Chapter 11

Disclaimer: i do not own Naruto

A/N: Hi hi! News on my stories (like if I'll be away or if I'm taking a break or something like that) will all be on my profile under the subsection '(the date)News On The Stories'! I posted a double whopper chapter for you all today! The cliffhangers have been noticed ^^' Enjoy!!

Today was a day very rare in a place like Konoha. The normally blistering sun was just peeking through a barrier of gray clouds. Kids ran around without a care, chanting for the rain to fall. Their parents moved about the daily routine in a hurry as to avoid getting drenched. Tsunade, however, felt an air of anticipation surround her as she locked gazes with a boy she now knew on an almost personal level. She leaned forward onto her elbows, entwining her fingers on the cool touch of her desk. As relaxed as she may have seemed, inside she was anxious and even a little wary to say the least. Her company knew this as well.

Sasuke wasn't far behind her, though he knew what she did not. A darkness had mooned under his eyes, sleep still stirring in the dark color of his iris. He stepped forward quite sullenly, laying the books and the scroll onto her desk with such a deep frown marring his face. Tsunade merely glanced at them before pulling out a folding chair and setting it before him. Sasuke nodded his thanks and set it before dropping heavily into the seat.

He scooted forward onto the edge, setting his elbows on the cool surface of the desk before he ran both hands over his face and into his hair. They sat there like that for a moment, a conscious silence hanging over their heads.

Tsunade finally sighed, leaning over her folded hands. "I'd offer you a drink with this atmosphere but I'm afraid you're under age." she quietly mused, a small almost non-existent smile playing on her lips.

A soft breath of amusement left Sasuke before he could take it back. He dropped his hands limply, and tilted his head as he moved his eyes over the literal objects he so despised at the moment. "I found these in a case under Naruto's bed."

Tsunade nodded softly as Sasuke sat up in a more dignified manner though he showed no signs of following through with it. He, instead, stifled a yawn. Sasuke tapped the first book with the lights of his fingers. "This book is an instruction manual on how to summon birds. Naruto used it to call messenger birds for an extra eye on the sight and-"

Sasuke paused when Tsunade lightly jumped at the sound of flapping. Sasuke scowled softly when a black bird dove in soundly through the open window before perching on his shoulder. Tsunade eyed it thoughtfully. Sasuke sighed, leaning his cheek into his palm. "And apparently, me."

Tsunade smiled, amused. "Ah, that would make sense."

Sasuke lifted his arm to point to another book, pausing when the bird lifting its own wings to keep balance on the moving perch. "This book here is the medical book Naruto learned that technique from."

Tsunade's frown matched Sasuke's as she opened the book to scan effectually over the text. "So that scroll Naruto used on you…"

Sasuke nodded. "It was a copy he made of that one section from this book; the page is marked." Tsunade gripped the bundle of pages and pushed them aside to the marked page. "Your assumptions were right. He cut the chakra too soon, and it built up to the point where it needed to be released." Sasuke dropped his eyes for a moment, pushing away the memory. When he lifted them again, they lay carefully on the scroll. "That one is the most complicated."

Tsunade, in the change of subject, heartily dumped the medical book to the side and slid the scroll in front of her. As she idly looked over it, Sasuke leaned into the desk, his eyes drooping. "I was up all night reading it, playing out the scenario in my head."

Tsunade looked up, her brow furrowed. "What scenario?" Sasuke lifted his eyes. Tsunade recognized the faulty look as the one Sasuke had given her the night he first came back. The guilt ridden night at the hospital. "Sasuke…"

"That scroll… even though I loath it with all my heart… I'm thankful for it." Sasuke dropped his gaze when Tsunade assessed him with confusion. "Naruto used an interrogation technique to see my emotions." Tsunade's eyes widened a fraction. "Not only that, that's just a part of it." Sasuke met her eyes then, a murky seriousness in his own. "To put in simply: with a single touch, the user bonds his mind with the target's. It was used to experience the emotion, reason, and truth behind the target's actions as well as implant new ones. However, it was given up years ago when the users began to become tainted by the criminal's violence and intent."

When Sasuke paused hesitantly, Tsunade pursed her lips. "That's not all there was to it…?" she urged him on.

"To the jutsu, yes, to Naruto? No." Sasuke rubbed one eye with the heel of his palm before continuing. "Naruto must have put this into action before he met me in the hideout. He probably thought he could make me see the 'error of my ways' or something like that..." Tsunade raised a brow skeptically. Sasuke glanced away for a moment. "And I did… but that's not the point." he briskly moved on. "The point is that when he picked me up, it instantly bonded our minds."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "When you wiped out our memory temporarily, it left this huge gap in our minds. He forgot about his plan, seeing as he put the jutsu into play just before he met me. All those weeks afterward, our emotions kept clashing and mixing together, until we were both so confused out of our minds that we snapped at anything and everything." Sasuke in his frustration sighed, and ran his unoccupied hand through his hair. "I had gotten so irritated that I didn't want anything to do with him anymore, so I stopped talking to him, and ignored him completely."

It was silent for a moment more, Sasuke's troubled eyes roaming her desk so heavily that Tsunade didn't dare speak. She just let him roll through it. "…That's when the cold feeling came." Sasuke rubbed his chest. "I had gotten so used to the confliction inside me, to Naruto's raging emotions inside me, that when I ignored him… I felt empty."

Tsunade opened her mouth to valuate the situation, but found that wasn't what came out. "He felt the same way." When Sasuke's eyes met her, she moved to explain. "He came in to the hospital one day of his own free will to speak to a doctor about it- it was that concerning to him. Seeing as the doctor couldn't find anything wrong, he told Naruto so, and that was when Naruto erupted into a horrible fit of rage and began to insult the medics." Sasuke's eyes widened.

"That doesn't sound like him at all."

Tsunade cocked her head. "Who does that sound like?" Sasuke lowered his eyes. "Ah. He was pent up with your frustration I suspect. He got so out of hand, the doctors called me to come and calm him down. By the time I got there, Naruto was fighting quite vivaciously with two Anbu who were trying to restrain him. They were treated afterwards."

A light flush came to Sasuke's cheeks, and he coughed into his fist. "Well, I can control that anger, though it seems that Naruto, uh, can't."

Tsunade smirked. "I seem to recall a second incident at the hospital when we couldn't find out what was wrong with you."

Sasuke glared, his face reddening. "Anyways…"

Tsunade chuckled. "Yes, anyways…"

"…Naruto finally got fed up with me ignoring him, and he confronted me at Ichiraku's. He grabbed me by the shirt, effectively bonding us again, and it was like the emptiness exploded into this- this huge cloud of rampaging emotion. So much that it scared me; made me turn numb. All at the same time I felt scared, frustrated, angry, hopeless, and I didn't know why. …But now I know, that that was how Naruto was feeling. I don't know how he can stand so tall, and smile like he does, when his emotions are so strong. They made me have an anxiety attack. I couldn't breathe, my heart was pounding, and then there was this fire in my stomach that made me feel like I was going to spill my guts right then and there." Sasuke lowered his eyes. "…All he did was look away, and it was gone. …I was empty again."

The bird inched along Sasuke's shoulder, settling close to Sasuke's ear where it brushed against his hair as it ruffled its feathers. It then tucked in its beak, closing its eyes. Sasuke gave the bird a glance before returning his eyes to his amused hokage.

"It seems relaxed around you."

"…Yeah. I must get it from Naruto." he joked.

Tsunade smiled and began to laugh.

Sasuke gave a small smile in return, but it broke away. "But… it was like, he took my anger, my sadness, this… huge weight off of my shoulders, but I didn't give him anything in return but those things that had tied me down. Now, I see through this whole new light… I can't help but find myself smiling and I not even know what made me do such a thing. I actually scared a couple people… they literally ran away thinking some plague had come or the apocalypse had dawned." Sasuke found heat rushing through his head and balling behind his eyes. "I actually admired the sky for being blue yesterday! For being fucking blue! And all Naruto could probably do was…" Sasuke clenched his eyes shut, and turn his head away. "…I don't want to know what he thought about."

Tsunade too looked away, down into her hands. "…Naruto is Naruto."

Sasuke wiped his stinging eyes. "…what?"

Tsunade sighed, presenting the Uchiha with a small smile. "Naruto wouldn't let those kinds of emotions drag him down. If anything, he would have gotten angry and gone out of his way to destroy some trees, then go to Ichiraku's, eat twelve bowls of ramen, head home, and then promptly fall asleep- denying he ever violated the Nara's property."

Sasuke raised a brow at the little input, but decided to leave it there it the open. "…I see." He leaned back into his chair slowly, the bird still perched on his shoulder. "I thought that maybe all I had done was throw misery at him, but what you said sounds more reasonable."

Tsunade let Sasuke roam through his thoughts before she asked him the question she knew would end what she felt was a little counseling session, albeit a comforting one. "Sasuke," she waited for his full attention, "what was it about this whole ordeal that made you thankful for it?"

Sasuke found himself smiling again. "I can still feel him."

Tsunade's eyes widened. "But- but he…"

Sasuke stood, the bird making an alarmed noise as it hurried to resettle itself. "No, he's not, and that's proof alone." Sasuke's smile faded. "As glad as I am that he's still alive… I wish they were happy emotions."

Tsunade flinched when Sasuke set his determined eyes on her, slamming his hands down on the desk. "I want full responsibility for the sight! I have to find him! He's in pain, Tsunade!"

The hokage was alarmed to here him speak her name so familiarly, but felt that after all of this, it was more than appropriate. She gave a small smile, and a nod, stunned further when his face lit up with a grin.

"Thank you!"

Sasuke turned tail and ran from the office then, his footsteps echoing down the hallway before fading into silence. Tsunade blinked wearily at the closed doors.

"I need some sake."

The sun found a perfect resting place among the cloak of clouds, letting a blanket of cool air float over Konoha once more. Sasuke paused in his walk home, realizing for the first time how much more comfortable he found it here. Before, he couldn't stand how bright and cheery everything around him was when life was so unfair and depressing. Naruto was the only thing that could have given him relief, the only one who could have made him feel special, wanted, and happy. But now, it was almost as if he was seeing the world from Naruto's eyes. How unreal it was, how ethereal and short lasting one simple thing could be. Sasuke lightly fingered the black bird's feathers as it slept on his shoulder.

As he continued on his way, he looked up at the shaded sun; a sea of blue dancing in its late rays of orange that dusted the white clouds. Sasuke took a deep breath of refreshing air, smelling the slight scent of baking sweets as he ventured closer to the market. Sasuke enjoyed this laid-back feeling. Nothing bothered him even if he took notice to it. He found his thoughts wandering as he shifted through the crowds.

Itachi's voice sauntered through his ears, and Sasuke paused in the middle of the village bustle. Unexpectedly troubled, Sasuke frowned as his life's despair slinked at the back of his mind. Why do feel so down when I should be angry at the mere mention of him…? Sasuke headed for a stand to sit at, finding himself at Ichiraku's.

He sat down, the smell of ramen wafting through his senses. His thoughts began to whir, becoming deeper than they ever had before.

"Ah, Sasuke! What a surprise. What'll you have?"

Sasuke nodded at Ichiraku, "Miso, please."

Ichiraku spied his rather dark friend. "Ah, what a sleek lookin' bird you have there."

"It kind of came along for the ride."

He was given a grin as the old man moved about to prepare his meal. Sasuke let his eyes drop to the counter, preoccupied with his thoughts as the gentle sounds of activity behind the counter oddly comforted him. Itachi used to be so kind, and caring… how did he change so drastically so suddenly? Sasuke frowned. Well, I guess he never really was there for me. Sasuke's frown loosened, …but that was only because he was busy with all the standards Father made him live up to. All of that would make anyone upset with their parents… Sasuke swallowed thickly. But then why did he kill his friend? Wait, he said he didn't… besides, Itachi loved that guy, he couldn't have killed him. …Does that mean that Itachi was so mad at Mother and Father that he didn't love them?

"Here you go!"

A crumbling cracker was handed to the bird, and Ichiraku was rewarded with a delighted warble. A bowl of steaming ramen was placed under Sasuke's nose, the warmth radiating into his face. "Thank you," Sasuke murmured, finding himself more interested in the food than he thought he would be. Breaking his chopsticks and bringing some to his mouth, he delved deeper into what he thought were the most absurd thoughts his mind had ever offered.

Even so, that doesn't give him a reason to kill the whole clan…

"I was merely testing my ability…"

Sasuke stuffed more noodles into his mouth. After all, the Itachi I grew up with would never say something like that. Would never think like that. All the things that came from his mouth sounded of wisdom and a warm relief from doubts. …That night seems more like a nightmare than reality now that I think about it… What could have changed him? What could have happened to make him so violent…?

Sasuke wasn't surprised when he could think of nothing.

"You finished that off pretty fast there, Sasuke!" Ichiraku's deep voice brought him back into the present. Sasuke gently set his chopsticks down, ignoring the crumbs tumbling from his shoulder.

"Just lost in my thoughts. …Can I ask you something?"

Ichiraku leaned onto the counter, crossing his arms in a relaxed manner. "What is it?"

Sasuke folded his hands in his lap, gazing down into his bowl. "…There's this guy, well, theoretically, let's just go with Naruto because they're kind of alike." Ichiraku nodded. "He used to be so kind and caring, but one day he just changed into this… monster. He was like, this whole different person." Sasuke pinned Ichiraku with how serious it was. "What could have changed him so significantly?"

Ichiraku rubbed his whiskered chin thoughtfully. "There had to have been something at stake. Maybe something very important to him had been in danger, and that was the only way he went about it. Or, maybe he was trying to prevent something from happening. If it was Naruto, I believe he would change quite significantly in nature if any of you were in trouble, hmm?" Ichiraku handed the bird a second cracker.

Sasuke nodded, appeased with this new information. Ichiraku grinned. "I hope I was of any help."

Sasuke stood, placing money onto the table. "You were, thanks."

As he exited the shop, Ichiraku called out to him, "Anytime, Sasuke."

Sasuke stuffed his hands into his pockets, watching the ground before his feet as he walked. Something important to him… was I important to him? This thought seemed to make an unsure feeling course through him, giving him a chill.

"Sasuke! How are you today? …What's with the bird?"

Sasuke paused, raising his eyes to non other than Sakura. Her eyes were in sort of tire, her shoulders sagging. Sasuke furrowed his brow. "It's a friend of mine." he murmured with flat sarcasm. "How are you today?"

Sakura's red rimmed eyes rounded before she hid her dread behind a smile that was more of a grimace. "Well, you know, the usual. Just had some tea to wake me up, and now I'm going to go see Tsunade for some lessons." Sakura brushed her pink hair away from her face.

Sasuke frowned as her hand shook. "This is not the usual. You're not alright, Sakura. You deserve to be upset. Just go home and rest."

Sakura faded, dropping her hand. "…I don't know…"

"You're going to need it, because I suspect that tomorrow we'll be heading back to the sight to find Naruto."

Sakura's eyes widened. "So soon?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Don't you want to know if he's alright?"

Sakura nodded fervently. "I do, it's just… what if he's not?"

Sasuke's eyes darkened. "What do you mean? That just because he may be hurt and can't fight anymore, you'd leave him behind? Just like that?"

"What? No, I-"

"Well that's what it sounded like!" The bird gave a soft trill of unease.

Sakura's eyes welled with tears. "That's not what I meant."

Sasuke's hand clenched at his sides. "Then what did you mean?"

Sakura dropped her eyes, searching the ground. "What if he's not okay? What if we found him…you know… I couldn't bare it."

"He's your teammate, you're so supposed to be there for him till the end! You'd leave him there to die?" Sasuke strode past her. "You're unbelievable. After all he's done for you."

Sakura pursed her lips, a torrent of tears streaming down her cheeks.

Sasuke snorted, briskly walking away to his home. All she ever does is cry. She never did take a stand for anything. Even when her teammate's missing! Rage swept up inside him as a cloudy pain webbed in his temple. Why can't this day just end?! Why does it suddenly feel like I'm the only one who cares about this idiot?!

Sasuke, finding himself at his home, angrily yanked the door open and slid inside. He treaded heavily through his home, the pain spreading through his head. The bird flew onto his bed post as he dropped onto his bed, groaning darkly into his pillow.

He lay there for hours, trying to sleep the day away. There was nothing more he could do- the pain in his head was disturbing. Sasuke turned his head to the side, and with a grumble, he pulled the covers over him. This is only a part of what he's going through… He wasn't going to be able to sleep. His head pounded with his heart's every stroke. His blood rushed in his ears for it was far too quiet. Sasuke's eyes wandered the room, finding them land on a lone headband still smeared with crimson, laying abandoned aside.

His heart seemed to slow, and Sasuke tossed the covers off. Standing, he carefully lifted the headband from it's solitary and brought it to his bathroom. The subtle flapping of wings sounded behind him before a light weight set on his shoulder. Grabbing a spare cloth, he wet it and scrubbed at the dried blood. It glazed beneath his hardship, a streak of pink staining the perfectly kept metal. Sasuke glowered at the mar on the other wise smooth metal.

This headband must have been precious to him seeing how well kept it was… An image of Naruto running headlong into a battle with Zabuza raced to the forefront of his mind. All for this… Sasuke sighed quietly, scrubbing more insistently at the pink tint. His fingers dipped into the metal suddenly, and Sasuke frowned. Removing the cloth, Sasuke found the reason for his headache. There was a small, shapely dent in the metal.

He was knocked in the head. Sasuke swallowed, a sudden grief hardened in his chest. What if he got a concussion? What if we didn't find him because he didn't remember who he was and wandered off by himself? Shivers ran down his spine, and he jumped when a thundering boom bounded outside his home. The bird gave a panicked shriek. A striking light flashed down his hallway, and another thrumming boom shook the house.

Sasuke pocketed the metal and swiftly grabbed the bird, hugging it to his chest as he quickly made way to his room. The thunder echoed his every step, almost as if it was following him. Sasuke jumped into bed, pulling the covers over his head. Thunder struck just outside his window, his tree crackling in response. Fear raced through his being and he held the bird closer as the tree began to wane, wood creaking and snapping until the tree finally fell. His house gave a violent tremor and groan like grating as vicious wind wracked his room, sending his blankets waving above him.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he took in the gaping hole of his home. His floor ended in a destruction of ravaged floorboards, the wall of his room torn out of existence. A thin stream of light flared outside of his room, just on his lawn, roaring as the ground shuddered and his lights flickered into existence.

Sasuke leapt from his bed, the bird shaking with fright as he dashed out of his home. Sasuke ran wildly into the empty market streets of Konoha that were moments ago filled with people. He tripped as a clap of electricity struck behind him, roaring after him. Sasuke made a mad leap from the ground and onto a balcony, throwing himself inside what he considered his second home. The lightning and thunder thudded just outside of the apartment, the trees moaning quietly just before the fall of rain crashed onto the ground. Sasuke panted and gasped, hugging the bird tightly as he slid down the door and onto the floor in a mess. White light lit up the room, the thunder just a little ways away. Sasuke scrambled to his feet and tore the blinds over the window. Shutting the door, Sasuke breathed heavily in the darkness.

The bird gave a low call, and Sasuke shushed it softly. Exhaustion flooded through him, and Sasuke slowly made his way to Naruto's bed. Crawling under the covers he had fixed the day before, the smell that surrounded him smothered him with placidness. Sasuke unwound under this security, letting the bird crawl out of his hands.

In the warm contentment, Sasuke's eyes drooped. A soft body curled under his chin and into his collar where it slowly sank into a state of sleep. The rain lulled a rhythm of tranquility through the abode, and all within became easily subdued.

A/N

Whew, my heart was pounding when i wrote the second part! I hate thunder storms! Especially when it's right outside your house! O_O

I just felt really bad about leaving a cliffhanger when I'd been gone so long ^^' tsukiko94 agrees, so i made this! ta da!

If anyone felt bad for Sasuke because his house got thundered, do say so. And if you're wondering, that bird will get a name ^^

Chapter 11! Review to Continue! I'm warning yah! Do it!

-Love, MM :D