillow.

At least Obito wasn't completely devoid of feelings, when he thought no one was looking.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

The next day father called them into the living room, and they dutifully sat side by side on the couch with their father sitting across from them in an armchair.

They were all silent as the boys waited for their father to tell them why he had called for them, but he seemed to have a hard time finding the right words as he kept fidgeting with his hands. In Madara's mind this was a classic sign that he was uncomfortable.

"So boys, uhm I…Miss Haruno won't be bothering us anymore, hmm well at least not for a while." Father swallowed before he went on. "But in her stead we'll-" But then Obito cut him off.

"When can we expect Mr. Uzumaki to arrive?" Father looked like someone had struck him in the face.

"How do you know that name?"

"We heard it last night." Obito said as he looked completely calm, not an ounce of remorse for eavesdropping showed on his face. Madara on the other hand felt his cheeks flush red under the scrutinizing gaze their father gave them.

"He will arrive tomorrow afternoon. But I do not appreciate that you lis-" Again he was cut off by Obito as he stood abruptly.

"I'll prepare him a guestroom immediately." And with that he left the room. Father sent Madara a questioning look.

"What on earth was that about?" He asked his remaining son, who just shrugged and followed his brother. When Madara entered the guestroom he found Obito dusting off the spare closet.

"It's not his fault Obito." Obito stopped, but didn't turn to face him when he answered.

"He could have said no."

"Why? What good would come of it?" Madara said flailing his arms, though his brother didn't see because he still wasn't looking at him.

"I don't want a stranger in our house." Obito walked towards the bed, avoiding eye contact.

"He is coming here to help us Obito. To help you!" Suddenly Obito turned and angry tears were streaming down his face.

"Help me with what brother? Dying? Because last time I checked I was doing just fine with that on my own." Madara was taken aback for a second before he recoiled with the same fierce anger.

"To help you survive Obito." Obito's anger didn't waver.

"Well we both know that isn't going to happen, so why not leave us in peace while there isn't any more time." Madara felt his eyes sting from tears pressing on beneath the surface, but he didn't let them fall. Obito continued: "He should have said no." And with that he turned back to the bed and started fluffing the pillows, effectively ending the conversation.

Madara left the guestroom, barely able to believe his brother could be so thickheaded.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

A man arrived in the afternoon the following day, which he assumed could only be Uzumaki Naruto. Madara saw him when he stopped in front of the house on foot with a suitcase by his leg, and looked from a slip of paper in his hand to the number on the house.

Madara wasn't sure what doubts the man could carry of the verification of the house. No one else lived in a 20 miles' radius from them. Well the man was blond, perhaps this also affected his brain function as some liked to imply it did.

Madara was on the front porch reading a book, but he was partially hidden from sight, so the stranger hadn't spotted him yet. When the blond stepped onto the porch he shamelessly peeked through a window, still ignorant of Madara's presence. Madara gave a small artificial cough to alert the newcomer to his presence, and as a result he could barely contain a snort of amusement when the man yelped and made a small jump.

Finally the blond turned and saw him. Then he pointed to the house, opened his mouth only to close it again, and then he started blushing furiously, even his ears turned red with the embarrassment. Madara could no longer hold his stoic mask in place. He started giggling at the newcomer's expense while covering his mouth with his hand. It took him a few moments to regain control.

Suddenly the front door opened and knocked down the blond who made another yelp of surprise before he keeled over on the porch in an overly dramatic fashion. Madara was defenseless as his giggles turned to an open laugh.

This was insane, the man hadn't even said a word yet, and he already had Madara smile more than he had in months.

It had been father who had opened the door, and his first reaction after opening the door was to stare astonished at Madara as he laughed, before a groaning sound from the ground made him realize someone else was present. His eyes went wide as he took in the blonde man on the floor, who was wincing and rubbing his butt which had cushioned the impact, but apparently he wasn't pleased with what he saw for he went straight past the pleasantries and snapped at the stranger.

"What the hell are you doing on the floor?" He asked and made no move to help the blond to his feet, instead crossing his arms in front of his body. Madara finally got his laughter under control at the tone in his father's voice and as he looked on he wasn't even smiling.

"What do you mean what am I doing? I am entertaining your son, of course!" The man said, still sitting on the porch and flashed Madara a bright smile, but it stiffened when he saw the stoic look on Madara's face. "Well not anymore, I guess. Tough audience I see." The newcomer was still looking at him, and Madara inexplicably sent him a shy smile. The strangers face brightened once more in a big smile, and he finally got up on his feet and turned to father with his hand held in front of him.

"Uzumaki Naruto, just call me Naruto, at your service!" Madara was captivated with the blond man, he sounded so carefree and happy. Father shook his hand with all the appearance of a man touching something icky and quickly let it go again.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke." If Naruto noted that father wasn't as forthcoming as him, he didn't mention it, because he was already heading in Madara's direction.

"Well usually I wouldn't assume things, but you have to be one of the sons, the two of you look too much alike not to be related." Naruto rambled and reached out to shake Madara's hand, but he didn't have time to think of a proper response before Naruto saw Obito coming around the house to see what was going on. When he appeared Naruto's eyes went wide.

"Kami, either I'm seeing double or you boys are twins! I swear I only had one drink on the train out here." Naruto rambled on and gave their father a look of mock apology. He was obviously trying to lighten the mood by joking. Madara found he liked it, and chuckled, earning him strange glances from both his father and brother. Father coughed the same artificial cough that Madara had just moments ago used to gain Naruto's attention.

"Mr. Uzumaki, I think you should come inside." Father said and gave a warning stare in the direction of his sons, before he turned on his heel and went into the house, without so much as offering to take the strangers bag or wait him inside. But Naruto didn't look bothered as he picked up his suitcase and stalked inside like he came here all the time. The moment he vanished from sight, the brothers ran from the porch and sat down side by side underneath the living room window, wherefrom they weren't intimidated by their father's glares and could listen in on the action.

"I could really use a glass of water Sir." If Madara had to guess, he'd say Naruto had finally caught on to his father's cold treatment and this was his way of trying to mend the bridge with a polite request.

"Try the bathroom sink." But father was definitely not meeting him halfway. There was a shuffling sound, before father's voice sounded again: "What are you doing?"

"I'm calling the bureau."

"Whatever for?"

"To request a raise, because if I'm going to be staying here with you, you massive prick, I'd say I deserve it in advance." The boys couldn't see the expression on their father's face, but Madara suspected it mirrored their own at the moment; utter disbelief. "Damn, I can't get through, don't you have cellphone coverage out here? No wonder they are concerned about you."

"What the hell? How dare you!?"

"Sir I'm going to be frank with you, you may not like me, but I am your last shot at keeping your boys out here, but I do not respond well to bullies, so a word of advice; at the bare minimum act civil towards me and we won't have a problem. If that is asking too much of you, then you can discuss it with the bureau."

"Well I had thought you'd be a little more professional!?" Father boomed.

"And I had thought you'd be a little more forthcoming to receive the help you're being offered. So a lose/lose on both our expectations, I guess?" Naruto said not missing a beat.

Madara could hardly believe his ears, the fight with Miss Haruno had been unusual because father so rarely argued with anyone, people often just submitted to his will because he was intimidating and for the most part right. But she had known them long before she even dared say such things and she hadn't been nearly as obstinate as Naruto was at the moment, even though he only walked into their lives barely 15 minutes ago.

It felt…new.

"I am not here to listen to you sulk over the injustice of your life, I am here for your boys, and nothing matters to me more than their wellbeing. It is your call Mr. Uchiha." In the following silence Madara barely dared to breathe. "Are we on the same page Mr. Uchiha?"

More silence.

"You can call me Sasuke."

"Alright then Sasuke. My throat is awfully dry, could I get that glass of water now?"

At that moment Madara decided he liked this Naruto. New was good.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

By the time dinner was served, Madara was in complete awe of Uzumaki Naruto.

Furthermore Madara had given it a lot of thought, and he finally figured out why the blond appealed so much to him. It was because he held so many of the qualities that was absent in the life of the Uchiha family; happiness, joy and a constant wonder of the world. Madara had barely noticed the absence of these crucial feelings until this blond stranger peeked through their windows that very afternoon. It was invigorating to say the least. That thought scared Madara more than he cared to admit.

Naruto had openly admitted to the window peeping, without Madara ever saying a word and he even accompanied it with an elaborating story of his own embarrassment. A story of how he had come across a house earlier on the day and barged inside fully believing he had arrived at the correct destination, only to find that it was the wrong house, which he had realized the moment the dog came out to growl at him. The tale ended with him running from the house with his suitcase held high over his head to make his escape faster, the dog in fast pursuit.

Madara somehow doubted that the story was true, but he giggled nonetheless when Naruto showed them how he had held the suitcase on top of his head, and even the ever-stoic Obito cracked a small smile at the story. Their father on the other hand didn't respond with any smiles, but he didn't show signs of disapproving either which Madara took as a good thing, and so did Naruto, because he went on telling stories throughout the whole dinner, and when they finally left the table Madara's face muscles were sore from smiling.

"He makes you smile a lot, this Naruto." Father said as he was tucking in Madara that night. It wasn't a question, so Madara didn't answer.

"Do you like him?"

"He seems okay."

"Just okay?" Madara shrugged the best he could from his horizontal position.

"He's alright, I guess." Father got up and went over to Obito's bed, to tuck him in as well.

"What about you? Do you also think he is 'alright'?" For a moment Madara dared to hope that Obito wouldn't answer.

"I think he is a silly fool." And with that he turned to face the wall.

-TBC-