.:Railroaded:.

Summary: Even with the help of Orochimaru, Naruto finds himself losing to his paranoia. Even his family can't keep Naruto safe from his imagination.

Disclaimer: Must I repeat? If so, refer to Chapter 1.

xxx

Naruto awoke, screaming. Hands were on his shoulders and legs holding him down. Perceiving the offending limbs as his rapist's, the blond teenager screamed even more and started bucking wildly. Words echoed to and fro from above him and then someone started crying.

The crying originated from a young girl dear to Naruto and, through his many years of sibling love, the sound of her voice in such pain and sadness made his heart clench. His overall fear for himself fleeted as protective instinct surged forth.

"Sakura!?" Naruto managed to throw off the unknown offenders and jumped out of bed, wanting nothing more then to protect his younger sibling and only just able to see his little sister in the doorway before he collapsed. "Sakura..." Someone tried to pick the blond boy up but Sakura ran over and hit their hands away, before lying down on her elder brother and crying on his shoulder.

"It's okay Sakura... It's okay..." Naruto mumbled and held the seven year old to his chest.

"I-I sh-should be... be telling you... you that!" Sakura cried and held Naruto in a death grip, scared for her brother and of the elders who were holding him down. She turned her head to the people around them and screamed at them to leave her brother alone.

It was only then Naruto took notice of the people staring at him. Kabuto was standing by the head of his bed, a small smile on his face, and Orochimaru was on the opposite side. His parents were also there and Haku as well. Naruto's classmate walked towards the siblings and kneeled down in front of him.

"Naruto?" Haku stretched out his hand in hope that Naruto was alright but the other boy cringed away. Orochimaru was there in a second, grabbing hold of Haku's shoulder and dragging him out of the room. Kabuto followed the psychologist's lead and directed the parents out of the room, dragging the curtains around half of the bed to give the siblings some privacy from the other patients.

"You should get back into bed, Naruto. I'm sure the floor is rather cold and uncomfortable." The blond boy nodded in response but stayed where he was, soothing his sister, trying to stop her tears.

xxx

A week had gone by, a week of therapy, of pills, of forced smiles and held back tears. A week of sitting in a room that constantly smelt of urine and death, a week forced to lie in a bed, connected to bleeping machinery, and a week's worth of visits from an Uchiha.

A week's worth of a pale hand caressing his cheek and soft lips to his brow, a week's worth of dark loving eyes that shined in mirth from his whining and a week's worth of being reminded of someone he'd rather forget. A week's worth of nightmares.

A week's worth of screams and bitter rage.

xxx

Naruto was so happy to see his own clothes that he immediately snatched them away from Dr. Yakushi and started to dress without second thought. Kabuto laughed and ruffled the teen's hair. Naruto just smiled, feeling the most comfortable he had been in the hospital now that he was donned in his own clothes.

"Your family is waiting for you in the foyer." Kabuto opened the curtain around the bed slightly and smiled. "Is something wrong?" He asked as Naruto wasn't moving from the bedside. The blonde continued to stare at the doctor before launching himself at the elder male and latching around his waist.

"Thank you..." Naruto whispered. Kabuto smiled and gave the other a reassuring hug before leading him out to his family.

Little Sakura ran straight up to her elder brother and catapulted herself onto Naruto much the same way the elder sibling had done to Kabuto just moments earlier. Naruto laughed joyously and picked up his sister and started to swing her round in circles. His father merely laughed along with them as mom tried not to smile when telling her adopted son that what he was doing was dangerous.

"Excuse me." The family turned to see Orochimaru appear from a hallway. "I didn't mean to spoil your happiness but my I talk to you?" The psychologist indicated to Naruto's parents. The two nodded and walked to the other end of the foyer to talk as Naruto decided to tickle his baby sister to tears; a large smile planted on his face.

It was late when Naruto finally got home. He was discharged from the hospital at a late hour and was told that Naruto would still need to see Orochimaru for a while longer. As soon as the distressed teen had got home he said goodnight to everyone and went straight to his bedroom to sleep.

However, no matter how hard he tried, Naruto still found his heart start to race the moment he closed his eyes and his imagination rang wild like a four year old whose nightlight got taken away and they were still afraid of monsters in the dark.

Naruto whimpered and sat up, wriggled so he sat against the wall and held his pillow tightly to his chest, his eyes wide and ever searching. The door opened and Naruto's heart almost skipped a beat, causing pain to vain in his chest. However, instead of that tall, pale skinned, black haired man with even blacker eyes that haunted his every nerve and cell, it was little Sakura that stepped inside his room.

"Sakura..." Naruto breathed. "You..." He couldn't admit his that his little seven year sister had scared him so violently... she'd think less of him, wouldn't she? He's supposed to be the brave elder sibling... He...

"I missed you, Naru..." Sakura sniffed. Naruto finally noticed that there were traces of tears in her big green eyes. He immediately got off his bed and picked up his sister and held her to his chest as she hooked her tiny arms around his neck.

"I'm here, Saku... I'm here..." Naruto cradled her gently and a small, sad, smile lifted his lips. It wasn't long until Sakura fell asleep in her brother's arms but such forgetful dreams did elude Naruto as he lay, half awake, in perpetual black night, under the moon's pale skin.

xxx

Naruto had gone to school the next day and when he did he found a large stack of school work he needed to catch up on waiting for him.

"And then, after you have finished all this," Kiba stated with a smile. "You also have the actual homework and assignments to hand in." Shino walked up next to Kiba and planted a large pile of paper on the desk. "So," Kiba clapped his hands together. "We are having a little get-together at Shino's place tonight to help you catch up."

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he was going to get through a least a little more work then should he be doing it by himself tonight.

"Thanks, guys. I owe you, big time." Neji shook his head and Kiba laughed.

"Think nothing of it." Naruto gave a big smile and turned to Sasuke.

"You'll be there?" Sasuke looked Naruto dead in the eye and gave a little smile that made the blonde shiver.

"Sorry, Naruto. My father has me running an errand tonight. Perhaps tomorrow." There was just something about that sentence that made Naruto feel cold inside.