Sasuke shot off down the hall after the stretcher.
"Sasuke-chan!" the nurse yelled. He heard her footsteps speed up behind him. Sasuke urged his legs to run faster. He was catching up with the doctors. He stretched out his hand to grab one of their coats...his fingers closed on white fabric. He slowed down to a jog alongside the stretcher.
"Kid, he's been attacked with a Sharingan, we've got to get him into surgery! " One of the doctors said, trying to pry Sasuke's fingers off the stretcher bar. Sasuke held fast.
"Naruto!" Naruto opened a bloody eye.
"Sasuke...we're a team." he whispered. Naruto's body convulsed, he rolled sideways and clutched his throat, coughing. Blood splattered everywhere. Someone grabbed Sasuke from behind, wrenching him free from the stretcher.
"No!" He pulled at the hands around his waist. "Let me go! Naruto!" He twisted his body every way he could think of. He kicked and bit, but whoever was holding him was strong.
"Let me go! Let me go!" he screamed. The person released him. Sasuke hit the ground running.
"Naruto needs care, Sasuke-chan! You'll only get in the way." Sasuke stopped. He turned back.
"He's my friend."
"Look at me." Sasuke looked up into the kind face of the Third.
"Hokage-sama! I uh..I...sorry I bit you..."
"Don't worry about it. Naruto's your friend, I understand."
"What happened?" The Third bit his lip.
"Sasuke..." Sasuke knew that tone, he was about to lie.
"The doctor said he'd been attacked with a Sharingan! So don't lie, I know! It was Itachi!" The Hokage looked taken aback. He regained himself quickly. The Third put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.
"Yes, it was Itachi." Sasuke's nails bit into the palm of his hand.
"What exactly happened?" he demanded. The Third sighed.
"Sasuke, you have to understand something, Naruto is not a normal child. People are scared by things that aren't normal."
"What happened?" Sasuke growled again. He was fighting hard to keep his temper in line. No one would tell him anything.
"Hokage-sama, Kyuubi is trying to break containment!" An orderly skidded to a halt in front of them.
"Kyuubi?" said Sasuke immediately. "What's that?" The Third shot a glare at the orderly.
"Sasuke, I have to go." He followed the orderly back down the hall.
"Wait!" Sasuke called after them. Neither paid attention. Sasuke headed back to his room, feeling more confused than ever.
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"I can't believe I slept through all that!" said Sakura angrily, "Why didn't you wake me up?"
"Sorry." Sasuke muttered. "I didn't have time to think about that."
"What about Naruto? Is he alright?" asked Sakura in a a softer tone.
"Dunno. He was messed up bad though." answered Sasuke.
"How do you think it happened?" Sasuke vaguely thought about lying, but he was too exhausted. He had not slept since he woke up yesterday. Sakura did not need to be kept out of the loop anyway.
"Itachi." he whispered.
"Oh...Sasuke..." She hugged him lightly.
"It's alright." he said reassuringly, to both her and himself. Acting as a perfect silence breaker, a nurse entered holding a glass of water and two grey pills.
"Your last dose of medicine Sasuke-chan." she said, smiling.
"What about Naruto?" said Sasuke, taking the pills and the water.
"I still don't know anything." said the nurse stiffly. Sasuke gulped down the pills and, making a face, drained the water out of the cup. The medicine had a nasty aftertaste. The nurse took the cup and headed out the door.
"Sasuke-chan," she said, stopping at the threshold, "It seems you have a roommate." A bed rolled into the room. On it was a heavily bandaged Naruto. Sasuke and Sakura leapt to help secure the wheels on Naruto's bed. After the nurses left, Sasuke and Sakura climbed carefully onto either side of Naruto.
"You were right, he is in bad shape." commented Sakura, brushing a few strands of hair out of Naruto's face.
"Naruto?" said Sasuke, shaking his friend gently.
"You have bad breath Sasuke." groaned Naruto, pulling his shirt up over his nose.
"Wake up." said Sakura, rolling her eyes.
"Not until Sasuke brushes his teeth." replied Naruto, grinning. Sasuke slid onto his feet, went to the bathroom and scrubbed his teeth as hard as he could.
"Better?" he said, breathing on Naruto.
"Yeah." Naruto said, sitting up. Sasuke clambered back up beside Naruto. A few moments of awkward silence passed. Sasuke could hear his heart thumping in his chest, wondering what to say. What do you say to your friend after your brother beats him up? There were only two words that came to Sasuke's mind.
"You're trashed." He immediately kicked himself mentally for saying it. It sounded so stupid. Naruto just laughed.
"Yeah, your brother knows how to throw a punch."
"So...?" Sakura urged.
"I went to tell Itachi off for beating up Sasuke. I called him a bastard and told him to go apologize to you, Sasuke. He turned on those eyes." Naruto shivered, "It felt weird, I can't even explain it. He started punching me, he was yelling something, I don't remember what it was. Some other people started to join in...and then a bunch of sirens, and Sasuke was with me for a little bit there...Sasuke?" Sasuke was rubbing his eyes furiously. He couldn't stop himself from crying.
"Sasuke, really, I'm fine! It doesn't hurt much, it's okay!" Naruto assured desperately. Sasuke leaned over, hugging his friend.
"I am so sorry, Naruto." he said quietly.
"I can see that. Don't worry, it's what friends do." said Naruto brightly. Sasuke nodded.
"Okay."
"Sasuke, you're crushing me." Naruto pointed out.
"Oh, right." Sasuke sat back up, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
"So, Naruto," said Sakura, breaking the silence, "Did they fix your head while you were in there?"
"Sakura-chaaaan! Why are you so mean to me?" said Naruto, feigning hurt. Sakura giggled.
"Now that you mention it Sakura, his head does look a little different." said Sasuke, grinning.
"You too Sasuke?" Naruto buried his face in his hands, pretending to cry. He kept peeking through his fingers.
"Hey, when do they bring you lunch in this place?" Naruto asked suddenly, putting his hands down. Sasuke and Sakura shared a look.
"Wow, great attention span Naruto." said Sakura.
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They were able to coax a nurse into bringing them lunch early. Sakura picked off of Sasuke and Naruto's plates.
"Naruto..." started Sakura.
"Hm?"
"Something's been bothering me. You said that after Itachi started punching you, a bunch of other people joined in."
"Yeah."
"Well, why would they? They didn't have any reason." Naruto put down his chopsticks.
"I dunno..." he said thoughtfully, "I didn't really think about it." Sasuke dropped his chopsticks.
"Naruto," he said quickly, "I've just remembered something that happened when I was talking to Hokage-sama last night. What's Kyuubi?"
"How should I know?" Naruto shrugged, shoveling rice into his mouth.
"Well, right after it was said, Hokage-sama ran off towards you." They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Sasuke, you have more visitors." said a nurse, smiling. She opened the door wider to reveal Father, Mother, and Itachi.
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Sasuke and Sakura scooted protectively closer to Naruto. Sasuke watched Itachi's eyes intently, ready if they changed.
"Itachi." Father growled. Itachi folded his arms. Father prodded him in the back. Itachi shot a deadly glare up at him.
"Now." said Father in a low voice
"No." Itachi made no effort to keep his voice down. Father grasped his arm tightly.
"I'll put you back in the academy." he said quietly.
"They both deserved it." Itachi spat, pulling his arm away. He touched a nerve. Sasuke didn't think about it. He jumped off the bed and rushed at Itachi.
"You jerk! Naruto didn't deserve that!"
"Sasuke!" Mother caught him before he reached Itachi.
"You had no right! I'll get you back! I'll kill you!" Sasuke smirked; he'd made an effect on Itachi. Itachi regained his composure quickly however. He bent down to Sasuke's eye level and putting his forefinger to Sasuke's forehead he smiled and said,
"Little brother, you just saved yourself." After that, he disappeared into thin air.
Bear with me here. I feel like my grammar and sensory details and all are screwed up. Well, that's because I used to do really in depth stuff, but then it would feel weird when I switched to the action part. So I'm trying to blend it and...well, as I said, bear with me. Writing takes practice. Anyway, only four more fillers!