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Well, here's the chapter.


Dream and Nightmare

夢と悪夢 (Yume to akumu)

Kakashi had been jumping from tree to tree for five hours straight when he finally stopped. He was being followed.

The white haired Jōnin waited a few seconds, apparently at rest. However, his nose was twitching inside his mask, until he recognized the scent of his pursuers. Slowly, he lowered his head and his tense muscles relaxed.

"Impressive. I didn't notice you until now" Kakashi said, without turning around. "How long have you been following me, Tenzo?"

A man dressed in a Jōnin vest, similar to Kakashi's, moved away from the tree where he was hiding. His black eyes fixed on his former senpai.

"You promised you weren't going to call me by that name again, Kakashi-senpai" Yamato said.

Kakashi smiled under his mask. "Sorry, Yamato. It slipped, but you haven't answered my question."

"Right to the point, huh? Well… I'd say just after you left the village, two weeks ago" the younger man said.

"Oh" Kakashi looked at another tree, only a few meters from Yamato. "I assume it was your idea. Right, Sai?"

A twenty-five year old young man reappeared on the tree branch, smiling at his former team captain.

"As expected from Kakashi-sensei. I knew you were going to notice us sooner or later" Sai said. He was wearing a suit which was very similar to the one he wore when he was in Team 7, instead of his normal ANBU uniform.

"Why did you guys follow me?" the white haired man asked. "You must know that I'm going on vacation. That's what I told Tsunade-sama."

"Sensei… you wouldn't gear up if you planned on taking a break" Sai said, this time serious. "We know what you said to the Hokage and we know that you've hidden shinobi supplies in the woods near Konoha. When you went there to get them, I knew you weren't going on a vacation."

"Again, I'm impressed Sai. I didn't notice that you were watching me. Maybe I am getting soft on my old age" Kakashi said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Then... what is it that you want?"

Sai's black eyes were fixed on Kakashi with unwavering determination. "You were the only one who remained suspicious when Shikamaru and the others told us about Naruto, even if you didn't say a word about it. When I heard that you were going on a "vacation" I knew that you had found out something. That is why I decided to tell Yamato-taichou and we followed you."

"I see… Why didn't you tell Sakura as well?" Kakashi asked.

"I needed to make sure" Sai answered. "I want to know what Naruto is hiding from us before I tell her. Of all of us, Sakura was the one who suffered the most when Naruto went to kill Sasuke. The team she cherished was destroyed and she lost not one, but two people that she loved. That is why you didn't her your suspicions either, right Kakashi-sensei?"

"You're correct" Kakashi answered. "Another thing… why didn't you two reveal yourselves sooner? Why now?"

"I guess we feared you wouldn't let us accompany you if we were still close to the village" Yamato replied. "It would be a huge waste of time sending us away now when we're so close to our destination, senpai."

The wind was blowing around them, the gentle breeze of the ocean that wasn't so far away. They were only a few kilometers from the port, from there it was only a boat ride to the Unmei Islands.

"It can't be helped, huh?" Kakashi sighed, looking at his teammates. "Alright, we'll go together."

Sai smiled with relief, he wasn't exactly sure Kakashi would let them join him. "Thank you, sensei."

"Kakashi-senpai, I have to ask… where exactly are we going?" Yamato asked.

"To the Unmei Islands" he answered. "We should be there tonight."

"Is Naruto there?" Yamato asked.

"Yeah, I believe he's been living there" Kakashi said, turning around and staring at the blue ocean, visible in the horizon. "No… I guess the right word would be hiding there, with the Hokage's approval though."

Sai blinked, confused. "Why would Naruto hide? He doesn't have any motives to do that."

"He's not hiding himself" Kakashi corrected. "I believe his hiding someone else who's been staying with him all this time… Someone who wouldn't be very welcome in Konoha or in any other country."

Both Yamato and Sai gaped, their eyes wide in disbelief.

"Kakashi-sensei… you don't mean…?" Sai stammered, still trying to believe what he just heard.

"Yes… Sasuke" Kakashi said, once again jumping to the next tree.


After two weeks, nothing had changed in the Unmei Islands. Despite everyone's efforts, no one could understand why the islanders were still in the Death Sleep or why the former children were still adults despite Nobunaga's destruction.

The only real adult conscious was Shigeru, but he needed to rest because of his injuries. Therefore, Riku had assumed his father's place as a leader and took upon himself the responsibility to guide his fellow islanders before they succumbed into their own guilt and despair. Keeping them busy and give them a purpose and hope seemed to work.

First, they made sure everybody who was sleeping was safe and stabilized. Riku himself made a list of all the adults and babies who were in a coma, and then he gave each one of the adult-kids the task of checking their families' health and visit those who were sleeping but didn't have children. The weaker ones, like pregnant woman, newborn babies and the elderly were taken to the Island's hospital and were monitored 24 hours a day. Riku made it perfectly clear that he wouldn't allow any deaths.

Also they had found out another serious problem when some of them tried to ask for help from the exterior by sailing, since all their messenger birds were sleeping as well. There was a huge barrier surrounding all the Islands. No matter how much they tried, no one could dispel it. They were all stuck there, with no help from the outside world.

Food and water had to be given carefully, as well as other supplies. Riku gave tasks to everyone and urged them to work together so they could clean the mess they made. Every morning they would meet and discuss what had and hadn't changed, and then, decide what to do next.

Sasuke had to admit that Riku was an extraordinary leader who not only managed to keep everything organized, but also keep them calm and working as a huge team. However, the raven could feel the anxiety growing on each of his comrades' faces as each day went by. Sure, they had avoided chaos but everything was still the same.

No one knew how long their families could survive like that, but they knew they were growing weaker and closer to death with each passing second. There wasn't much time left and they haven't found a single clue on how to reverse the curse.

Every morning in the beginning, still drowsy from sleeping, Sasuke thought it had all been a terrible nightmare and that his father was about to burst into his room and tell him to get ready for school with his usual boisterous attitude and a smile on his face, though he was trying to sound stern. Sasuke would wait and then wonder why Daddy didn't come. That was when he usually looked at his grown up body and the fantasy shattered mercilessly.

The first nights, he tried to sleep on his bedroom but he always ended up awakening abruptly and run to Naruto's bedroom to make sure he was still alive. Since he couldn't sleep away from his Dad, even in the next room, Sasuke decided to sleep with him in his bed. No one was looking and he didn't care, so he spent every night holding his Daddy's hand and hugging him close to his body.

He cried too. He cried every day. He couldn't help it. Even though he knew it was useless and inappropriately childish, he spent hours talking to Tou-chan, asking him to wake up. But his voice didn't reach him and the raven ended up bursting into tears of sorrow and guilt.

There was a part of him that believed that the reason why Naruto didn't awaken was because he didn't want to see him anymore. Why would he, after everything Sasuke had said and done? Why would he want to be the parent of someone who kept hurting him over and over?

"Stop thinking like that! It will only make things worse!" he thought, clenching his fists. "This isn't the time to feel sorry about myself. I need to find a way to fix this! Tou-chan is going to wake up and then I…"

Well… that was another thing that was bothering him. He tried to stay focused on the "waking Naruto up" part, but his chest ached with fear of what he was going to do next. How were they going to live with each other now that he knew that he had been his father's teammate? How was he supposed to act? Who was he really?

A part of Sasuke wished he never found out the truth about his origins. He realized now how happy he had been when he was innocently unaware of his past life. Since he didn't remember it, he never put much thought into it except when he wanted to know details about his first family or his former abilities as a shinobi. Aside from that, he was fine the way he was.

Most of the time, Sasuke didn't even think that he had a past life. He lived the present like it was his first time, because it felt this was his "real life" and his past was more like a very distant dream than a reality. But now that he knew the truth, he couldn't pretend it didn't happen anymore.

He felt divided in two different Sasukes and he didn't know which one he was supposed to be. Was he the genius and brooding Sasuke that was Naruto's teammate? Or the talented but grumpy Academy Student Sasuke that was Naruto's son?

What did Naruto want him to be?

After taking a deep breath, Sasuke continued walking down the street towards the Merchant's District in order to buy his share of supplies. Aside from one or two people, who Sasuke wordlessly greeted with a nod, the streets were deserted and silent. Even the animals were sleeping, so there wasn't even an occasional bark of dog or the chirp of a bird.

The Island resembled a ghost town and, if they didn't do anything soon, it would turn into a graveyard.

"Can I come in?" Sasuke asked, slowly opening the door of the grocery store.

"Oh? Yes, yes! Please come in" a woman's voice yelled behind counter, hidden by several boxes. "I'll be right with you."

Sasuke entered the store and waited until Erina, one of the daughters of the store's owner, came to the counter. "Good afternoon, Sasuke-san? How are you?" she asked with a kind smile.

"Fine, thanks" the raven answered. "How is everything?"

Erina shrugged with a sad smile. Sasuke already knew her before the Curse, though they never had said more than a "hello" to each other. Although she now looked like an adult woman with long brown hair and hazel eyes, in her twenties, she really was an eleven year old girl with two pigtails, who used to play with her two year old baby sister while their parents worked on the store. Now she and her sister, who strangely enough also looked in her twenties, took the responsibility to take care of their parents business.

"Pretty much the same, I guess" she answered, but Sasuke noticed the rings around her puffy eyes. "We have to live each day at a time, right? That's what mama used to say…"

Suddenly, there was a loud noise of something shattering on the floor. Instinctively, Sasuke placed his hand on Kizuna's handle but Erina turned around and knelled behind one of the selves. Soon, the raven heard the unmistakable sound of a woman crying.

"I can't… I can't do this… I can't…"

"Hatsumi-chan, we've talked about this already" Erina said, holding her sister. "We have to keep the store and help everybody. That's our duty, that's what Mama and Papa would have wanted."

"I just want everything to go back to way it was, Nee-chan" Hatsumi sobbed, burying her head on her sister's shoulder. "I want Mama and Papa."

"I know. I miss them too" Erina said, her voice cracking as she got closer to tears but fought them because it would only upset her little sister more. "But we can't just give up, Hatsumi-chan. We have to be strong."

"I can't be strong anymore. I don't want to be strong anymore! I'm not really an adult and neither are you. I wish this was all a nightmare!"

Sasuke stayed quiet while Erina tried to calm down her sister. However, he agreed with every word she was saying because he felt exactly same way. They looked like adults, thought like adults and behaved like adults. Nobunaga's jutsu had been apparently perfect, except… they all felt that something was amiss, that this wasn't who they were meant to be.

They had the body and mind of an adult, but their hearts were still those of children.

After apologizing for the delay, Erina gave Sasuke his bag of supplies and he headed home. Only, instead of taking the road where he came from, he decided to go through the woods. He needed the solitude of the wilderness to think straight, plus he wasn't sure he could handle seeing more of his fellow adult-children and the growing despair in their eyes. He could hardly handle his own.

After a while, he heard the sound of a waterfall which meant he was near the tiny lake where he used to train his Katon. The place was perfect not only because he could train as much as he wanted near the lake, without the fear of setting the forest on fire, but also because no one came here and he was able to concentrate. Besides, his Katon had been so pathetically weak that he didn't want anyone to see it until it was perfect, specially his father.

"But I think he already knew what I was training" Sasuke whispered to himself with a small smile on his lips.

Seeing one of the largest trees near the lake, the young raven man decided to sit under it and try to gather his thoughts. Carefully, he placed his bag beside him and leaned against the large trunk, enjoying the gentle breeze and hearing the soothing sound of the waving leafs and the continuously falling water.

He was wearing a pair of black pants, black shinobi sandals and a white t-shirt. The clothing belonged to Naruto, since Sasuke's old clothes were far too small for him now. The clothes he got from Nobunaga were hidden inside his closet and were the only ones that fit, however, he'd rather use his father's clothes anytime over those of that bastard. He didn't think Tou-chan would mind.

Slowly, Sasuke rubbed his left eye, then his right. He didn't understand why, but his eyes were itching a lot ever since his fight against Nobunaga. Sometimes they even hurt and his vision blurred for a few seconds, then they would return to normal like nothing had happened. Could it be because he had used his Sharingan for too long? He had no idea and there was no way he could ask anyone about it.

It wasn't important anyway. With everything that was going on, how could he feel worried about some insignificant itch?

Sasuke closed his eyes and waited until the itching disappeared. The weather was really hot and he had sweated a lot just from walking to the grocery store. After all, it was summer and if this mess had never happened, he would be enjoying his summer vacation, probably training.

"It's really warm… just like… last month" the raven said softly, lost in his memory and drifting into a light sleep.


"Damn it, it's so hot!" Sasuke though bitterly, panting and sweat running down his face and back. "Why does it have to be so hot now? I just got here and am already tired."

He never thought the temperature could rise that much. It had been kinda cold in the morning, but ever since lunch the Islands had become an inferno. Most of his classmates had gone to the beach or buy ice-cream after school, but Sasuke refused to break his routine of training the Katon near the isolated lake. Besides, his Dad wasn't home until seven so they couldn't train together.

It seemed like they never did anything together now that he was working with Riku's dad.

Pouting, the raven boy cleaned his sweaty face with the back of his hand and made the hand seals slowly but precisely. He was gonna do it! He was going to make a huge fireball and then show it to Daddy. After that, he was gonna see how cool and powerful Sasuke really was. Just like him!

When Tou-chan fought, his movements were precise and even graceful. By now, Sasuke was used to watch Naruto train on his own and was always amazed on how powerful he was. He had told Sasuke all about the Rasengan, his grandfather's original jutsu, the Rasenshuriken, when he mixed his wind element with the Rasengan, and even explained the little boy how he learned Senjutsu. However, when Sasuke asked what was that form when he looked like he was on fire and his strength and speed increased so much, his father remained silent and mysterious.

"That is a very long story" Naruto had said. "I'll tell you when you're old enough."

The raven child frowned at that memory. He was old enough to learn any jutsu! He heard there were children his age that had already graduated from the Academy and going on missions. Why didn't his Dad trust him enough? Was Sasuke really that unreliable and weak?

Or maybe… maybe Naruto's rival was just so exceptional that he thought Sasuke could never measure up. When they went back to Konoha, Tou-chan was going to go back to him and his old team. They would go on long missions together while the little and feeble Sasuke stayed behind because he wasn't strong enough to be with them, he would only be in the way. He wasn't like Naruto.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" the boy yelled.

A small flame came out of his mouth, burning his lips and followed by a cloud of smoke. Sasuke bent over coughing and his eyes teary from both the smoke and frustration. That Katon had been pathetic! He wasn't improving at all even though he had been training for months. What was he doing wrong? Why couldn't he do the jutsu right? What was wrong with him?

Naruto trained a lot, but he got stronger every day while Sasuke didn't. Why? Why wasn't Sasuke growing stronger like his father?

Why couldn't he be more like his Daddy like everybody else was with their parents? Why were they so different?

Sasuke fell to his knees and placed his hands on the ground, near the water. His head was hurting and he felt hotter than ever. As he panted, his tired eyes saw drops of sweat falling down from his face to the ground.

He looked slightly up and saw his own reflection in the calm waters. He saw an exhausted, small boy. His cheeks were red from the heat and his fringe was glued to his sweaty forehead.

Slowly, Sasuke touched his right cheek and looked deep into his own black eyes, so dark that he couldn't even see the pupil. Unlike Naruto's eyes, which where blue and pretty like the sky. If Sasuke had been born with Tou-chan as his real father, like the other kids, would he have blue eyes too? He would he be strong like he was too?

Sasuke felt his eyes burning again and two thick tears rolled down his face into the water as a very familiar sadness pierce his young heart. He didn't want to be adopted; he wanted to be like Tou-chan. If he was his real son, they would look alike and Sasuke would be strong like he was.

The raven boy had already talked with Naruto about his adoption many, many times but he always ended up feeling sad. Even though his adoption had been special, even if Naruto had told him that he loved him deeply and that they were as real as all the other fathers and sons, Sasuke couldn't help wondering if they wouldn't be closer if Sasuke really had been born like the other kids with Naruto as his first Daddy.

Why did he have to be different? He wanted to be his real son. He didn't want to be adopted.

After a few seconds, the black haired boy stood up and cleaned his teary eyes with the back of his hand. He wasn't going to cry like a little baby! He was a ninja… or a future one… or a past one. Damn! Why was his life so confusing?

"I have to… train more" the child said between gasps. Again, he made the hand seals and felt the heat rising in his chest. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

This time, not even a flame came out, just a little puff of smoke.

"No!" Sasuke whined. "Crap! It's no good... I have to... I have to try aga…"

The boy was unable to finish his sentence as the lake blurred into millions of flashy dots, before he blacked out and felt his body fall limp into the floor. It was so hot and he was burning… he felt he was on fire.

After what seemed to be only a few minutes, Sasuke opened his eyes again. To his surprise, he wasn't near the water anymore. His head was facing upwards and he stared at the sun behind the green leafs of a tree, waving with the fresh breeze. Sasuke also felt grass under his body and something cold on his forehead.

Slowly and still drowsy, the raven boy touched his brow and felt a wet cloth on it. Then, turn his head carefully to the right and saw someone big beside him, sitting on the ground and leaning against the tree. As Sasuke's sleepy eyes watched the man, he realized he was wearing a casual black t-shirt and blue pants, his spiky blond hair was waving at the wind and sky-blue eyes were staring at the lake with a relaxed stare.

"Papa?" Sasuke asked, blinking several times until his vision improved.

Naruto widened his eyes before looking at the sleepy child. When he did, his lips curved into a smile. "Hey there, Sasuke. How are you feeling?"

"Tired…" the boy said, trying to stand up. However, Naruto grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back down.

"Easy! You said you were tired, so you should rest a bit more. Besides, it's far too hot to train right now and you didn't even bring a bottle of water."

That was when it all came back to Sasuke. He had been training his Katon non-stop and failing every time when he felt dizzy and passed out. Oh crap! He had fainted while he was training like a total wimp!

Sasuke's cheeks became crimson with shame and he had to look away from his father's face. He couldn't even train properly and he had fainted. Now he really felt like a loser.

"Shit! What if Tou-chan saw those stupid Katon?" the raven thought.

"Sasuke? Are you alright?" Naruto asked, looking concerned. "Are you still woozy? Maybe I should take you to the doctor."

"No! I'm fine! I don't need to go to the doctor. I'm not weak!" Sasuke exclaimed, staring at the blond's face.

"Who said you were weak? It has nothing to do with it" Naruto said, but Sasuke looked away again.

"How did you know I was here?" the child asked, though what he really wanted to know was if his Dad had seen his pathetic training.

"I had a feeling you would be training even with this hot weather" Naruto said. "Shigeru-san said that something came up and that I could go home earlier. I was heading home when I saw a lot of kids playing in the woods or going to the beach, so I thought about where you could be."

Sasuke blinked. The Island was pretty big and he could be training anywhere. How did his father know exactly where he was? Oh! Right… he could use the Sage Mode and sense his chakra.

"You sensed my chakra, right?" Sasuke asked, his eyes widening in surprise when the blond young man shook his head. "You didn't use your Sage Mode?"

"To go into Sage Mode, I need to meditate for a while until I get the natural energy that I need. I wasn't going to use it so leisurely."

"Then… how did you know I was here?" Sasuke asked, wondering if this was another one of Naruto's amazing shinobi skills that had allowed him to track Sasuke.

"Actually… I really can't explain how I knew. I just felt you were out here, so I went looking for you and saw you passing out" Naruto said, staring at Sasuke with a gentle smile. "I wonder if this is what they call a "Father's Instinct"... I mean, knowing that my child needs me."

Sasuke felt his chest warm and he couldn't help but smile shyly. "I guess you can call it that, Daddy. But I was fine! Really! I was just… resting a little bit."

"Yeah, right…" Naruto chuckled and gave Sasuke a bottle of fresh water, which the boy gladly accepted and drank it almost in one gulp.

"Hey, hey! Slow it down! What's the rush? The water isn't going anywhere" Naruto said.

After Sasuke drank the whole bottle he gave it back to his Dad. "Thanks for water, Tou-chan. I'm going to train a little more now."

"Huh? Sasuke, that's not a good idea. You just fainted, you need to rest or else you might black out again."

"I'm fine, I've told you" the stubborn boy said, standing up rather quickly. "I can go…"

Just as Naruto had predicted, the moment Sasuke tried to run back to the lake, his vision blurred and he felt himself falling backwards. His small body landed comfortably in his father arms, who pushed him softly against chest.

"See? I told you" the blond say with a smirk and sat down with his son sitting on his lap. "Now, you're gonna stay right here and rest."

"Wha…? Tou-chan!" Sasuke cried out with embarrassment. "I'm not a baby anymore, usuratonkachi! Let me go!"

Naruto shook his head. "No way, teme. You're not going anywhere for a while. You got to learn to relax and enjoy life once in a while. Life isn't all training, you know? I swear… Sometimes you act like you're ten years older. You're a little kid! You should play and have fun."

"I'm not a little kid!" Sasuke whined, sounding just like a little kid and trying to free himself from Naruto's hug. "I'll be seven in a month. I'm already grown-up and I have to train to get stronger. I can't be a ninja if don't have power."

At this, Naruto's hold got even tighter. Sasuke opened his mouth to tell him to let him go but shut it up again when he saw the strange expression on his father's eyes. He looked… troubled.

Did Sasuke say something he shouldn't? He repeated the same words he said and didn't find anything nasty, at least that he knew. But Naruto wasn't smiling playfully anymore and was actually holding Sasuke like he the raven could run away at any second.

"Tou-chan?" the boy asked, confusion evident in his black eyes. "What's wrong?"

Naruto smiled sadly and his hug became gentler.

"You're growing up too fast" the blond said, rubbing Sasuke's back with a sad gaze. "I know that you want to train, but can you just stay with me here for a little bit. No one is looking, so you don't have to worry."

Suddenly, Sasuke's heart felt heavy. He didn't want his father to be sad or think that he didn't want to be with him. He was training so hard so he could become strong just like he was, because he wanted to feel that they were alike. He wanted to tell him that everything he did was so that they could fight together, that he wanted him to love him more than his rival, he wanted Naruto to be his real father and not adoptive.

He tried to tell him all those things, but he just couldn't bring himself to say them. Why was it always so hard for Sasuke to tell Naruto how he really felt? Why were things between them always so complicated?

It was like there was this rift between them and, no matter how many times they tried to close it, it was always there separating them.

Since Sasuke mouth couldn't mutter the words locked inside his heart, he simply leaned his head against his father's chest and relaxed completely in his warm embrace.

"It's okay… I don't wanna train anymore" the boy said, feeling protected and loved. "We can stay here together, Daddy."

"Alright" Naruto answered with a smile as his child snuggled against his body, knowing it was exactly where he belonged.


When Sasuke opened his eyes, his feelings during that moment still lingered in his mind. At that time, there weren't any doubts. He didn't think about his first life or the adoption, he was just a son who was being held by his Daddy.

The young man stood up and walked towards the familiar lake. Everything looked exactly the same as always, yet, it felt so different.

Sasuke made the hand seals and was ready to launch a very powerful Katon into the lake; one he already knew it was going to be strong and perfect. However, as he felt the heat on his throat, he lowered his arms and the heat subsided.

"This… is worthless" he whispered to the wind.

Feeling empty and forlorn, Sasuke turned around, grabbed his groceries and walked towards his house.


"Hi, Tou-chan. I came back" Sasuke said to the silent house. Like the other times, there was no answer, no one to welcome him home anymore.

Sasuke placed the groceries on the kitchen and went upstairs, to Naruto's bedroom. Though it was a hot summer day, the raven had covered his father with all their blankets in a futile attempt to keep him warm. But was of no use, the blond's skin was still ice-cold and he wasn't even sweating. It looked like all his body was frozen in time, even the crystals around his wound wouldn't come out.

Trying to ignore how pale and sick his Dad looked; Sasuke sat in a chair by his bed to talk to him. He had to keep talking to him, he might listen. Maybe one day he would hear him and come back.

"The meeting today was disappointing. There is no news at all and no changes" the raven said. "You can't tell him that I said this but that asshole Riku is a born leader. I mean… I couldn't ever do what he did. He made us all feel calm and gave us a purpose to help you and all the other adults. Shigeru-san must be very proud… I saw him this morning and he looked better. I guess some people are just made to be leaders and lead people. That's why you are gonna be the Hokage, right? Tsunade Baa-chan said so. And me? I think I'll be better as an ANBU, so I'll have your back."

Naruto remained silent and still like a statue. Carefully, Sasuke pulled the covers and grabbed his cold hand.

"This is wrong… this very wrong. This has got to be a nightmare" Sasuke whimpered, tears rolling down his face. "Why don't you come back, Dad? Why don't you wake up? I don't know what to do without you. I don't wanna lose you. You said it! I'm just a little boy. I look bigger now but it doesn't matter. I want my Daddy back."

No answer. Not even a movement. Naruto's hand was limp against Sasuke's.

"There are so many things I want to tell you. I wanted to tell you sooner but… I couldn't. I don't know why, maybe I'm just a coward. I… don't want to be adopted. I wish I was your son, your biological son. I wanted us to be alike and I wanted to be your best friend too, I didn't tell you because I was afraid you were gonna say that we couldn't be best friends and that your rival would always be your best friend."

Sasuke remained silent for a few seconds, the forbidden words coming out inside his heart.

"Now that I know the truth about my past life, that I was your rival all along... I wish… I didn't have a first life. I don't remember anything about it and to me this life… the one where I'm your son and you're my father, that is the life that feels real and that I want. I still want to be your best friend and fight alongside you, but I… I can't stop thinking of you as my Dad. I don't want to. I wanna be your son! I am your son! This shouldn't be so complicated! Why didn't you just have sex with a girl and have me, usuratonkachi?"

There were two framed photos on Naruto's bedside table. The one where Sasuke was a baby and was sleeping in his Daddy Naruto's arms, and the other was the one they took as teammates in Team 7, where Sasuke looked annoyed at his comrade Naruto.

Still crying, Sasuke picked up the picture of him as a baby and stared at it while tears fell on the glass. The young Naruto in the photo looked so happy, unknowing that the baby in his arms would cause him so much pain.

"I'm sorry… I wasn't a good dad."

"No! That's not true. You are the best father in the world."

"I wanted to be a good dad… I wanted you to be happy"

"I was happy. I was really happy! You are perfect just the way you are."

"I'm sorry I wasn't good enough."

"No… I'm the one who doesn't deserve you. I blew it… You build our family and I crushed it because I wanted power, though the reason I wanted to be powerful was so you would be proud of me in the first place. I don't have the right to be your son when all I do is hurting you over and over."

Sasuke took the family photo and left the Team 7 photo on Naruto's bedside table. The raven could only wonder what his past self would have done. He definitely would never hurt Naruto this way. They were best friends and the person Naruto admired the most, the teammate whose memories he cherished and had disappeared when Uzumaki Sasuke was "born".

Sasuke looked at the blond man one more time before leaving the room. Naruto had made enough sacrifices for him already, he didn't deserve anymore heartbreaks. If Naruto truly missed his best friend, if he wanted him back, then Sasuke would be that person again. He would turn back into his precious teammate and restore their previous bond to what it was.

If that was what it took to make Naruto happy, Sasuke would learn all about his older self and become him again… for him. That was the least he could do.

The raven took the picture of their family from the frame and put hid it in his pocket. Although he knew that he was doing the right thing, he couldn't help but feel his child heart shatter into a million pieces.


The kid was crying again. Naruto could hear him crying desperately in the darkness but, no matter how much he tried to find him, he couldn't see the child, just hear him crying.

"Where are you?" Naruto asked into the dark. "I can't find you if you don't tell me where you are!"

The kid continued crying and Naruto started walking towards the sound. He needed to find that child! He only knew he had to find him and quick. His heart ached every time he heard him crying, even if he couldn't understand why.

Suddenly Naruto saw something in front of him, flickering like a mirage or a really bad genjutsu. It was a small boy, that much he could tell, but he couldn't see his face or his upper body right. The image was too blurred.

The boy was crying in the dark, his hands fisted against his face and his tears running down his face to the dark ground.

Naruto stepped closer, feeling anxious and upset by that kid's sorrow.

"Who are you?" he asked, moving closer to the boy. "Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

The boy sobbed as Naruto got closer. The blond felt that he had to help the kid; he was the only one who could do it. That boy needed him and Naruto needed him.

He had to go that child. He didn't want them to be apart.

"Don't cry. I'm here" Naruto said, his chest hurting from the innumerous emotions that he felt towards the crying little boy. "It's going to be okay now."

But the moment Naruto was about to touch the kid, a bright light blinded him and he felt like he was being pulled away from the boy.


"No! Wait!" Naruto yelled, feeling his arms and legs trapped. "Let me go back!"

"There's no way you're going back to sleep again, Naruto" an angry female voice said.

When Naruto finally opened his eyes he saw the unmistakable long red hair of Uzumaki Kushina. His really pissed off mother.

"K-Kaa-chan?" the blond asked, looking around and realizing that his arms and legs were trapped inside his bed's sheets, like a straitjacket. "Wha…? Was I dreaming?"

"You were dreaming for more than twenty minutes after I first called you" Kushina said, helping Naruto free himself from his sheets. "Honestly, Naruto! When are you going to grow up and be more responsible? You're sixteen years old, 'ttebane!

Naruto rubbed his head and stood up with an awkward smile. "Sorry, Kaa-chan. But I was having that dream again… the one about the kid who's crying."

Kushina picked up her son's clean clothes and gave them to him with a sigh. "You should worry less about dreams and more about waking up on time. Your Tou-san already left."

"Oh? Already? I kinda wanted to ask Tou-chan about the dreams" Naruto said.

"He's the Hokage. Kage don't get late! I bet that friend of yours, Gaara, is never late."

"Kaa-chan! You didn't need to throw that into my face… But seriously, it felt so real…"

Kushina slapped the blond teen on the head. "Stop rambling and get dressed. Sakura-chan is downstairs already."

"Huh? She is? Crap! I really am late!"

"What have I been telling you all this time? Hurry up, Naruto!" the red haired woman said before leaving his bedroom.

Naruto dressed his black orange jumpsuit and left his bedroom. As he went down the stairs he could hear his mom and Sakura chattering by the front door.

"I'm really sorry for Naruto" Kushina said with a smile. "I called him half an hour ago."

"Oh! It's okay, Kushina-san. I know how he is" Sakura answered.

"Ah… Good Morning, Sakura-chan!" Naruto said jovially, though his expression changed into fear as he saw both his mother and Sakura glare at him.

"There you are Naruto. Hurry up and go, Kakashi-kun must be waiting already" Kushina said.

"Kakashi-sensei is always late. What's the problem if I'm late once in a while" the blond asked.

"You can think about that when you're a Jōnin. Now go" his mom said, pulling him towards the door.

Naruto looked at the table and his stomach roared.

"Can I eat a small breakfast?" the blond teen asked carefully.

"NO!" both Sakura and Kushina yelled.

"We're going now" Sakura said, grabbing Naruto by his ear and pulling down the hall as he cried in pain. "It was nice to see you Kushina-san" the pink haired girl said smilling.

"It was nice to see you too, Sakura-chan" Kushina said smiling back and completely unaffected that her son was shrieking. "Take care of Naruto for me, okay?"

"We all will!" Sakura answered and she pulled Naruto to the street, still holding his hear.

"OW! Ow! Sakura-chan… I'm sorry… Ow! Please let go of my ear" Naruto asked.

"Fine" the medic-nin said. "But you should be ashamed of yourself! You made us all wait for you and then Kakashi-sensei told me to go and get you. What a drag!"

Knowing that no excuse would work, Naruto kept his mouth shut and tied his Hitai-ate around his head. He still couldn't take that dream out of his head, or the image of the little boy. Part of him really wanted to have been able to reach him.

"Here we are, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura announced as they walked towards the bridge.

Kakashi looked up from his very worn-out Icha- Icha book with his usual bored gaze. "Oh! Looks like you found Naruto, Sakura."

"He was still sleeping" the girl said.

"Sakura-chan, I said I was sorry. I didn't hear my mom call me, give me a break" Naruto replied.

"Hmph! You still need your mother to go and get you out of bed? You really are childish."

Naruto looked behind Kakashi and glared at his most exasperating teammate. Like always, Uchiha Sasuke looked impeccable and cool, leaning against the bridge.

"Always putting on airs! Mind your business, Sasuke-teme!" the blond yelled angrily.

Sasuke turned around and started walking.

"Hey! Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you, bastard!"

"I will when you have something worth hearing" the brooding Uchiha answered.

"Come on! We have a A Rank Mission today" Kakashi told them. "We shouldn't start with the wrong foot."

Naruto quickly got over his bickering with Sasuke and listened excitedly to his sensei as he talked about the mission. Their team had the record of most successful missions accomplished, so this one was just another victory to add.

When everyone's positions were decided, Naruto was paired with Sasuke. He and the raven jumped from tree to tree until they spotted the group of assassins that was terrorizing the Land of Fire.

"Right! I'm going!" Sasuke said and got ready to jump into their midst as a distraction.

Suddenly, Naruto became very aware of the weapons the assassins carried as well as their huge numbers. Sasuke was going there alone. It was dangerous!

The raven was ready to jump, when he felt Naruto's hand grab his arm.

"What the hell are you doing, baka?" Sasuke asked exasperated.

"I… We should go together. They're so many!"

"I can handle them just fine. Let me go, Naruto!"

"But… it's dangerous… and you…"

"Of course it's dangerous, idiot!" Sasuke yelled. "It's a A Rank mission. Stop acting so weird and follow the plan!"

Sasuke pulled his arm from Naruto's grasp and immediately knocked out one of the assassins. Naruto rubbed his head. He didn't know what had gotten into him. Why did he suddenly feel so protective of Sasuke of all people?

Well, it didn't matter. It was his turn to battle now.


I just hope you guys aren't confused about what just happened. More will be explained next chapter.

I hope you like it. As always, please review. Your words keep me going and I would have stopped a long time ago if you didn't ask me to keep writing!

See ya!