Author's note: Hi! I am so thrilled that people have reviewed this story positively. I know it's just a few reviews but it really means a lot to me. So, thank you to everybody that reviewed, favorited, or put this on their story alert! You guys are the greatest! Also, thank you to everyone who just stopped in and read it. You are also very awesome! Anyway, here's the official first chapter. Please review and let me know what you think! If you like it, I'll post a new chapter as soon as I can!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, no matter how much I wish I did.
Chapter 1: Hospital Rooms and Prison Cells
Sasuke was warm, comfortable even. He was dimly aware of voices and a bright light that made him want to open his still-closed eyes. He was tired and his mind was hazy. The raven- haired boy wondered idly if he was dead…
No, that wasn't right. Warmth, comfort, bright light? Isn't that what Heaven was supposed to feel like? Ha. That idea was laughable to the boy. With everything he had done, killing people, including his own brother, consuming his life with revenge, and even attempting to kill his best friend on more than one occasion...
That stopped his train of thought immediately as he began to remember what happened. Naruto had found him and challenged him to a fight. He recalled telling the blond to give up, and he was too weak to stop him. Naruto, true to form, did not back down. Instead he had smiled and vowed to take Sasuke back to Konoha, no matter what. Then the fighting started, and now Sasuke was here. But, where was here?
He slowly opened his bleary eyes, and moved to rub them. Or tried to. His hands were shackled to something. He blinked a few more times to clear his vision. He glanced around without moving his head and he realized he was in a familiar setting. Konoha hospital. He slowly moved his head and saw a head of blond hair next to him. Naruto was sleeping next to him, close enough that he could feel him breathe. Sasuke was a bit surprised that he didn't notice this sooner.
Well, he thought as snuggled closer to Naruto, I'll blame the morphine. Then he closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.
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Sakura's mind was in turmoil. The girl didn't believe what had happened, even though she had been there. The day had started off normal. She had been working at the hospital like always, healing a young girl's sprained ankle. Then, it seemed like all Hell had broken loose. She replayed the events in her head.
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Flashback. 2 hours earlier...
Sakura heard Kiba before she saw him. He burst in through the hospital doors, yelling for her to come immediately. Sakura heard the urgency in his voice and asked what was wrong. The Inuzuka did not reply, instead tried to catch his breath and pointed in the direction he had come from.
The pink haired girl's eyes widened. Shino, Hinata, and the two guards from the village gates were carrying two very familiar people, full of injuries and blood dripping onto the ground. Sasuke and Naruto.
For a split second, she felt like panicking but then her medic's instinct kicked in. She called more medics to assist her and they rushed the injured boys to the emergency room.
"Get the Hokage. We're going to need her." Sakura ordered Hinata. Hinata still looked shaken but nodded and took off.
Sasuke's body was full of cuts, most superficial, but they bled profusely. He had a broken leg and bruises turning his usually light skin a deep shade of purple. He was suffering from blood loss and his breathing was impaired due to six broken ribs. He was quickly bandaged and his broken bones were set. He put under heavy sedation and pain killers.
Naruto was worse off. His chest had stab wounds, both life-threatening and superficial. He had an artery in his leg cut, which caused a lot of his blood loss. The knuckles on his right hand were scraped raw and broken. His arms were full of first and second degree burns which began to bleed. His left lung was on the verge of collapse. However, the wound that scared Sakura the most was on his neck. The slash was deep and straight, like someone had tried to slit the boy's throat. A normal person would have certainly died, but fortunately for Naruto, the Kyuubi had different ideas. Sakura was silently glad for the Nine-Tailed demon and his tendency of healing his host, even if he only did it because he needed Naruto's body to survive.
Naruto had woken up and started thrashing around while he was being stitched up. This movement ripped open the wounds, ruby-colored liquid staining the bed and white sheets. He kept asking where Sasuke was. That saddened Sakura and she was relieved when a blonde woman entered the room telling everyone to stand aside. The medics moved away quickly.
Tsunade noticed the desperation and pain in Naruto's eyes, "You'll see Sasuke when you're not about to bleed to death. He's fine. Unconscious, but in stable condition." She said this while she healed the cut artery, green glow engulfing her hands.
"I promise." she added, looking back at Naruto. He nodded. Then his head collapsed onto the pillow.
End of Flashback
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It had been nearly five days since Naruto had come back with Sasuke. Sakura had been checking and recording Naruto's vital signs when he began to stir. He opened his blue eyes while Sakura gasped, happiness taking her breath away.
"Naruto!" She called, dropping her clipboard and pen and helping him sit up.
"Hi Sakura-chan." he greeted her, then grinned. Sakura smiled too, then suddenly, her mood changed.
"Naruto, you are such an idiot! I'd beat the living hell out of you if you weren't so injured!"
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, looking confused.
"Don't you 'huh' me! You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Sakura yelled, balling her fists. Before Naruto could reply, she continued. " This was your 'super-secret mission' you couldn't tell me about? Getting Sasuke-kun back and nearly getting yourself killed?" By now the pink-haired girl was pacing the room, back and forth, green eyes blazing with anger. Naruto was scared. It seemed likely that Sakura would beat him up. He had never seen her so angry before.
Suddenly, Sakura stopped. She was standing at the other side of the room, when she raced toward Naruto. He was sure she was going to punch him. He braced for impact…
Instead, Sakura hugged him tightly. When she spoke, her words came out in a sob. "Naruto, I'm so glad you're alright. Thank you. Thank you for coming home safely and bringing Sasuke-kun back to me." She cried a little louder now.
Naruto wrapped his arms around his crying friend. "There's no need to cry. Everything's OK now." He whispered softly to her. Sakura's face was buried in his neck and he could feel her tears wetting his bandages.
With a sniffle, she pulled away from him slowly. "Yeah. You're right." She said wiping away the tears on her face. She took a breath to calm herself. " Let me check your injuries." Sakura offered, starting to remove the now wet bandages from his neck. To her surprise, the slash on the blond's throat was healed. All that remained was a narrow pink line. Sakura was about to comment on this when the door opened suddenly.
"Baa-chan, it's you!" Naruto smiled when he saw Tsunade step into the room. The woman smiled in greeting to the two teens, while Sakura continued removing the rest of the bandages.
"Good work Sakura." She told the girl after all the bandages were removed. Tsunade checked Naruto over once more. " Naruto, you're a lucky brat. You can go home today if you want."
"Alright!" Naruto cheered, then he remembered something " Baa-chan, where's Sasuke?" he asked, looking around the room. Tsunade looked away and replied, " He's not here."
"Where is he then? A different room?" Naruto asked, sounding hopeful.
"No." This time Sakura answered him, sounding sad again. Naruto looked confused.
Tsunade sighed, "Naruto, you need to understand that Sasuke was a criminal and is still considered to be one. So, like any criminal, he was sent to prison."
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Sasuke was half-asleep when he heard voices. He sat up on his cot in his small cell so he could better hear what was going on.
"Damn it! I want to see him!" Sasuke guessed that was Naruto's voice.
"I'm sorry. No." Most likely the guard's voice.
"Let me see him!" Naruto yelled.
"No." the guard said, patience wearing thin.
This continued for close to ten minutes until another guard finally snapped,"Just let the kid in, Tama! I'm sick of hearing this!" the man sounded exasperated.
Sasuke almost felt like laughing as he listened.
"But Gen, we'll get into trouble!" the first guard, Tama, whined.
"Who cares? As long as this kid shuts up!" Gen said, sounding frustrated. There was a screeching sound as a metal door opened.
"See, was that so hard?" Naruto called as he walked through the door and into the cell block.
Sasuke listened as Naruto's footsteps drew nearer. "Sasuke! Where are you?"
Naruto's voice was very loud to the raven-haired boy. He scowled and said,"Do you have to be so loud, usuratonkachi? It's giving me a headache."
Naruto smiled broadly as he approached the cell. He frowned when he actually saw it. It was probably 8 feet high and 12 feet wide, shaped like a square. Sasuke was sitting on a cot, a thin sheet rolled up on the edge next to a flat pillow. A sink and toilet were the only other fixtures in the room. "How are you doing?" Naruto asked, lowering his voice.
"How do you think I'm doing? I'm locked in a tiny cell talking to an idiot." Sasuke replied, his voice sounding harsher than he meant.
"Oh." Naruto paused, then continued, "How long have you been here?"
"After I woke up, they brought me here. That was two days ago." Sasuke answered, studying Naruto carefully.
Naruto noticed this and said, "Yeah. I'm all healed. I just got up today."
"No. That's not what I was going to ask." Sasuke looked away suddenly, as though embarrassed. He was actually going to ask Naruto why he had been sleeping in the same bed as him but decided against it. Instead, he asked,"How long do you think I'll be here?"
Naruto was quiet, thinking about it. "Hopefully not too long. I will speak to the Hokage on your behalf and she might be able to work something out." he answered.
"Hn." was the Uchiha's reply. It was quiet for a while, neither boy knowing what to say to the other. After a few more moments of silence, Tama's voice was heard,"Hey kid! Time's up!"
"You better go, Naruto." Sasuke said, lying down on his cot.
Naruto nodded, then smiled."Don't worry, Sasuke. I'm sure everything will work out. I'll see you later."
"Hn." was Sasuke's reply.
Naruto got up and walked away. He didn't want to leave Sasuke but he had no choice. Unlike Sasuke, Naruto believed Tsunade could work something out.
She has to, Naruto thought as he left the prison building and headed towards the Hokage's office.
