Sasuke had been back in Konoha now for almost two years, Naruto had reached deep inside his mind and heart and had drawn out all his anger and hate, but in the process had nearly killed himself, so Sasuke had carried him home. Upon his arrival at the new village gates he had been pounced on by ANBU. Naruto had been ripped from his arms which were then restrained in chakra restraints, not that it mattered, he had lost the anger he had come to rely on to fight.

He was then placed in a cell with no light or sound. His only human interaction was when his meals were delivered, even then only once did the deliverer ever speak and that was to say Naruto had lived. Eight months he had stayed in that prison and then with no reason why he was released, told he was not allowed to leave the village, or perform any jutsu, he had to be in the apartment he was supplied with by nightfall and was allowed out again at sunrise. If he broke these simple rules he would be placed back in his cell or killed outright.

He didn't care about the restrictions, all he wanted was to see the sun and Naruto again. When he was freed he spent all his time walking around the newly rebuilt village, most of the people didn't pay him any attention, unfortunately it was only a few hours after his release that his old fan club (All of which were now grown women) found him and started to demand he go out on a date with them because they still loved him. He was glad when he noticed that at least Sakura was no longer among them.

For over a year he had looked for Naruto in the street, he had asked so many people but had been told in no uncertain terms to leave the boy alone by most of them, only a couple still seemed to hold any hatred towards the young man.
So Sasuke continued to wait and walk the village hoping to catch a glimpse of the one he sought. He never felt his chakra or caught sight of him so when he could take it no more Sasuke made his way to the Hokage tower.

He waited over an hour before he was let in to see her and even though he didn't expect a warm greeting the ice-cold glare he found himself on the receiving end of startled him. Stepping the rest of the way forward he asked "Where is he?"

Tsunade's look darkened even further, her tea-cup shattered in her hand "He? He? Do you mean Naruto? He is no longer your concern." She yelled her voice harsh and filled with hidden pain.

Taken aback Sasuke fought to keep his face neutral "I need to see him, to ask him... to ask him how and why?"

Emotion flashed quickly over Tsunade's face so quick that Sasuke didn't have time to interpret it before it was gone. "Get out of my office and do not ask about Naruto Uzamaki again."

Not wanting to anger the Hokage further Sasuke bowed and left without another word. He had almost made it out of the building when he was joined by a young man he had met only a few times before. This man was similar in looks except for the creepy smile and almost white completion, so much so that if people didn't know better they would say the two men might be related.
After walking in silence Sasuke became curious of why he was being accompanied by a relative stranger so he finally spoke up "Why are you following me? Sai is it?"

"Yes my name is Sai, I worked with Naruto before you came back." The slim man answered with an even look.

"Well Sai that doesn't answer my first question." Sasuke snapped.

"That is easy I am following you home so that we can discuss our mutual friend. "Sai explained, his smile never once changing. Both men continued on in silence until they reached Sasuke's apartment. Once inside Sasuke spun on Sai gripping his small shirt in both hands "Where is he?"

Smiling again Sai stood not moving as he answered "At this moment I do not know, what I do know is that because of you he is in constant danger."

"Why?"

"My so many questions. One of the conditions of your survival is that Naruto must join the ANBU for as long as the Elders deemed fit." Hearing this Sasuke let go of the cloth in his hands "Also, because of you he is to give up his dream of becoming Hokage and must be simply a tool for the village."

Shaking badly Sasuke stepped back until his knees hit the bed which other than a desk and chair was his only furniture. "Why would he agree to this?"

"For you." Sai answered his voice full of venom. "And what's more the only people to see him now are hospital staff. It is like he has disappeared and with him the light of the village."

Sasuke lunged back to his feet "I need to see him, can you help me do that?"

"That is why I am here, in three nights time leave your window and door unlocked and lights off, don't have any weapons on you or near you at all. If you do he may forget why he came and kill you."

"He will come the?" hope dripped from Sasuke's lips.

"He may." with that Sai vanished in a puff of smoke.

In the time leading up to Naruto's visit Sasuke had gone over the main room and the small adjoining bathroom over a dozen times, looking for anything that could be used as a weapon, as he had been forbidden any real weapons when he was released from prison.
The night had finally arrived for his visit and Sasuke had spent hours pacing his one room apartment before finally falling asleep near 3am. It was only a few minutes later that he jerked awake to the feeling of being watched. Looking around Sasuke saw a figure completely clothed in black emerge from the shadows, looking closer he believed the intruder to be a complete stranger until he lifted a hand pulling mask and head band off to reveal bright blue eyes and golden hair.

Sasuke's heart leapt then fell as the ANBU revealed the familiar features. His heart leapt at the sight of his old friend but fell at the sight of the once laughing blue eyes that were filled with sorrow and fatigue.

"You really are alive." Sasuke gasped fighting the urge to hug his old friend.

"Yes, now that you have seen me you can stop looking. I fulfilled my promise and still am fulfilling it. You are home again." Naruto's tone never changed as he spoke.

" But why? why did you give up your dream for me? You should have let them kill me, but you didn't." Desperate to get his point across Sasuke got up and went to move closer but stopped when the man before him reached for the katana strapped to his back.

"I begged for your life because I still needed my first friend by my side. Now I take every mission I can so I don't have to see you, so I don't have to see how far I have torn you down." Tears began to course down Naruto's scared cheeks as emotion finally reached his voice.

"Then stay. Stay with me, come back to the village and help me rebuild all that I have broken. You saved me, now let me save you." Sasuke tore forward headless of the danger he was putting himself in. "We can rebuild our fragile bonds and make them stronger."

"I can't, I am still ANBU now and will be until the Elders say otherwise." He stepped back as though to make his words hurt a little less.

"Then until you are released come to me between missions, stop volunteering for so many missions and we will fix each other."

Naruto opened his mouth to answer but stopped before he could speak. He turned his head listening to the radio still in his ear and after a few seconds said "I am needed, I will return here after my mission. I want to find us again."

"How long will you be gone?" Sasuke asked grabbing Naruto's hand in desperate need.

"I don't know, Leave your window unlocked at night and I will come to see you again." and with that Naruto vanished.

Six weeks Sasuke slept with his window unlocked. He only left his room when it was totally necessary, for fear of missing Naruto. It was on one of these trips to buy food that he received word about his absent friend.

Sasuke had almost reached the store closest to his apartment when Sakura ran up to him and grabbed his arm pulling him off in another direction. Sasuke was ready to turn down yet another offer of a date when Sakura finally spoke to him for the first time since his return. "I wouldn't even speak to you except my patients has asked to see you. So you WILL come with me and you WILL see him and say kind words. Got that?"

Sasuke was about to refuse her demand when he remembered what Sai had said about Naruto only ever being seen by hospital staff. So he instead caught up to Sakura and followed her through the streets hoping not to look to eager to reach his destination. After nearly ten minutes of fast walking they finally reached the hospital, however before they entered Sakura spun Sasuke to look directly at her "If you hurt him or say one mean thing, I will kill you. He is hurt and needs his rest."

"Fine, just tell me where he is."

Sakura looked skeptical but walked ahead anyway "He is in the restricted section, where we treat the active ANBU discreetly. I will have to take you to him and then escort you out again."

"Fine, just lead the way." Sasuke bit back trying to keep his expression bored.

Sasuke stopped in the door way of Naruto's room when he saw the other man covered with bandages and tubes going in and out of his arms and chest. "Naruto, what happened? Why aren't you healing as fast as you use to?"

Naruto's face flashed for a moment to what Sasuke remembered, full of life and joy, before it once again clouded over with pain and sadness. "You came. I'm glad."

"Of course I came. We never finished our conversation. Now tell me why you are not healing." Sasuke plead as he rushed forward.

"Well you see once I mastered the Kyuubi's power he stopped being able to heal my body, now I have to heal like everyone else." Naruto grinned broadly "Don't worry, I will be okay."

"I'm glad." Sasuke breathed out clutching at Naruto's free hand. "Why did you ask Sakura to bring me here?"

"Well that is easy, because I couldn't make it to your place. So we will have to start re-building right here."

Sasuke felt a rush of happiness that his only friend still wanted to be with him, even if it was at the hospital.