Chapter 9: Heroes and Tears

Minato saw his car arriving in front of the house and he rushed outside to see what had happened. When he got to the car Itachi was just getting out.

- Itachi! Where's Naruto? – asked Minato, who was really pale from worrying.

- He's in the back…

Minato opened the back door and the sight shocked him. He saw his son covered in bruises and blood, his face swollen from all the tears and his eyes had an empty look. The father hurried and got his son out of the vehicle and hugged him.

- Naruto… What did they do to you…

The blond didn't have any will left inside him to answer. For him everything had disappeared…

- Wait… - suddenly said Minato – Where's Sasuke?

With the mentioning of that name Naruto started to cry again. His tears seemed endless, his pain – unbelievably great. Itachi couldn't hold his tears either.

- What happened? – Minato was afraid to ask, but he had to.

- Naruto was in a warehouse, Sasuke gave the money to the kidnappers and went in the building to get Naruto. But both were locked in with a bomb. Sasuke managed to save Naruto, but he…

The older Uchiha couldn't finish the sentence. He didn't want to believe his brother was gone. Minato's eyes widened with shock and sorrow and they teared up. He tightened the grip on his son.

- I'm so sorry son… - Minato said feebly and softly – I'm so sorry…

- H-he… He might still be alive… - Naruto whispered with all the strength he could gather.

- Naruto… - Itachi looked at the blond sadly.

- HE MUST BE ALIVE!

- HE IS DEAD!

Itachi stopped there. He didn't believe he could say that. Naruto looked scared and turned to his father.

- He is lying. Say he's lying dad…

Minato didn't know what to say, so he just shook his head. The stress, the pain and everything that happened trough this day was too much for Naruto and he fainted. His father caught him and started to shake him slightly.

- Son! I'll take him to his room. Will you do me a favor Itachi?

- Wh-what? – asked the older sibling, while wiping away his tears.

- Call Sumizome. She's Naruto's best friend. He'll need her now…

After that Minato took the blond to his room. Itachi called Sumi and told her the whole story. She quickly got dressed and in a few minutes she came running up the street. Itachi and Minato were waiting in front of the door.

- Minato-sama – the girl said out of breath - I came as fast as I could. Where is he?

- Upstairs…

As Sumi passed by Itachi she looked at him and said:

- I'm so sorry Itachi-san…

Afterwards Sumi got to Naruto's room and went inside. She saw the blond lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

- Naruto?

The boy didn't answer. He didn't show any sign of life. Sumi sat next to him on the bed and gave him a long glare.

- I'm really sorry…

They stayed in their positions for a few minutes. Suddenly Naruto sat up and looked at Sumi.

- It's not fair… - he whispered.

Sumi just kept looking at him.

- I loved him and now…

Naruto's tears fell down once again. Sumi hugged her sad friend and started patting his head.

- You're not alone in this…

Down stairs Minato and Itachi were sitting on the couch, each looking in a different direction. The peace was interrupted by the ringing of Itachi's cell phone. The Uchiha picked up.

- Hello? WHAT? – Itachi suddenly screamed out – Where is he? I'll be right there.

While closing his phone Itachi looked at the puzzled Minato and said:

- They found him…

Minato quickly ran up the stairs and burst into Naruto's room.

- Naruto! An ambulance found Sasuke!

Naruto jumped out of the bed and his eyes widened in disbelieve.

- Where is he? – asked the boy.

- In the hospital. We're going there right now.

Naruto grabbed his jacket and ran downstairs with Sumizome following him. The four people got in Itachi's car and drove to the hospital.

- What did the doctors say? – asked Minato.

- They'll explain later.

When everyone arrived in front of the hospital they hurried inside. Once in the corridor they looked around for a nurse or a doctor. One of the medics stopped in front of them.

- Itachi Uchiha?

- That's me. How's my brother?

- He isn't that good. 40 % of his body has been burned. He is to undergo a really heavy operation in order to be stabilized. We need your agreement.

- Ok. Do whatever you can to save him.

- I suggest you go home and wait. The operation will take 10 to 12 hours.

- I'm not going anywhere until I see Sasuke is all right. – said Naruto with a really strange voice.

- I'm staying too. – added Sumi.

- So I guess we have to be here too. – Minato didn't have the power to go against his son's decision.

Everyone sat down in the waiting room and started praying. Naruto and Sumi fell asleep after a few hours, because they were too tired. Minato and Itachi went and bought 4 coffees each. In 11 hours a doctor finally came out of the operating room.

- You must be here for Sasuke Uchiha.

Minato woke up the kids and all of them were ready to hear how everything went.

- Sasuke has been stabilized. It was hard healing his burns, but we managed to do so. In an hour he'll be moved to the reanimation room and you can see him.

- Thank you so much doctor… - Naruto was finally smiling after all he went trough.

After an hour the worried people went in to see Sasuke. He was laying in the bed, all wrapped up in bandages. Itachi was the firs to go closer to him.

- Hey bro. How are you feeling?

- Like I've been hit by a truck. – Sasuke said with a joking tone – I was always wondering how the chicken felt in the oven.

- Well don't get so many ideas. See what happens when you are so curious?

Itachi hugged Sasuke and backed away.

Minato was the next to see the raven.

- I'm really happy you're ok Sasuke. You saved my son's live.

- No problem. I did what I had to do.

- Does it hurt a lot? – asked Sumizome, looking really scared of all the bandages and IV's Sasuke had on him.

- Not really. But it does sting a little.

After that everyone looked at Naruto. He wasn't moving from his spot. The three other people knew what to do and got outside of the room. When they were alone Naruto got closer to the raven.

- Naruto… - Sasuke said with a happy tone.

- Why… - Naruto still didn't look at Sasuke. – Why did you do it?

- I told you already – I love you!

- Do you know how I felt?

Sasuke saw Naruto was starting to cry.

- I felt like my world shred into tiny peaces and just vanished after that…

- But I'm here now. And I'm not going to leave you ever again.

Naruto finally looked at Sasuke. His eyes were in a really bad shape from all the tears he cried during the past 2 days. Sasuke made an unusual effort to lift of his hands and put it on the blond's face, whipping a tear that was falling down.

- Stop crying Naruto. I don't deserve the tears.

- I'm so happy you're here…

- Naruto look at the table – Sasuke turned his head to it. – There's something there, that belongs to you.

Naruto went to the table and on it saw his green necklace that wasn't even scratched.

- How did you…

- This is a very important thing for you, so I managed to save it. I wanted to make you happy, when I give it back to you.

Naruto bent down and hugged Sasuke.

- Ow! – The raven screamed out.

- Sorry about that.

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's neck and pulled him down.

- I love you…

After that he gave Naruto a passionate kiss. Both boys smiled with relief and happiness, they never felt before in there lives.

End of Chapter 9