Chapter Nine

"And still the figure had no face by which he might know it; even in his dreams, it had no face, or one that baffled him and melted before his eyes."

-R.L.S., "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"

He kept looking behind him, paranoia eating away at his nerves with every pounding step that echoed as he ascended toward the second floor. He wasn't entirely sure why the sudden urge hit him, but when Kakashi left to drop off his memo, he needed to make his move. It was unannounced, much too early for the appointment, but he had a feeling it was his only chance. A chance for what?

Finally, he reached the top, looking down the endless rows of concrete and metal. There was an eerie feeling that overtook everything else. The air was colder, and his body felt heavier whenever he made it to the second floor and he could never make that feeling go away. The echo of his footsteps became more hurried, filling the corridor with an irregular drumming that made his heart beat faster. He stopped abruptly, almost skidding to a halt before the metal contraption labeled "Hall 4". That was the one, though his impulse had failed him and he was left at a loss for what to do next.

A security camera looked down at him from a high vantage point. He stared back, almost quizzically, debating whether or not to try and contact someone through the intercom.

"Hey!" The shout made the blond jump back to the other wall with his heart lodged in his throat. A large burly guard was making his way toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"W-wait! J have an house call with Sasuke Uchiha!" he blurted as he backed away from the man's brisk advance.

"Not at this time, you don't," the man returned with a threatening bellow. "Get out!"

"No! Wait! O-Orochimaru sent me!" the words fell from his mouth illogically, and he had no choice but to go along with them.

"I don't think so, kid," the man snorted as his giant hands grabbed the baffled apprentice by the arms and lifted him up with ease. "Go get him so he can tell me himself."

Naruto tried to keep his feet on the ground, dragging in resistance as he was carried back towards the stairs. "Stop! You don't think that making him come up here just to talk to you won't be a enormous waste of his time? He wanted me here early and there's nothing more to it!"

The guard stopped, lifting Naruto higher to meet his eyes with a challenging glare. "You expect me to believe that the big man sent you without Dr. Hatake, a clearance badge, or any notice? You think I'm an idiot?"

"That's right." The voice was a recognizable kind of hum that did not even reverberate off the walls. Even so, it was enough to make the guard's grip go tense, making the blond wince at the pressure.

Naruto craned his neck back in order to find the speaker standing between them and the staircase. He caught a glimpse of gleaming silver and piercing steel eyes that sent a shudder down his spine.

"K-Kabuto, sir..."

"If you'd be so kind as to let our guest stand on his own two feet, it would be appreciated."

"Of course!"

His hands released the blond who fell immediately to his knees which were incapable of supporting anything. He could feel his body wanting to cringe, inwardly protecting itself from whatever that murderous stare was plotting. Of all people why did it have to be that guy? Kabuto continued to walk past them, not once looking back at the apprentice or the guard. "I can confirm that Orochimaru has sent Mr. Uzumaki here for an earlier appointment. I'm sure the room is secure enough by now."

"It will be, sir, it's just—"

"Now." The command dropped from the man's graceful tongue before he continued his casual pace toward the end of the hall.

Naruto looked down at his knees, trying to remember how to breathe once the uncomfortable presence had passed. His hands were trembling and his neck felt hot with a burn that spread up towards his ears. What the hell was that man planning? It would have been too easy to reprimand him for trying to lie his way into Sasuke's room, but to go along with it? There was no way he could trust whatever intentions he had to satisfy his own sadistic needs. What was there to see when a visitor came unexpectedly?

The guard gained clearance into Hall 4, leading Naruto down to the familiar door with the painted seven. At that moment, the guard was hesitant, looking back at the apprentice with a forlorn expression that seemed to silently warn him of whatever was waiting beyond the door.

"I really hope you know what you're doing, kid."

Naruto could only nod in reply, unable to shake the fright that was trying to reason with his better judgment.

Turn around! This is stupid!

Whatever Kabuto wants you to see can't be good! Go back!

You still have time before Kakashi finds out you came this far!

But his feet were rooted to the ground, determined to push forward. He had to see Sasuke. It was all he could think about for days and he could not stand it any longer.

"Hall 4 to Solitary. Open up number 07."

"Roger."

A small click from a nearly silent latch gave way, and the door was pulled open. There was no chair for him to sit in, and no zip ties to restrain Sasuke if he became as violent and panic stricken as when he was last seen. Naruto almost had to shield his eyes as he stepped forward. The room was as white as ever, but much more blinding than he remembered, leaving him to gape at the patient that sat stiffly at the center of his bed.

Sasuke was a haunting figure to behold with his sharp frame barely hidden beneath immaculate white clothing. He could have disappeared into the room were it not for his charcoal locks that framed his face, haphazard in length. There was a gleam of silver that rested on his shoulders, and when he knelt down to get a better view, his suspicion became horrifying reality.

The frame was simple in design, but bolted to security. A collar with a number of screws facing the center, digging mercilessly into his neck where Naruto could see only the slightest hint of breath, or maybe it was just a pulse. At Sasuke's collarbone he could see where blood had since trickled down and rested in the slight crevice, dry from countless hours he must have spent trying to adjust. The screws themselves looked jagged, some already lodged into the flesh where shredded skin was left to dangle from the metal.

He felt sick, resisting the urge to vomit on the spot, and he fell back onto his hands. His mouth was open in a scream that had no courage to manifest itself into anything more than a shallow gasp. Sasuke's eyes opened at the sound, making the blond jump back to his feet in alarm. Red. His eyes were bloodshot to the point that he couldn't even recognize them as human. He didn't move his head; instead, his eyes moved for him, spoke for him while he could do little more than sit in silent torture. How long had it been like this?

Naruto turned immediately on his heels, pounding at the door before it was quickly opened. "Get that thing off of him. Now!" When the guard seemed reluctant to move, he grabbed him by the collar, trying to force him to budge."I SAID NOW!"

"You have no idea how much trouble—"

"TAKE IT OFF!" His screech was almost inhuman, stirring those who dwelled within the hall and inviting piercing cries that made his adrenaline pulse even more. With another try, Naruto whirled around, practically throwing the man into Sasuke as he staggered in astonishment at the blond's strength. "Now."

The guard looked up at the security cameras warily before nodding, taking out a key that looked more like a lock pick. "Hold his arms."

The command took a second to register as he gathered himself again. The heat was beginning to burn in the pit of his stomach, and it was nauseating. Regardless, he complied by kneeling in front of Sasuke, whose eyes were once again closed, and taking a firm hold of his forearms. The guard reached behind him and, in one fluid motion, unlocked the contraption before jumping back for the door. It happened so fast that Naruto was unprepared for the amount of strength Sasuke used to rip away from his grasp and leap after the guard.

The door slammed to a close with Sasuke's fists pounding the hard metal in tandem with the others that boomed on the other side.

"Sasuke! Stop!" he pleaded, wrapping his arms around the other man's slender waist and pulling him back with struggle. "It's off! Calm down!"

Sasuke fell back onto the bed, leaning his head against the wall his deep exaggerated gasps that made Naruto wonder if he had been holding his breath the entire time. He looked down at the open collar, still red with blood that forced Sasuke's silence as well as obedience. How could one refuse to do anything more than exist as a still figure because any breath or motion would only cause a chain reaction of agony? He looked back at Sasuke's neck with the bright red marks dotted across his flesh glowing vibrantly against his skin. This had been happening since the beginning.

"It's easy to feel sorry for me, isn't it?" he asked, his chest flattening with one calming sigh.

"W-what?" Naruto stammered, standing upright in order to compose himself.

"Do you feel sorry for me, now?" his voice was still again, and his body remained motionless. "I figured you would."

"What are you talking about?"

Sasuke didn't move. His eyes were half lidded with exhaustion, but he made no other signal, not even a twitch, and it was like the collar had been locked back onto him. That was the condition he would continue to be in whenever visitor came, and no one would ever be able to tell the difference. There was more to it, there had to be, but when Naruto did, for a moment, feel pity for him he was faced with the reality of the circumstances.

"The pain gives me nightmares. I dream about hurting people," Sasuke began to speak again, though his lips barely moved, practically murmuring.

"Is that so?" Naruto asked as he cleared his throat, leaning against the door to gain a clearer state of mind.

"I play with fire and I like the smell of blood."

"Sasuke."

"When people talk to me I fantasize about breaking their necks."

"You're lying." The statement was enough to make the raven-haired patient straighten himself against the wall, eyes still clouded but with certain alertness to them. "Why are you lying about those kinds of things? If the wrong person heard that, it could only become worse for you, so why?"

"Did you come here just to call me a liar?" He wasn't looking at anything in particular, but perhaps somewhere far off and unreachable at that point. "Shouldn't you have a notebook or something?"

"Would you like me to bring one next time?"

"It would benefit you, wouldn't it?"

"Just answer my question, Sasuke," Naruto snapped, trying not to lose endurance or nerve, but it was hard to keep both under control when he was standing so close. Nothing was stopping Sasuke from retaliating or threatening him, or maybe it was something he couldn't see.

"I'm a horrible person," he stated plainly as if reading a textbook definition. "You know it, too. I'm the worst kind to ever exist."

"Who told you that?"

"You did, of course."

"I never said that..."

"Now, who's the liar?"

"Sasuke..."

"It's been ten minutes," Sasuke cut in rather curtly.

"Sasuke!" Naruto growled as he took hold of the other's chin and forced him to look up. The Uchiha's eyes went wide for a moment and all the rumbling in the background turned to nothing as their gazes locked. There was a look of clarity reflected within the darkness of his eyes as they studied the blond's face from the familiar situation.

"Oh. It's you."

Without another word his eyes rolled to the back of his head, lids slowly casting down as his entire body fell forward. Naruto dropped to his knees and quickly caught Sasuke in his arms, hearing the door being pulled open behind him which let in the explosive screams and wails from the outside. His head was spinning from the sound, and the smell of bleach burned his nostrils and his eyes. For a moment, he forgot who he was and where they were as he stared down at the patient who laid sleeping against his chest with his cold pale skin and resting eyes. His gentle rhythmic breathing moved against his own and, finally, Naruto knew that he was real.

There was him, and nothing more.

A/N: See, I remembered. :)

Next Chapter Sneak Peek:

"You've been avoiding me."