Second chapter! Yay!
I hope this one isn't boring for any of you and that your liking it so far. I promise there will be a few more twists and turns later on!

He sighs, closes his eyes and lets his head fall back against the tree trunk. Suddenly he senses a large, powerful chakra in the distance. His eyes open but he remains calm. He is familiar with this chakra but he can't put his finger on it. However, he does nothing to suppress his chakra. He decides to let whoever it is find him if they wish. There was no point in fighting anymore.

He relaxes against the tree again and releases his concentration on the massive chakra. His mind goes cloudy again. Though it felt familiar, it didn't seem to be interested in him, so he left it alone.

He chuckled to himself, his eyes half lidded, finally recognizing the massive chakra. Unfortunately, his energy for the day was gone so he couldn't chase after him even if he tried. Not that he would listen anyways. So instead Naruto dozed off into a light slumber.

As if right on cue, someone jumps out of the woods only moments later. A slid to a stop next to Naruto. Naruto, still relaxed against the tree trunk, pops one eye open. There he saw a raven haired man with obsidian eyes staring back at him. "Hey, Sasuke." Naruto stated nonchalantly.

"What are you doing, Dobe?" Sasuke asks.

"Sleeping," Naruto whispers and puts his finger to his mouth as he whistles, "Shhhh."

He drops his hand and, yet again, relaxes his head on the tree trunk, burying it within the bark. Then closes his eyes once again. He hears Sasuke unsheathe his katana and step forward lightly.

Suddenly, Naruto feels a sharp object glide, softly across his neck without cutting the skin. He once again pops one eye open. Sasuke is much closer to him now. He can see the hatred and vengeance in his eyes. Naruto chuckles slightly making sure to not cut himself on Sasuke's katana. "Go ahead, Sasuke," he chokes.

Sasuke's eyes widen and for just a moment he shows concern. He hoped for a much better fight than this. In fact he hoped that Naruto would fight back at all. "I won't fight back." Naruto continues answering the question that he knew Sasuke was thinking.

Sasuke looks into Naruto's eyes. There's nothing. He sees nothing. No fear, no anger, no happiness to see him, no hope at all. Is this Naruto? How could there be nothing? "What's up with you, Dobe?" Sasuke asks with a tint of anger and concern in his voice.

"Nothing." Naruto replies. He grins but Sasuke knows its fake, it's got to be fake. His eyes aren't smiling at all.

Sasuke retracts his katana, allowing his hand to drop to the side and swing there for a moment. "Are you really Naruto?"

"I am."

"Then why won't you fight back, Dobe?" Sasuke hisses.

"No point." Naruto states blankly, never breaking eye contact.

"Why not?" Sasuke declares and scrunches his fists together as they hang by his sides, slowly getting more irritated that Naruto doesn't seem like himself.

"No reason." Naruto states blankly again. He sighs, "Would you just get it over with?"

"Someone's in a hurry to die," Sasuke points out. He sheathes his katana a pulls out a rope from his pack that is strapped behind his back.

"What's that for?" Naruto asks.

"If you're so willing, then I'm going to escort you to Madara and the Akatsuki. At least then you'll be useful." Sasuke pulls the rope tight within his fingers making it snap, "Hold out your hands."

Naruto thinks for a moment. That's right! The Akatsuki. He had forgotten that they were after him. They probably believed he was dead since the whole village was whipped out. Then again, they probably saw that his body wasn't there. They aren't that stupid.

At least this way, I can be useful. It would also get rid of all my pain and suffering. Not to mention, I'll get to hang out with Sasuke for a while, so I won't be completely alone.

Naruto holds out his hands. His eyes staring at Sasuke's. Sasuke stands there for a moment. He is shocked that Naruto would give in to such an order so easily, especially when it comes to the Akatsuki.

Is this a trick? Why is he out here alone? Sakura and Kakashi are probably hiding somewhere. But I can't sense them around and Naruto seems so….. broken. Oh well.

Sasuke snaps out of it and ties the rope around Naruto's wrists, leaving enough to allow Sasuke to hold the other end in case he tries to run away. "Come," he demands.

Naruto stands up. He wobbles and has to lean his shoulder back on the tree for some support. He's completely exhausted. Sasuke thinks. In fact, he's never seen him so completely drained before. He's never seen him so broken before.

Sasuke pulled the rope causing Naruto to grunt and fall forward slightly. Then he leads Naruto into the woods.

Hours Later

They were walking slowly and quietly. The sun finally disappeared. It was dark, really dark. Sasuke is in front holding the rope that connects to Naruto's tied wrists as he follows close behind. Sasuke glances behind him. Naruto is staring at the ground. His eyes half lidded. He could tell that Naruto was deep in thought. They haven't spoken since they entered the woods. "What's up, Dobe? You're quiet."

Naruto looked up quickly and smirked, "Why? You suddenly interested, Teme?"

"It's just out of character for you."

"Figured you thought I was annoying so I decided to not say anything," He replies nonchalantly.

"You are annoying, Dobe."

Naruto's smirk faded. His eyes floating back to the ground, "Sorry."

"For what?"

Naruto shrugged, he didn't know why he was apologizing but he felt like he had to.

"Don't apologize for something when you don't know what it is." Sasuke hisses and pulls the ropes tighter. Naruto almost trips at the sudden pull and grunts as his foot hits a tree root. Luckily he saves himself from falling.

Once he steadies himself again he speaks, "I guess it's for chasing after you, annoying you, and not really understanding you pain, until now."

Sasuke's eyes pop. He didn't believe it. He refused to believe that Naruto was actually apologizing for coming after him. This wasn't Naruto. The Naruto he knew who never have apologized for helping a "friend" out. In fact, Sasuke has never heard him apologize ever. Not once. And what did he mean by "until now"? He narrows his eyes, in suspicion. "If you're trying to win me over by apologizing, it won't work. I will still destroy Konoha once I hand you over."

Naruto couldn't suppress the giggles as he thinks about what Sasuke said.

"What's so funny?"

Naruto's eyes return to Sasuke as he reverts back to his unemotional state and stops walking. There is an awkward pause. Naruto looks directly at the ground, internally questioning whether he should tell Sasuke and then, "You're too late, Teme."

"What do you mean by that, Dobe?"

"Konoha is gone. It was already destroyed."

A kinda-sorta small cliff hanger. Figured I'd try it out.