Two days passed while team 7 waited for Sakura to recover. The Hokage informed them that until she had recovered, they would not be able to go on missions, so the remaining members took the time to each do whatever they thought of to do.
Kakashi spent the time on his favorite hobby of readding his favorite novel series, while Sasuke trained. Naruto on the other hand, was busy at Ichiraku. He decided that since he did not know when he would next go on a mission, that he would spend that time filling up on his favorite menu.

On the third day, Sasuke stood at the gates of his clans compound facing the village. He didn't forget what Naruto had done, and he felt that now was the time, when Kakashi was 'busy', to exact revenge on Naruto. He closed his eyes, and started reaching out with his chakra, as if searching for someone or something. He was totally still as the wind blew around him, until it actually felt as if the wind was blowing through him. Suddenly a sinister grin came to his face...he found his target.

Naruto had just finished eating and was on his way to the Hokage monument to pass his time doing what he always did...look out over the village. As he turned the last corner of row of houses and started towards the clearing before the stairs leading up to the giant memorial, he saw Sasuke standing in his way. Naruto stopped. He looked into the eayes of his team mate, and for a moment thought to crack a joke, but didn't. He simply continued walking as if Sasuke wasn't there. As he took the first step Sasuke spoke up.

"Do you think that you won? Do you think that because I was distracted that somehow you are now stronger than me?"

"No" said Naruto. "I don't think so one bit"

Sasuske clenched his fist at this, and figured that Naruto was making fun of him. To the contrary, Naruto wasn't making fun of him. Naruto knew exactly why he had these new abilities, and confessed to himself that if he didn't, that Sasuke surely would have defeated him. He never had parents to dedicate time to him, so he lacked the discipline that came with that attention. He knew that he was lacking in that department, but he was Naruto. He didn't practise hate, and he didn't like to look down on anyone because he sure hated when people looked down on him. Sasuke, on the other hand, didn't understand this. To him, Naruto was an obstacle that sneered at him every chance he got. Naruto was the one that always tried to belittle his existence, and he was going to put an end to it.

"Naruto" sasuke grimmiced, "I'm going to end you".

Naruto heard the determination in Sasuske's voice, and tensed. He didn't want to fight Sasuske without Kakashi around, but quickly realized that he had 1 of two choices; run, and keep on running, or stand and fight.

"I never run" Naruto said, not realizing that he spoke out loud. This set Sasuke on fire, and he charged Naruto. He remembered how the last fight went, so he devised a plan to keep Naruto from pulling any of the 'tricks' that he pulled the last time.

Before Sasuke got too close to Naruto, he pulled out 2 shurriken and threw them at his target. Attached to the shurriken was ninja wire, and Sasuske meant to restrict Naruto's movements with said wire. Just like the last time, Naruto didn't move, and allowed the shurrikens to whiz pass him, circle him and pull the ninja wire tight around him.

Sasuske was happy at the sight of this, and smiled as he ran to Naruto intending to finally kick the 'idiot' like had been trying to do. However, that chance never came. As he watched, Naruto's chakra errupted from his body again, but this time like giant meat cleavers. The chakra ripped through the Ninja wire like hot knives through butter. Sasuske then suddenly ran to the right, trying to come at Naruto diagonally. As he came close to Naruto, he thought that something was wrong. Was that it? Was Naruto really going to let him just demolish him? Then he looked behind him, and saw something that chilled him to his Uchiha bones. He saw the same chakra shaped as cleavers heading directly towards him. He jumped, and as he did, the cleaveres smashed into the ground where Sasuske jumped from, reducing the area to nothing. Literally there was nothing there, as if someone had professionally dug a hole there.

Sasuske stopped. He bit his bottom lip and just stared at Naruto. When the dust cleared, he was shocked, to say the least. Naruto's chakra was formed around him like an aura. The cleavers withdrew from the ground connected by a thin line of chakra and rejoined the chakra that surrounded Naruto. Naruto didn't say a word. He just stood there watching sasuske with steely electric blue eyes. He just stood there. Sasuske's face became a mask, a horrid mask of utter rage. He didn't think though. He just ran towards Naruto while making hand signs. He shouted:

Katon: Gokaku no Jutsu" and released a flame that was 3 times the last size. Naruto just whispered;

"Cancellation Jutsu", and the attack got smaller and smaller. Sasuske remembered what happened the last time, and didn't give his attack time to dissipate. He ran towards Naruto intending on surprising him before it shrank. This time though he didn't see Naruto. Naruo was no where. He looked around but all he saw was trees and dirt. Suddenly he felt a tingling at his back, and tried to swing around to counter Naruto...but it was too late. Before he could begin his trun, Naruto's fire sword was sticking through his chest from behind. Odly though, he didn't feel any pain.

"It doesn't matter what you do now Sasuske, because no matter how far you run, you can never hope to evade this attack". Naruto calmly said.

"Why am I not feeling any pain?" asked Sasuske, calming himself enough to ask.

"Because, Sasuske, I now control time and space. You are within the range of my attack, and you now owe your life to me. With just a thought I can end your life here and now...but that's not what comrads do to each other. Do you think I don't know your pain?
Do you think that I have not been hurting like you have? Although you've only recently lost your family, I lost mine before I knew them. I was, and still am hated by many in this village, and I have no friends...except you. You are the only one that has ever accepted me as an equal, and I'll be damned If I'll be known as the hokage that killed a friend."

"SHUT UP! What do you know about me you idiot?! Do you know what it is like to have love and lose it?! Do you know what it is like to be looked on with nothing but pity? I am an Uchiha, part of the greatest clan that ever lived! What about you?! You are nothing!" Sasuske screamed.

"Ah, you're right...I am nothing, but because of you I have something to protect. Because of you I knew the rivalry of a brother. Because of you..." Naruto trailed off. "I look at you and I feel that I am losing you to anger, and somehow, I know how you feel. I really do Sasuske".

After saying those words, Naruto's fire sword sputtered into nothing, and he backed away from Sasuske. Seeing that Sasuske turned around and punched Naruto. Naruto saw it coming, and could have dodged, but he didn't.

"Why didn't you dodge?!" Screamed Sasuske, "Why?!"

"Because only I can be there for you to accept all the anger and rage you feel Sasuske. I will batle you whenever you want, so anytime you feel angry or depressed, come find me. I'll be the real brother that you wished you had..."

Sasuske could no longer hide his tears. They flowed from his eyes like a raging river let loose. He never took his eyes off of Naruto though. He looked at him looking for any sign of doubt...but there was none. Naruto was serious. He wanted to be there for him like the brother he felt he was. This was the first time that sasuske let loose his tears in front of anyone. He thrashed about, feeling the complete loss of his entire clan, but Naruto stood there. Even as Sasuke's cries made Naruto wince as if feeling some imaginary pain, he never looked away.

After Sasuske calmed down, Naruto didn't try to touch him, or comfort him. He just said said four words: "let's get some Ramen". The two then walked quietly to Ichiraku, and had 2 bowls of Ramen, each, in silence.