To Be Love And Cherished
Chapter 2
As Naruto made his way home after school, he couldn't help but wonder who had attacked Sasuke. The Uchiha was the most popular boy at Konoha High, and while Sasuke was particularly mean to Naruto, he was generally nice to the rest of the population. Who would attack someone like Sasuke whose brother was in special ops? It didn't make sense to Naruto why would someone want to hurt Sasuke? Were they doing it to get even with Itachi for something he done wrong? Or were there other kids that just really hated Sasuke and wanted to see him suffer? Naruto was sorry that Sasuke had been hurt, and he honestly hoped that Sasuke recovered well, but he also hoped that this situation would make Sasuke realize that he couldn't just treat people the way he did, especially Naruto.
Rubbing his sore ribs, Naruto walked a little quicker, his father wasn't going to be happy if Naruto was late. The social worker was supposed to have visited while Naruto was at school, Naruto already had the feeling that his father would be in a foul mood from that. To make matters worse Naruto hadn't bothered cleaning because he secretly hoped that it would be bad enough that the social worker would have no choice but to take him away and put him in foster care. Naruto desperately hoped for that outcome, because he wasn't sure if he would be able to survive with his father much longer. Naruto couldn't help but wonder if there was a place out there where he could be happy, free from his father and the abuse that he suffered at his father's hands. In the end though Naruto didn't think he would ever be free from the man that was his father. Arashi would just as soon have him murdered before letting Naruto go so that his abuse could get reported.
Sighing, Naruto shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing at the hospital as he walked past. He wondered if he should stop by and at least try to see Sasuke and see what his condition really was. He didn't really know why he even cared after all that Sasuke had done to him recently, but there was still a place in Naruto's heart that cared for his former friend.
"Oh what the hell." Naruto muttered as he turned and headed for the hospital entrance. "Dad's going to be pissed anyways. I might as well stop in and see how he's doing." Naruto should have cared about what his father would do to him when he found out about Naruto's side trip, but at that moment he was concerned with Sasuke. Entering the hospital he stopped at the nurses desk.
"What room is Sasuke Uchiha in?" Naruto asked quietly, hoping that the woman wouldn't tell him that Sasuke couldn't have visitors at the moment.
"Uchiha is in room 311." the nurse told Naruto kindly, offering the teen a small smile as Naruto thanked her and headed towards the elevators. Naruto really hoped that his bruises from his latest beating hadn't been too obvious, most of the time his father made sure to hit Naruto where the bruises weren't obvious, last night though his father had completely lost control when he'd attacked Naruto. Naruto wished that things could be different that he didn't remind Arashi of what had been lost. Naruto only wanted his father to love him, but instead his father was determined to hate everything about him. It wasn't fair but Naruto had come to learn that the only thing his father knew how to do Naruto knew what it was like to grieve for those that were lost to them forever. He missed his mother everyday, and he longed to see her again. He was starting to wonder if his father wouldn't end up sending him to her.
"What the hell are you doing here?" An angry voice demanded from the door, startling Naruto so bad that he jumped, wincing at the anger that he could here.
"I wanted to see how he was." Naruto stuttered not bothering to turn and look at Sasuke's older brother. He didn't need to see the man to feel the others anger rolling off of him in waves.
"Why? So you can gloat and be proud of what you have caused?" Itachi demanded, stalking towards Naruto who scooted closer to the wall to avoid Itachi.
"I didn't have anything to do with this." Naruto said refusing to meet Itachi's gaze, instead keeping his eyes locked on the unconscious Sasuke's body.
"Sure you didn't." Itachi said hatefully. "If I remember correctly I was told that you told Sasuke he could join his parents in hell."
"Yes, well we all say things in anger don't we?" Naruto asked, still staring at the bed. "I might have said that out of anger, but I didn't actually mean it. I didn't want anything bad to actually happen to him." Naruto scooted closer to the wall as Itachi continued approaching him. His heart raced with fear wondering what exactly Itachi planned on doing to him. Naruto closed his eyes as Itachi reached him, his body trembling in fear as he wondered what kind of torture Itachi was going to put him through. He had made a mistake in coming here, he should have known that Itachi would blame him for what happened. Everyone seemed to blame him when things went wrong. His father blamed him for his mother's death, Sasuke blamed him for pretty much everything that was wrong with his life. Sasuke's friends, Naruto was certain were blaming him for what had happened to Sasuke. Was it Naruto's lot in life to take the blame for things that he had no control over?
"What the hell's wrong with you?" Itachi demanded, watching as Naruto raised his arms to guard his face. Unaware that as he raised his arms, his shirt lifted, giving Itachi a good look at his bruised ribs. The more Itachi looked at the boy, the more he recognized the fear in Naruto's posture. What had happened to make the boy so fearful? Had Sasuke in anyway contributed to the fear that Itachi could recognize in Naruto?
"I'm not going to hit you." Itachi said, realizing that Naruto was afraid that Itachi was going to hurt him, backing away Itachi watching as Naruto's trembling stopped, the boy slowly lowered his arms, but still refused to meet Itachi's gaze.
"Is he going to be okay?" Naruto asked, his heart beat slowing down.
"They don't know." Itachi answered. "He was pretty badly beaten, he has a severe head injury that will likely leave him with some kind of brain damage. No one knows what kind until he wakes up. If he wakes up."
"I'm sorry." Naruto repeated, glancing at the watch on his wrist. He really needed to get going, his father was going to be pissed as it was. "Sasuke was being a jerk and he made me mad. I really didn't want this to happen to him."
"If I find out that you had anything to do with him getting hurt like this. There will be hell to pay." Itachi warned. "I will make sure that you get what you deserve in return for making this happen to Sasuke."
"I didn't have anything to do with it." Naruto said as he turned towards the door.
"You better have not." Itachi warned. "It won't be pleasant for you otherwise." Itachi watched as Naruto wearily stumbled around him. He couldn't help but wonder how Naruto had gotten his ribs so badly bruised, whatever had happened something had put up one hell of a fight and it made Itachi wonder if Sasuke had fought back against his attacker and that was why Naruto's ribs were in the shape they were in. Itachi's eyes narrowed, he was going to find out the truth about what had happened to his brother and if Naruto did indeed have something to do with it. He shook his head, Naruto and Sasuke used to be best friends what had happened to make them into the enemies that they currently were?
Naruto shivered as he exited the hospital, he could still practically feel Itachi's anger and it made him more fearful than usual. He knew without a doubt that Itachi would find out who had attacked Sasuke and why. He hoped that he wasn't around for it. He couldn't explain it but Itachi terrified Naruto beyond belief. If Itachi said he was going to make whomever pay for what had happened to Sasuke, he would do just that. Naruto hurried down the street, hoping that he hadn't spent too much time at the hospital. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd made the right decision in stopping for a quick visit had been a good idea. Naruto couldn't explain it, but he'd needed to see Sasuke. Whether it was just to convince himself that Sasuke was still there he wasn't sure. Whatever happened now he would have to live with the consequences of his actions.
"Where the hell have you been?" Arashi demanded standing in the doorway of their rundown house. Naruto swallowed hard and stared down at the ground.
"I stopped by the hospital." Naruto answered not looking at his father. "There was someone I needed to see."
"Who?" Arashi demanded. "I told you that you weren't allowed to have friends. So who would you have had to stop to see at the hospital?" Naruto didn't say anything knowing he was in enough trouble as it was.
"Get your worthless piece of shit self inside this house." Arashi demanded when he noticed that his conversation with Naruto was drawing the neighbors attention. Naruto sighed and moved forward slowly, dreading the pain that he knew was going to be coming. Naruto winced as he felt his father shove him roughly, as Naruto walked past, forcing the blonde boy to stumble.
"What did I tell you to do after school?" Arashi asked once they were in the relative safety of their four walls.
"Come straight home." Naruto answered, staring down at the filth covered carpet. Naruto winced as he felt the sting in his cheek as his father's hand met his face.
"You are worthless. Dogs are better than you are." Arashi snarled as he grabbed Naruto by his collar and slammed him against the wall. Naruto's head hitting the dry wall with a dull thump. He gasped in pain as Arashi's fist hit him square in the stomach, and Naruto buckled over trying to take in some air. Naruto continued to feel his father's fist hitting him where ever he could reach until finally the darkness that Naruto craved finally came for him, and he lost consciousness.
When Naruto regained consciousness, it was with his hands cuffed behind his back and a collar around his neck that was connected with a short chain that was connected to the wall in the garage. Two dogs bowls sat beside him, one filled with water the other with food that was clearly past its use by date. Naruto shivered and tried to draw his knees up to his chest, hoping to provide himself with some warmth. Agony shot through him at the slight movement forcing him to lower his knees. Tears welled in his eyes and he wondered how he would be able to get out of this mess, from the looks of it, his father didn't plan on letting him go anytime soon.
"Hope you like your current arrangement." Arashi said from a few feet away. "because you won't be leaving that spot anytime soon."
"I have to go to school." Naruto whispered, winced as his father slammed his foot into Naruto's ribs once more.
"You won't be going anymore." Arashi replied. "I called and pulled you out of class. You'll be home schooled from now on." which meant that Naruto wouldn't be getting schooled at all, and he would be left to wallow in his misery.
"You can't leave me in here. I will freeze." Naruto said, knowing that his father really didn't care about that small fact.
"I don't care." Arashi replied. "It's what you deserve."
"Eventually social services will find out what you are doing." Naruto protested.
"Not before your dead and buried." Arashi replied, turned and walking up the stairs that led to the house. Naruto couldn't stop the tears that formed in his eyes. He had to find a way out, but with his hands cuffed tightly behind his back. He wasn't sure how that was going to happen. It was at this point that Naruto hoped that Itachi would find enough evidence to blame Naruto for what happened to Sasuke, because then Itachi would be forced to arrest Naruto, which meant that he would have to come by the house in order to do so, thus finding Naruto in his current living conditions.
Thanks for reading and reviewing! What do you think is going to happen? Will Itachi end up being Naruto's savior? Liz
