Author Note: The celebration of my 18th birthday continues and I bring you another chapter for you that have so patiently waited for it. I don't know what came over me when I wrote the first part of this chapter but it ended up pretty good, at least I think so. Thanks to everyone that have supported this fic with reviews and everyone else that has taken the time to stop and read it. I'm really happy that so many of you like Satoshi, the little adorable kid that have caught the heart of so many readers. The writer, me, is also one of them.
Summary: Now the real battle begins. Sasuke is going after Naruto in an attempt to bring him back but on the way they meet big trouble. In the mean time, what happens to Naruto and when he met Sasuke again will he still remember him?
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and I never will.
Pairings: SasuNaru, HinaNeji, SakuLee.
Please Read, Enjoy and Review. All reviews of encouragement, joy, happiness and constructive criticism are welcome. All flames will be handed or thrown over to my beta reader Asaroth where they will be equally, or worse, flamed back.
What You Left Me
Written by Monkan and Beta-Reader Asaroth
Part 11
The room was dark and wet. Something sticky dripped from his hand as he lay on his stomach, trying to breath. Each breath was painful and took a lot of effort to take. His mind went in and out of consciousness. He didn't know if it was night or day. Every hour looked the same to him. Nothing changed, not even the strange people that came and took a look at him.
They gave him something. Was he sick? Where was he? Why was his vision becoming blurry each time they gave him something?
How long had he been here? He didn't know! How much longer would he stay here? He didn't know! How long did he have left to live? He didn't know!
It wasn't like someone would miss him. Who would cry for him when he was gone? He couldn't think of someone, but there was something at the back of his mind that bothered him, that kept him awake. Something that didn't want to be forgotten. A name… a face… a life…
Sometimes images would flash through his head, he didn't recognize them, and yet at the same time he did. He didn't understand anything anymore. Who was he? What was he waiting for?
He sighed, despite the pain in his chest and head. He tasted something on his tongue. Water? No, something else! Blood? Maybe! Was he bleeding? How much blood had he lost? He didn't know! Was it little or too much? Was that the reason why he was dizzy? Perhaps!
Sounds of footsteps. Oh, here they are again. Strange people in white clothes. They turned him over, examining him. Whispering something to each other. Giving him something again. Was it that stuff that made him sleepy? Maybe! Perhaps! What did he know about medicine? Nothing! Only that it hurt. Wait! What hurt?
Hours of lying in bed, pain in his back, pain in his stomach, feeling like throwing up. Someone was with him. A shadow kept him company. Who was it? Who was it? He couldn't tell but he knew that person.
Someone... something... important... he... was... forgetting...
A name. A face. He once knew and treasured that person. A life he once had….
-o-o-o-o-o-
Neji stood tapping his foot against the floor, annoyance written all over his face, his arms crossed over his chest. He watched as Sasuke wrapped new bandage over his wounds. Satoshi stood beside him holding a black shirt in his hands.
The silence stretched over them. One ignored it, one was slightly affected by it and he stood silently enduring it.
"You are crazy!" Neji snapped.
Sasuke stopped slightly and looked up with an equally annoyed glare before going back to what he was doing. "Did you just realize it?"
Neji's eyebrow twisted. "No!" He threw a glance at Satoshi who was patiently standing beside his father. "Have you thought this through?"
"Yes, I have!"
"I doubt it. If you had, you wouldn't do this! Have you thought about your son?" Neji asked angrily.
Satoshi flinched slightly and started to fiddle with Sasuke's shirt at the mention of his name.
Sasuke looked at his son and his eyes became soft. "I always do!" He whispered. Satoshi looked straight into Sasuke's face before giving a small smile.
Neji scratched his head in frustration. "I can't talk you out of this?" He asked hopelessly.
Sasuke shook his head before looking at Neji. "You've already tried."
The dark haired shinobi reached for his shirt and Satoshi held it out to him. He slowly put it on, making sure to be careful where the bandage was.
"You will come back, won't you daddy?" Satoshi asked. The boy's eyes looked sad, like he wanted to cry, but he was strong enough and he held them back.
Sasuke kneeled down on one knee and patted Satoshi's hair, smiling. "Of course I will. As long as you are waiting for me I will come back."
Satoshi smiled up at his daddy, trusting everything he was told. Sasuke gathered his son in his arms. Satoshi returned the hug. Neji didn't have the courage to look so he bit his lower lip and looked away.
When Sasuke released Satoshi he turned to leave the room that he had spent the last week recovering in. Satoshi walked out not far behind Sasuke and Neji waited for a second before following them.
Not long after they saw the others that would be in the team following Sasuke. Takaziwa Shiichi was with them. When Satoshi felt a hand on his shoulder he tilted his head back and saw Sakura and a few of his friends. He would be staying with them while his daddy was gone. They all felt that it would be best for Satoshi to be with them.
After about an hour they were ready to leave. Satoshi followed them with Sakura and the others. While the gates opened, Sasuke felt something grasp his hand. He looked down and saw Satoshi.
"Don't forget your promise earlier." The little boy whispered.
Sasuke smiled reassuringly. "I will never forget!" Satoshi let go of the warm hand and he watched his daddy walk out the gate.
Sasuke was slightly surprised when he saw Neji standing at the line between Konoha and the rest of the world. Neither looked at the others face when they passed each other.
"Make sure you keep that promise." Neji whispered.
Sasuke didn't say anything, he just kept on walking.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Naruto slowly opened his eyes. His head hurt, so did his chest. Where was he? How had he gotten here? Slowly he pushed himself up with his hands from the hard surface. He felt something wet under one of his hands and when he took it up and looked it was covered with a red substance. He looked down at himself and saw that the bandage that covered his chest was stained with blood leaking through.
The thin blanket that had kept him warm fell away when he stood up shaking. A pair of tattered and dirty pants was the only thing except the bandage that kept him warm in the freezing room. His head spun even more when the loss of blood caught up with him. He staggered through the room and fell to the floor in a clumsy heap. When one normally would feel pain when landing on cold and hard floor, he almost felt nothing.
He didn't give up; once again he stood up and with one foot in front of the other and slowly made his way to the door in the dimly lit room. His throat felt dry and each step was painful, but he had to keep going. When he finally touched the door, the surface was cold under his hands. He let out his breath and pushed down the door handle. To his surprise and luck the door opened without any trouble but the trouble now was that he was standing face to face with a guard.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Shadows moved through the forest at high speed. Jumping from tree to tree or running over the ground beneath. All of them were either ANBU or Jounin level shinobis. Takaziwa Shiichi was in the lead. What they didn't know was that a bit further ahead...
-o-o-o-o-o-
Naruto's back connected loudly with the wall and he slid down to the floor. Spots of different colours blurred his eyesight. He heard someone say something but he couldn't understand them.
The shadow was with him again and this time dark, almost black eyes gazed at him, black hair framing a pale face, pale hands holding his as he talked softly to him---
Someone came running towards them, holding a necklace. The colour green flowed through it. Somehow when Naruto saw it he knew that once he got that thing around his neck it was all over.
His hand searched for anything he could find. Anything would be fine-- He felt something cold and sharp under his fingers...
-o-o-o-o-o-
The shinobis split up to avoid the attack. Sasuke landed at the base of a tree just for a moment before he had to jump away from a rain of ice.
"This is taking too much time." He thought.
In the air he checked what was happening on the ground and saw five enemy shinobis. Again he was attacked in the air, but he twisted his body so he countered it and landed safely on the ground. Biting down on his lower lip as pain from his old injuries started to shot through him.
The other Jounins and ANBUs were already on the offence and pushed the enemy back. Suddenly a rain of needles came toward them. Sasuke's hands formed seals as he shouted for everyone to take cover. A big ball of fire blocked the needles and burned them to nothing, despite the fact that they were metallic.
He turned around just in time to see an enemy rushing towards him.
He blocked the kicks and fists easily. The next moment he sensed something coming toward him from behind and jumped upwards. Sharp blades of wind came slashing after him and he was about to counter it when a thunder bolt crossed through the wind, cancelling it.
Sasuke landed and saw one of the other ANBU members give him a thumb up.
Someone screamed for him to watch out, but before he could react he felt something sharp hit his chest....
-o-o-o-o-
Slowly and unsteadily Naruto walked through the long hallway. He held onto the kunai he had found. He had no idea how many had already tried to stop him, he had lost count after the second attack. He had no idea how long he had walked and he was breathing hard.
When he thought that maybe he was trapped in a Genjutsu, he finally saw what looked like the exit and sunlight coming through the open door.
He smiled and whispered. "Sasuke."
-o-o-o-o-o-
Sasuke started to fall to the ground. The Mist ninja that had hidden in the shadow was attacked and pushed out to the light. In a flash the enemy was either struck down or frozen inside blocks of ice. The rest ran to where Sasuke lay unmoving.
-o-o-o-o-o-
At first the brightness of the sun had blinded Naruto but now his eyes were getting used to the bright light. He had no idea what direction he should go. He just followed his instinct. While he walked as fast as he could he tried to stay awake. His eyes felt heavy, but if he fell asleep here he was sure he would never get to see him again. He repeated mentally the name that had stayed with him, the name that belonged to the man in his memories. Sasuke.
Suddenly he was stopped by a giant shuriken that hit the ground in front of him.
"That's as far as you can go." Someone in the shadows shouted. "If you insist to go on any further we will have to kill you. Don't make the wrong decision!"
Naruto leaned against the tree, he felt all the tiredness wash over him now that he had stopped. His eyes shut down and he could really feel the darkness surround him. He was tired... He just wanted to sleep... so tired...
----
"Naruto." Sasuke said to get his attention. Satoshi looked up to his daddy too. He was crying and smiling. Sasuke's arm was still around Satoshi. "This is Uchiha Satoshi." Sasuke looked down at Satoshi for a moment before he once more looked up at Naruto's face. "Naruto, this is our son!"
---
Naruto's eyes snapped open and he stared straight at a woman holding the giant shuriken, her hand ready to grasp his arm, her companions standing not to far from her on guard. Before anyone of them could move a muscle they were flung backwards and each hit a tree. Slowly the woman raised her head and looked as Naruto stood up on his feet, one hand pressed against his thigh to keep him up. The air around him seemed to move with something other than the wind.
"I'm going back to my family." Naruto said before turning around and walking away from them. The wind dragged a few leaves with it.
-o-o-o-o-
One of the ANBU that wore an eagle mask raised Sasuke so he was sitting up.
Sasuke groaned as the air once again reached his lungs. For a moment he stopped breathing and his mind went blank. He opened his eyes and grabbed the needle that had hit him right in the chest. Pulling it out and throwing it aside. The point of the needle was dripping with poison.
Shiichi landed beside him. "Are you ok?" One of the Jounins had medical experience. She started to check Sasuke.
Sasuke nodded as he pushed her away and pulled out a chain he had around his neck. At the end of it was a golden ring. One of the sides was slightly discoloured from the poison.
Someone patted Sasuke's shoulder. "You're one lucky person."
The medical Jounin talked to Shiichi. He turned to Sasuke. "If that had actually hit you your son would probably be an orphan now."
The black haired shinobi started to get up when his senses picked up that someone was coming, but that wasn't the point. He recognized the chakra of who was coming.
A blond fell from the other side and the person tried to get up. Sasuke held his breath as the blond raised his head. His heart skipped a beat when he saw who it really was. His heart filled with happiness.
"Na--"
Suddenly a shadow leaped out from the bushes behind Naruto, a giant sword in his hands as he was ready to strike it down on the blond, a cruel smile on his face.
"Not so fast!"
TBC...
Author Note: GASP! Did I just cut it there? Yes I did. I still haven't lost my touch. Don't know if I should take that in a good way or bad BUT don't rampage over your kingdoms to find me. The next chapter is also on the way, I'm just waiting to get it back from Asaroth so I can look through it and add a few notes here and there before it comes out. Well, I'm keeping watch in my mail box for the next wave of new chapters. Tell me what you think about this chapter. Leave those encouraging and wise words you send to me so I can go on writing……… What I'm trying to say is that it would be nice if you would review.