A/N

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Hi guys… Thanks for the reviews!!!! Here's chapter 9… So don't kill me… Hehe… Enjoy!!!!

'thinking'

'inner Sakura or Kyuubi talking'

Arc 2: The Invasion

Chapter 9

Konoha Hospital

Silence was hanging heavily in the corridors of the surgery room. There was a creak, signifying the opening of a door. Kenji's head snapped up looking hopeful. A nurse walked out hurriedly into a room nearby and came out holding a lot of cotton and walked back into the surgery room. The young boy looked down disappointedly heaving a huge sigh.

Sasuke who was sitting beside Kenji, was tempted to comfort the boy, but didn't know what to say. After debating silently he decided against it and started looking around the corridor. All of Konoha 12 was there except for Sakura and Hinata who was in the surgery room trying to save Naruto's life.

-Flashback-

It was a miracle, after the blonde stopped breathing Sakura was almost hysterical, her hands shaking over his heart trying to send a chakra surge, but failing miserably. It was then when Hinata took charge and practically ordered the other medic nin to "Calm. Down. Now. Sakura!" Snapping out of her hysterics the pink haired girl told Sasuke to remove Kenji, who was shouting and struggling furiously, he even landed a punch on the raven's face.

Both of the trained medics then tried frantically to get the blonde's heart beating again. The situation was not looking promising but finally, in what seems like hours, they succeeded. Who could have guessed the shy girl would have been so cool headed in situations like this. After they stabilized him, he was transported to the hospital's surgery room. Few minutes into surgery Tsunade came stomping frighteningly into the room.

Konoha 12 then started filing in randomly. First to arrive was Kiba trailing behind him as usual was Akamaru. Both of them looked like cannibals after a messy meal. Silently they took their place beside Shino. Next were Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino. The trio looked fine except for a few bandages here and there. They glanced at Shino and Kiba and settled down on the floor opposite them. Several minutes later, Neji came in supporting a Ten Ten whose leg was bandaged up heavily, followed by Lee. Iruka came bursting in later sending a menacing glare at Sasuke before settling down on the other side of Kenji. No one noticed Kakashi and Sai walking in after Iruka. Soon after, Hiroshi and Naruto's team in the outpost strode in looking surprised at the number of people gathered here, though none of them commented. Nobody spoke, waiting in silence hoping for the best.

-End Flashback-

Hours past, nobody moved from their position or said anything except for the occasional question about the battle. Then the door creaked open again for what seemed like the hundredth time for the past few hours, Tsunade came strolling out and walked off without a word. Then Sakura and Hinata came out, the heiress was smilling faintly.

"He's ok for the moment." a collective breath was let out at those words.

"Otou-chan is ok? Can I sit with him? Please Sakura-sensei?" Kenji pleaded.

"Of course, Kenji. Come I'll take you to his room." Sakura offered motioning for Iruka to follow her. After the trio left, Hinata continued. "We'll have to monitor him closely. He's not out of the woods yet, not completely." She then added "You all should go get some rest." scrutinizing their conditions.

All of them nodded and left talking among themselves.

Naruto's room

Sakura stepped into the room and was greeted by the same scene for the past three days. A Kenji sitting on the blonde's bedside holding his hand and an Iruka either sleeping or staring of into space on the couch nearby. Get well cards, flowers and gifts littered the room.

Then she noticed something different. Iruka wasn't sleeping or staring into space, he was glaring death glares at something directly opposite himself. Turning a round she saw Sasuke sitting calmly looking indifferent at the glares he was receiving. Grinning inwardly at the animosity between these two men, she checked out the blonde's condition for any improvement. His wounds are almost closed by now with the occasional help of chakra healing, however the lost of blood and exhaustion affected him badly.

After she was finished, she lingered a while, wanting to be here waiting like Kenji and Iruka, but her duties as a medic-nin prevented that. Heaving a sigh she was about the leave the room when Kenji half shouted "Otou-chan!! He's waking up Sakura-sensei!" Turning around abruptly, she hurried to his bedside, her movements mimicked by Iruka and Sasuke.

Naruto murmured something barely audible, which sounds a lot like Kenji, shifting weakly underneath the blankets. His eyelids fluttered open before promptly sliding close again eyebrows knotting together in the middle of his forehead as a frown flitted across his features.

"Otou-chan?" Kenji called, gently squeezing his father's hand between his own. "Otou-chan, can you hear me?"

Naruto sluggishly turn his head facing the voice, glazed eyes groggily focusing on his son "Kenji" he whispered, identifying the voice and face. "You're still here!!" his pained voice grew louder by the syllable. He then struggled to sit up, wincing painfully when strong hands push him back on the bed.

"Don't sit up Naruto, your wounds will open…" Iruka said imploringly

Gazing around the blonde found his target. "Haruno-san, you promise you'll help him. What is the meaning of this?" his words were dripping with venom, cold grayish orbs staring in to emerald ones.

"They won't hurt him Naruto, he's safe here-" she said nervously.

"Do not lie, Haruno-san, they will-"

"Look Naruto, just look there" Sasuke interjected pointing at a pile of gift on his side table, willing him to understand that Konoha is no longer the way he remembered them. The blonde looked wide eye at the pile of presents, dumbfounded by what he saw. His mouth opened, words were forming but nothing came out.

Everyone gave a jolt when door opened and Hiroshi walked in. "What?" he asked when everyone's eyes are on him.

"Nothing…" Iruka and Sasuke said simultaneously, and then resumed glaring daggers at each other. Looking amusingly at their antics, he said "Whatever… Oh Naruto… Just so you'll know we'll be leaving Konoha at 5p.m. today."

"Get well soon." He added uncertainly looking at Naruto's expression suspiciously. 'Expresion!!! He has expression!!!! Dear god I wonder what happened…' he thought as he dismissed himself.

"What time is it now?" the blonde asked.

"2 p.m." Sasuke said.

"Umino-sensei, please take Kenji home. He needs rest. You need rest too."

"But-"

"No arguments Kenji…" his voice calm, level, utterly emotionless

"Hai" casting an uncertain look at his father before stepping out of the room, trailing behind Iruka.

Silence fell as the former Team 7 members stood there not knowing what to say to each other.

"Sakura don't you have to be somewhere." Sasuke finally said breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Ah yes…" she said and bustle off throwing a backward glance at the two guys.

'Hopefully they'll be ok…'

'As if that will happen… They'll kill each other again.'

'No they won't. Stop insinuating such things...' closing the door behind her softly.

"What are you still doing here?" Naruto's voice was still blank, completely neutral, as if he really didn't even care what the answer was. Sasuke soon discovered this was the case, as the blonde closed his eyes and looked away from him in the middle of his reply.

"I wanted to apologize… for trying to kill you and causing all this-"

"There is no need. You did Konoha a favour. " Naruto interrupted, his words with a hint of finality, indicating this conversation is over.

Heaving a sigh the raven stood there for a minute debating his actions, before deciding he'll just have to apologize again later and left the room.

Hokage's office

"What do you mean he's gone!!?!!?" Tsunade screeched her loud voice sent the birds flying from trees nearby her window.

"He's just not there." she glanced at a nurse heatedly and added "Tell the Hokage what you told me, Terue-san"

"Hai…" she was shaking at the Hokage's outrage.

-Flashback-

"Uzumaki-kun you cannot leave in this condition. It is not possible for me to arrange this matter. You cannot be discharge today… You just woke up…" Terue protested calmly.

"I must leave um- Terue-san" He said looking at her name tag, and added "I have orders to leave with my outpost leader. Here, this scroll proves enough…" He said digging into his vest extracting a scroll, handing it to her.

She took the scroll skeptically, reading its contents, her kind brown eyes growing wider with each word. She then said "Well… if this is the case then I'll have to discharge you. If you could wait, I'll consult Haruno-san."

"No that is not possible. They leave at 5pm it's 4.45 pm now, there is no time." Naruto urged her.

Sighing she said "Fine then. Fill up these forms, and then you can leave."

"Thank you, Terue-san." The blonde said and started filing up the forms.

-End Flashback-

During Terue's recount of what happened, Tsunade expressions went from enraged to depressing. Noticing her shisou's peculiar behavior she asked "What's in the scroll?"

She heaved a sigh "That scroll contains orders. One of it was about his stay here. He must leave with the shinobis of Outpost 72 without delay or he will be executed without trial." The Godaime's held her head in her hands, regretting her lack of power to help her brother.

"But… He left Kenji here, I don't understand…" she stopped talking finally realizing the reason. "Oh… Kenji's safe here due to the villagers' change of perspective… But that doesn't mean he's safe if he remains here against orders…"

"Yes… you're right…"

"That means we must do something to take back the punishment…" a new voice spoke through the window.

The three women gave a start at the voice. "How long have you been here?!?!" the female sannin shouted at the intruder who turned out to be Jiraiya.

"Long enough… So do you agree with the plan?" he said, smiling wickedly at them.

"Well, we'll have to plan this carefully." Tsunade said mischievously, looking at her student and also her teammate. "And you two are going to get more help" she then added

A/N

Ok here ends Arc 2… Haha… A usual R&R… I love reviews, so review guys!!!! Thanks to those who are still reading this story!!! Thank you!!!!! I love you all!!!!

Ermmmm… I'm babbling… Sorry…