Life Changes - Chapter 4

Chapter Rating: T, for language, dark themes, and Sasuke not avenging (What is this world coming to?)

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Stop making me say it; it's so depressing! -cries- Also, any oppinions that Naruto may project in this chapter do not reflect my views, so don't get all mad when he's dissing Shino, ok?

Author's Note: Nine reviews! Oh, thank you, you guys! It makes me so happy hearing from you, Squishy Penguin, freak a geek, Saya V, inner evil, cherryblossomsky, Little Miss Spell-of-the-Week, OWickedkitsuneO, Dragon77, and Sakura li 19. So, anyway... Glad you guys liked the Izumo exerpt from the last chapter. I thought it was due time for some funnies... Now, Sasuke is back to Konoha, faced with an almost greater challenge! The Council of Old People- er, Elders! -cue dramatic music- This is a long chappie for ya guys, because I felt generous. It is almost Christmas, after all. (23 days!) Speaking of which, anyone up for a special Naruto Christmas oneshot? I'm giving my 35th reviewer the chance to name a pairing, length, and genre (I'm willing to do a spinoff of one of my fics, too.) for a holiday season's special! Oooo! I know, don't all review at once! (This is my grand scheme for getting reviews, mwahahaha!) Ok, enough chitter-chatter. Read on!

000

Sasuke cracked open his sore eyelids to find himself in a sterile, well-lit hospital room. He blinked, and saw pink at the edge of his vision.

He tried to say something, but it just came out as a croak. A pair of relieved bright green eyes peered at him and widened.

"Sasuke!" You're awake!" Sakura cried, smiling brilliantly. She refrained from hugging him tightly only because she knew he was still healing.

Sasuke noticed absently that she has left off the honorific at the end of his name. This pleased him, though. It meant that Sakura had finally gotten over him. She was dressed differently than when they'd been a team, but her smile was just as bright.

Sasuke worked his mouth slightly, trying to get rid of the sandpaper feeling of his mouth.

"Sakura?" he asked hoarsely, trying to push himself into a sitting position. "Where am I? How long have I been asleep? Where's Naruto? And Kakashi?"

Sakura clucked her tongue. "No more talking, Mister. Your throat is bruised, and I don't want you to damage it more." She pushed him back down into the pillow again. "You're in Konoha Hospital, where else? And you've been asleep for almost three days here, but that's mostly because we drugged you…" Sakura trailed off, but then looked at him again and winked. "And you've got the lovely me as your nurse!"

Sasuke smiled weakly. "Where's –"

"Naruto?" The pink-haired woman asked wryly. "He just went home an hour ago. Wouldn't leave your side until I practically kicked him out of the hospital to get some sleep." Taking a quieter tone, Sakura added, "He was worried about you, you know. And Kakashi's been dropping by regularly, too, making sure you were recovering."

Sasuke frowned. "After all I've done to you guys, you're still taking care of me?"

Sakura smiled at him, her eyes filling with sadness. "Sasuke… You're precious to us."

The Uchiha looked away. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. You were right. You were all right. Orochimaru is a monster… And Kabuto… He's a fucking bastard!" Sasuke's fists clenched stiffly.

His pink-haired friend put her hand on his shoulder gently. "Shh… It's okay, Sasuke. It's over now."

Sasuke nodded and took in a shaky breath, but then, suddenly, he gasped. "Wait! He… Kabuto injected me with something before… before Naruto and Kakashi showed up. Is there anything wrong with me?"

Sakura frowned. "Well, I did notice a change in your hormones… But I gave you some medicine, and you'll be fine, I'm sure, with a little R & R."

He breathed out heavily, very relieved. "Thank you, Sakura."

A shadow crossed the pink-haired woman's face, but she shook it off with a smile. "It's my job, Sasuke!" she said with a wink.

"So, you're a medic, now, then?"

She nodded. "I supervise this whole hospital when Tsunade's away or busy."

Sasuke shook his head sadly. "You're a top medic, and Naruto's an ANBU, right? I've got a lot of catching up to do, huh?"

Sakura smiled encouragingly at him. She opened her mouth to say something more, but at that moment, the door to his room burst open. None other than Konoha's loud-mouthed Hokage bustled in.

"Sasuke Uchiha! I heard you were awake!" She smiled at him briefly, and then got back down to business. "You're in serious trouble!"

He grimaced. "I knew this was coming. But, really… I'm truly sorry. I want to live, to stay here…" Sasuke looked down. "I had a lot of time to think… and I'm ready to give up chasing Itachi if it means I can stay with N- well, to stay here."

Tsunade and Sakura looked at him, stunned. They were completely blown away. Sasuke, not avenging?

"I'm serious," Sasuke said calmly, taking in their thunderstruck expressions.

Tsunade nodded slowly. "Well, that will certainly help get the council on your side. They're coming up with a verdict as we speak, but before they decide, I think you're allowed to address them."

"I understand. Is… Is Naruto coming to visit me? And Kakashi? I'd like to thank them, in case the council… decides not to let me live."

Sakura looked at Sasuke sadly. "I'm sure he'll be back as soon as he wakes up. I can call Kakashi if you want."

As Sasuke nodded, Tsunade touched Sakura's elbow lightly. "C'mon, Sakura. There's a big stream of patients coming in for their fall flu shots. We're going to be busy for a while."

With that, Sasuke was left alone. He sat up slowly, and took inventory. Someone had dressed him in a clean pair of sweats, and he felt much better. His fingers and wrists were healed, thought stiff. His broken ribs were also healed, and the nasty bruises along his back and lower abdomen were faded. After reaching up to touch his face, Sasuke could tell that his nose was straight again, and that the infected cuts on his face had been healed. The same applied for the cuts on his back and limbs. His throat did feel sore, but not nearly as bad as it had been before.

Getting up shakily, Sasuke walked slowly to the mirror. His legs felt like jelly, but he made it before catching himself on the desk. The black eye that had been infected was gone and he looked pretty close to the last time he'd seen himself in a mirror, except that his hair was must longer. It was still in the loose brain that Naruto had tied it in. Sasuke pulled out the tie with stiff fingers and looked at himself again. Without gel, his hair fell past his shoulders in gentle ebony locks, giving him an older, more mature edge. Sasuke decided he liked his hair long, but that tying it back was probably best.

Turning slightly, it struck him that he looked rather like his brother. His face was thinner, drawn, with more angles, due to his extreme lack of proper food and rest, and his face held more emotion, but besides that, Sasuke realized that he was the splitting image of Itachi. He had even developed small, pre-mature wrinkles around his eyes from the lack of sleep and the vicious hours of scowling.

"You've changed, Sasuke," a voice said behind him. Sasuke spun around and nearly fell over, but for his grip on the desk. He hadn't even heard Kakashi come in. Déjà vu overwhelmed him, as Kakashi looked the same as the last time he'd visited him in the hospital three years ago.

"I know you see your brother in that mirror, Sasuke, but you're still yourself. You have to believe that," Kakashi told him, slightly worried. Sasuke could get very angry about things like that, and he was trying to prevent that.

"Don't worry, Kakashi. I don't mind. We were born of the same parents, after all." Sasuke stumbled back to his bed and sat down, leaning against the headboard, closing his eyes against his old teacher.

"But you're different people, you know," Kakashi pointed out firmly.

Sasuke sighed tiredly. "With all that I've done… Sometimes I'm not so sure of that difference."

000

Sasuke stood in front of the Konoha Elders two days later, supported mainly by a crutch. He was dressed in neat navy pants and a white button down shirt, his hair tied back with a red ribbon. No one could deny how much he looked like Itachi.

Literally everyone had shown up. All of the people who had known Sasuke before he'd left were there, including Naruto (in his usual bright orange), Kakashi, and Sakura, all sitting close to the front with encouraging smiles for him. Most of these people wanted a light sentence, but there were many others that had shown up hoping for the death penalty.

Homura Mitokado, one of the Elders, finally nodded to Sasuke for the go-ahead. Sasuke took a deep breath, and began.

"Orochimaru is a monster. We all know this, but because I was so hungry for power in my quest to avenge my family, he fooled me into thinking that the only way to get that power was through him. But his real intention was not to help me, but to take over my body. He's done so many foul, terrible things to me, and others, that I don't think I'll ever stop having nightmares.

"I'm so grateful to Naruto and Kakashi for saving me, and I can only pray that they can forgive me, even just a little, for my betrayal. I've finally accepted that I can't kill Itachi on my own, and if it means I can stay here, around my friends… I'm willing to give up searching for him.

"All I really want is a chance to redeem myself. I've done some horrible things and I know I can never take the back, but if you could just let my try… You won't be disappointed."

He bowed his head and awaited the council's words. Through his whole speech, the audience had been dead silent, but now there were a few murmurs. Sasuke saw Naruto catch his eye and smile at him.

Finally, the council nodded jointly and returned to their seats. For a few tense moments, the crowd thought that the death sentence would be called.

Then, Homura smiled.

"We have heard your plea, Sasuke Uchiha," he said. "And we have decided to let you live. You have done a terrible thing, but we believe that your apology was sincere. Therefore, we sentence you to two years without advancement in the ninja ranks, and four years total of restricted life in Konoha."

Sasuke breathed a light sigh of relief. He'd been so nervous.

"But, you must swear never to pursue your brother again, unless it is part of a specific mission."

Sasuke nodded. "I swear."

000

The very same day, Sasuke was released from the hospital, wobbling home on his crutch with a bag full of vitamins and medicine to take, including sleeping pills for his vicious nightmares.

Naruto carried his navy jacket and danced circles around him, humming all the way to the Uchiha estates, having taken upon himself to make sure Sasuke got home safely. Sasuke found this comforting, and was glad Naruto had wanted to walk him home.

When they arrived, Sasuke looked at his house in shock. It was just as it had been before, everything fixed up. He looked slowly over to Naruto, who was grinning widely.

"Did you…?" he asked in awe. "I thought for sure it'd be completely run-down…"

Naruto nodded gleefully. "Yep! Me and Shikamaru and Lee and Sakura and Kakashi and even Chouji helped fix your house up!"

Sasuke smiled slightly at him. "You shouldn't have. But thank you."

"You're welcome. I bought you some new clothes, too… You've grown a lot, and I doubt any of your old stuff would fit you."

A frown appeared on Sasuke's face. "Nothing orange, I hope." Sasuke was slightly afraid of what his friend had picked out for him.

Naruto scowled. "No, I know how you're all anti-color… Most of it is black or dark blue… I did get a few white shirts… And I might've slipped in a few red ones…" He grinned.

Sasuke sighed. "Well, thanks, Naruto. Do you… do you want to come in?" he asked, trying unsuccessfully to hide the hope in his voice.

Naruto nodded and then chuckled slightly to himself, following the Uchiha into his newly renovated house. "Yeah, anywhere but home. I'm currently sharing an apartment with Shikamaru and Chouji. Now, I'm certainly not the cleanliest ninja ever, but even I am disgusted by the level of slobs they are! It's disgusting." He made a face.

By this time, they'd gotten into the kitchen, and Naruto took the bag of medicines and the crutch from Sasuke promptly. He laid the crutch against the wall and hung up the navy jacket, simultaneously pushed Sasuke into a seat. Then, he started sorting the many pills into a plastic pill-by-day container.

Sasuke opened his mouth to protest all of this care, but Naruto just went on talking.

"I mean, Chouji's an excellent cook, right? And Shikamaru's fun to hang out with, too… But I don't think either of them has ever heard of picking up after themselves! So it's really not worth it…" Naruto trailed off as he moved on to running a pot of coffee.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he rolled up his white sleeves. "Why don't you just move out?"

At this, Naruto stopped short, pausing in midair as he reached for Sasuke's cabinet that held the mugs. He shook it off quickly, however, and wrenched open the cabinet door.

"Oh, I don't know… It's just that it gets kinda lonely all by myself… And I don't know anyone else who'd want me as a roommate…" Naruto laughed slightly. "You know, Neji lives within the Hyuuga estates; I'm sure he wouldn't want me disrupting all of that stately Hyuuga honor, or whatever…" Naruto snorted.

"And even though they both like me, Lee and Sakura live together now; I'd just be a third wheel… And Kakashi and Iruka are…" Naruto made a face. "Well, you can figure that one out. It was only a matter of time.

"So, that only leaves Shino, who's just downright creepy, with all of his bugs, and Kiba, but he irritates the pants off me!"

Sasuke listened to Naruto's chatter with interested eyes. Sakura and Lee? And Kakashi and Iruka had finally gotten together? He'd like to know the story on that one. "Wow. I hadn't realized how much I've missed…," he murmured to himself.

Naruto shrugged to himself. "So I guess I'll stay where I am for now."

"Well, dobe…" Sasuke grinned after he realized he'd use the insult without thinking. Maybe things could get back to… relative normal. "You could always move in… with me. It's not as if I'm a slob, and I have plenty of room. I mean, you'll probably be here all the time anyway, annoying me. But I suppose I 'irritate the pants off' you, huh?"

Naruto stared at him with his mouth open, speechless. But, fortunately, he was saved by the loud beep from the coffee maker.

"Er…," he started, once his back was turned. "N-no, you don't! I mean… You'd… You'd want me to… You'd be okay with me staying here?" he asked incredulously as he turned and placed mugs in front of both of them.

Sasuke smiled slightly. "Sure, Naruto. I'd really like that."

Naruto stared at him a while longer. Finally, Sasuke frowned. "Okay, dobe, that's enough. Close your mouth."

Naruto did as he was told with an audible snap. He rubbed the back of his neck and laughed nervously. "Heh… Sorry, Sasuke. I just… Remember when we used to fight all the time?"

A dry chuckle came from Sasuke. "Yeah… Things have changed, huh?"

Nodding, Naruto took a sip of his coffee. "You're right. Things have definitely changed."

000