Yay! Chapter 11! I totally never thought that this would ever be 11 chapters long! I was just planning on making maybe maybe 5, 6 at the most, but the reviews I got were so wonderful, I felt compelled to keep it up! So thanks a million to my wonderful reviewers! Reviewers rock! Also sorry it is so late, I had a huge essay dropped in my lap, so I was only able to work on this little bit by little bit, but it is finally done. Anywho, I hope everyone likes this chapter! On with the SasuNaru!

Chapter 11

"Kit. Kit, I really think you're being ridiculous about this whole thing. It's time to wake up. You're beginning to annoy me."

"So what, I'm supposed to wake up and never be able to speak again! How can I be myself if I'm not yelling about everything?" Naruto inquired, sitting in front of Kyuubi with his head in his hands.

"You're hopeless you know that? Can't you feel it?"

"Feel what?" Naruto asked looking up at Kyuubi with puzzlement.

Kyuubi sighed deeply, a low growl resounding at the end.

"Let me explain something to you, kit. I don't think Sasuke fell in love with this sad, pathetic being you have become. You're making me embarrased having to be stuck inside a loser such as yourself. I used to be proud. Worrying and fretting over everything, pssh. Sasuke fell in love with the strong-minded, blunt to the point of rudeness, loud-mouthed, annoying Naruto. Not this weak, feeble minded thing you are now."

"Exactly, loud-mouthed. I can't be loud-mouthed anymore!" Naruto screamed frantically at Kyuubi.

"That was just one of the many things on the list, Kit. Now, open yourself up and feel it, Kit. Really feel," Kyuubi said, nudging Naruto with her snout.

"I don't see what the point of all this is."

"Kit. Feel."

Naruto sighed, and opened his mind letting in anything that was within reach to feel.

Concern, distress, anxiety, frustration, anxiousness, and dread all washed over Naruto like waves on a beach. He knew from whom they were coming from, too. The biggest ones he felt though were fear, lonliness, and regret. What could Sasuke possibly have to feel regretful about now?

"Do you feel it, Kit?" Kyuubi asked.

Naruto shook his head in answer, sadly. He would have to wake up now. He couldn't leave Sasuke to worry over him when he was just fine. Though how he was going to tell him he was okay was beyond him.

"Then you know Sasuke is not going to care that you can no longer yell out your frustrations or happiness anymore, right? He'll be happy just knowing your fine. Hell, he might even consider you not being able to talk a vacation."

"Hey! You bastard!"

"Just hurry up and wake up and live happily ever after before you drive me- completely- insane!" Kyuubi began towering over Naruto, looking three times his normal height.

"I can't!"

"You know what. You're right. He'd never want a loser like you. Just stay with me, forever. Let him live out his life without you. Let him find someone else."

"NO!" Naruto shook his fist at Kyuubi. "He's mine! No one else can have him!"

"No, no, he's sure to find some pretty boy to take care of his lonely nights. Someone whom he could actually get a moan out of. Then he won't need you anymore."

"Fuck you! He does need me! I'm the only one who's going to be taking care of his lonely nights, do you hear me! You just stand back! I'm going to prove it to you and then I'm going to rub it in your face, got that!" Naruto proclaimed, finger pointed at Kyuubi.

Turning around and stalking away proudly, Naruto disappeared through the red mist, back to his being.

"Thank the Gods. Some well deserved silence. Sasuke's luckier than he knows." Kyuubi settled down to take a nap, Naruto's words still ringing in her ears.

Naruto slowly came back to reality. Everything felt weak. Light shining in the room turned the back of his eyelids red. Taking a deep breath, he opened one eye only to the extent of a slit, allowing in only the smallest amount of light. It burned.

Very carefully, so as not to pain himself further, he opened his eyes fully. The first thing he saw were the boring, white ceiling tiles. Looking down to his right he saw Sasuke, asleep, holding his hand gently in his own. He almost cried aloud his name, but remembered he couldn't and that Sasuke was probably very tired. Naruto knew Sasuke had been running himself ragged looking after him, and he felt ashamed of himself.

He could hear the incessant beeping of the heart monitor, and Sasuke's slow even breathing. Craning his head around to search for a bathroom in the stark room (he desperately needed to use one, and know that he was awake, a bedpan just wasn't happening) he felt something stiff against his neck. Lifting his left arm up slowly so as not to wake Sasuke he felt the bandages wrapped around his neck. They itched terribly now that he was awake.

Feeling them made him remember the night he fought the darkness for Sasuke. The night he won. The wound was worth it. Not having his voice anymore was worth Sasuke being able to be by his side, and he cursed himself for not waking up sooner to greet him and let him know everything would be alright now.

He couldn't take it anymore. He had to piss. Now. Gently trying to ease his hand out of Sasuke's grasp, in which he succeded, he sat up slowly so as not to shake the bed. Carefully, he began sliding his legs off the side. No sooner than he set his feet on the floor, then was he falling face first for the hard tiles below. His legs were still too weak to hold him upright. He wanted to yell, but he was incapable. Seeing the floor coming closer and closer, he shut his eyes tightand braced himself for the hard, linoleum floor. It never came.

A pair of strong, lithe arms wrapped themselves around Naruto's torso. He had nearly forgotten how wonderful they felt.

"Are you allright?" said a worried voice in Naruto's ear.

Naruto opened his mouth and began trying to say something until once again it dawned on him that he couldn't. This was going to take some getting used to. Eyebrows nitted together in sadness, Naruto meerly nodded his head slightly in answer to the question.

"Do you need to use the bathroom?" Sasuke asked Naruto quietly.

Naruto hung his head. He was too proud to admit he needed help, and too embarrased to ask for it in this particular situation. Sighing in defeat and resigning himself to his fate, Naruto nodded his head once again in affirmation, but he was still going to try for himself one more time.

Grabbing Sasuke's arms he removed them from his body regretfully. He reached his arms out for the wall, in hopes of steadying himself, but to no avail. His legs were much to weak.

"Naruto, please stop this foolishness and let me help you," Sasuke said pleadingly, cathing Naruto once more and holding him up in a standing position.

Naruto gave him a helpless look. He hated this, thought himself pitiful. What kind of ninja or future Hokage for that matter couldn't even take a piss by themselves?

Sasuke understood what Naruto was going through, knew what he was thinking, so instead of carrying him, he meerly helped him along.

Naruto looked over his shoulder at Sasuke once they had reached the bathroom and gave him a look that said, 'I can handle this from here', even though they both knew he couldn't.

"Naruto, your being silly. You don't have anything I don't have myself, or anything I haven't seen before either for that matter. There's no need to be embarrased." Sasuke knew Naruto was shy when it came to his body, though he didn't know his reasoning behind it.

Naruto put his head in his hands, trying to make the situation go away. It wasn't working.

"Naruto, I want to help you. It's what I am here for. Now, what would be more embarrasing. You wetting your pants, or my helping you?"

Naruto hadn't thought of that. No way was some nurse going to have to change and clean him.

Naruto's face was still beet red from embarrasment when Sasuke helped him out of the bathroom. Upon reaching his bed, he held Sasuke at bay. He at least wanted to crawl back into his bed by himself. It was harder than he had thought it would be. His breathing was labored by the time he got comfortable.

"This is all my fault," Sasuke said when he saw Naruto straining.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand and gave it a light squeeze making him look him in the eyes. Shaking his head, Naruto looked at him with happiness, telling him it wasn't his fault.

"How can you say that? If I wouldn't of-" Sasuke was cut off when Naruto nearly crushed his hand in anger.

Sitting up, Naruto placed his hands on either side of Sasuke's face. Anger flashed across Naruto's face as he shook his head, mouthing the word 'no'.

Sasuke looked at him in confusion. How was this not his fault? He put Naruto here with his own two hands. The very two hands he had sworn to protect him with had ended up nearly killing him instead. Nothing he could do for Naruto would ever be enough to make up for it.

"But, Naruto, I-"

Naruto put a finger to Sasuke's lips, silencing him. Giving him a smile of reassurance, Naruto leaned forward and lightly brushed Sasuke's lips with his own.

Sasuke's emotions overtook him as he pressed further into Naruto's lips. His sorrow for what he had done, his thanks for Naruto going as far as he did to help him, and most of all his relief from knowing he was okay. Sasuke hadn't realized how much he missed this sort of contact from Naruto. How soft his lips were, the almost rough feeling of his tongue caressing his, how he tasted. It was driving him crazy. He knew he had to stop himself before he wouldn't be able too.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away, I'm sorry, I-" Sasuke was silenced by Naruto's smooth lips. He moaned into the kiss, reaching his hand behind Naruto's neck, trying to bring him closer. Both of Naruto's hands were running through his hair, sending shivers down his spine. Naruto pulled away first, desperate for that hateful thing called air, but keeping Sasuke's forehead on his own as he looked him in the eyes. Those deep pools of obsidian that could hold so much emotion one second and nothing at all the next. He loved staring into them, wanted to fall inside and forget the troubles on the outside.

Over and over Naruto mouthed the words, 'I love you', wishing so much he had the voice to say what he wanted. Shaking his head in aggravation and looking down, Naruto repeated himself again.

Sasuke saw. Tilting Naruto's face back up to look at him, he smiled, showing him what only he would ever be able to see.

"I love you, too."

Naruto beamed, wrapping his arms about Sasuke's neck and giving him another passionate kiss. Sasuke could feel everything Naruto was trying to say. He wanted nothing more than to lose himself inside of this kiss, these feelings. Sasuke knew this was where he belonged.

"A-ahem." Iruka cleared his throat when he walked in on the two. Both boys split apart from each other in surprise. Iruka's cheeks grew bright red.

"Sorry for interrupting, but Hokage-sama wishes to see you now, Sasuke."

Sasuke's eyebrows twitched in anger. Naruto finally wakes up and he has to leave to see her. She had had all this time to call for him, and she chooses now. 'Damn woman,' he thought as he stood up. Leaning down, he lightly kissed Naruto's forehead.

"I promise to be back as soon as I can," Sasuke said, giving him a small reassuring smile.

"I'll keep him company," Iruka said happily. Naruto smiled at this, encouraging Sasuke to go, letting him know he would be okay.

Walking slowly outside of the hospital on his way to the Hokage's office, he kept his head low. Sasuke was sure by now, everyone in the village knew of his attacking Kakashi. He could feel the stares upon him as people watched him walk by, stopping their daily routine to gawk. He could hear the whispers of contempt. The hairs on the back of his neck and his arms were standing on end. He hated this feeling. Naruto was the strongest persone he knew, and now he held him in even higher regards if he put up with this everyday, plus adding in the people who threw random insults at him. No one dared throw an insult at the Uchiha now. Especially not after he hospitalized the Great Copy-Nin.

Kicking at a stone languidly, he began thinking of what sort of punishment the Hokage had finally come up with for him. No matter what it was, he would accept it. Deserving no less than hot pokering, he expected whatever Tsunade-sama had in store for him would be worse than Chinese water torture. Very well, he would accept his fate, whatever it may be.

Finally reaching Tsunade's office door, he nodded his head in recognition of the two anbu standing guard outside the door. Both stepped aside, giving him a wide berth as he stepped forward. Sasuke sighed in frustration as he turned the handle. It seemed everyone really was afraid of him. Wonderful. Now he knew how Gaara felt. Not that he wasn't enjoying the silence. Hopefully, his rabid fan-girls would be afraid as well, but it hurt too much to dream for something so phenomenal as that. Damned if he wouldn't try his hardest though.

Instead of walking in on the usual sight of Tsunade peering over unwanted paperwork, Sasuke saw her leaning back in her chair lazily, cleaning her fingernails with a kunai. She was in total control of this situation and she knew it. Tsunade-sama was always in control of every situation she came across, save for the few involving Naruto, but this was one she seemed almost smug about.

Sasuke was about to be royally fucked.

"Come, sit," Tsunade said calmly, gesturing to the one and only chair in front of her desk.

'She's going to kill me without even breaking a sweat. Why didn't I tell Naruto I loved him before I left?' thought Sasuke as he cautiously took his seat.

Silence blared throughout the Hokage's office as Sasuke waited for the death he knew was upon him. Tsunade was playing with him, waiting for the precise moment to drop the bomb. Oh, how Sasuke hated her when she did this. It was torture, and she enjoyed every minute of watching Sasuke practically squirm in his seat. He knew secretly she was laughing gleefully on the inside at having this sort of power over an Uchiha.

"So, Sasuke. Tell me. Have you enjoyed your life as a ninja so far?" Tsunade questioned with one eyebrow raised.

'What the hell kind of question is that?' thought Sasuke as he looked at Tsunade in confusion. 'Oh, god. Please tell me she's not going to take my ninja title away.'

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"Good. That's good. You enjoy missions?"

"Most of the time, yes."

Tsunade shook her head in understanding.

Sasuke's nervousness grew at Tsunade's silence. Silently he prayed he would still be allowed to be a ninja. It waas his life, all he was used to. It was the only thing he knew. Without it . . .

"I'm going to give you a mission, Sasuke."

Sasuke released the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. Relief ebbed throughout his body. 'Thank the gods,' he thought.

"It will be your last."

'Fuck,' Sasuke thought, rubbing his temples, trying to release the tension that was building. He knew he deserved this but it didn't make it any easier to bear.

"There won't be any time for other missions as this one will take up all your time and last until the last breath leaves your body."

She was going to send him away somewhere. Somwhere far away enough so that seeing Naruto would be impossible. He'd just gotten him back, and now the feeling of knowing he would never see him again pressed down on him hard. Sasuke wouldn't stand for it. He would give up his title himself to be able to stay by Naruto's side. He refused to leave.

"I'll do anything you ask, give up my title, put up with whatever punishment, but I'm not leaving anywhere unless I can come back," Sasuke said defiantly. He knew he shouldn't be making Tsunade angry at him, but he just couldn't bear to be without Naruto. Already he was defying the Hokage's orders, which was enough to be locked up, but he was an Uchiha and they weren't exactly known for following orders. Plus, even if he was locked away, at least he knew Naruto would visit.

"Who said anything about leaving?"

'Damn this woman to hell!' thought Sasuke. 'She's sending me all the wrong impressions, making me think the worst is going to happen!"

"You're never leaving Konohagakure again. Unless of course, Naruto does. Then you will go with him. You are hereby appointed the future Hokage's bodyguard. You are not to leave his side under any circumstances, and if any mortal harm befalls him, you will be held accountable," Tsunade said crossing her arms over her chest as if daring him to defy her on this.

Sasuke could not believe what had just come out of the Hokage's mouth. Eyes wide and mouth hanging open, he realized how much he was letting his emotions show. Clearing his throat, he composed himself.

"You will be paid monthly, of course. Now, unless you have anymore complaints I suggest you get started right away," Tsunade said, pointing at the door.

Sasuke stood and bowed deeply to his Hokage.

"Thanks, Tsunadesama." Sasuke let his happiness at what had just happened and his thanks for it show through his eyes.

Tsunade meerly nodded her head in understanding. After he ran out the door, Tsunade smiled widely. Oh, yeah. She was good.

Sasuke was soaring over the rooftops on his way back to the hospital. He felt like flying. Still a ninja of the highest calibur, and now he was being payed to be by Naruto's side for the rest of their lives. This was the second best moment of his life. The first, of course, being when Naruto had told him he loved him. Naruto. He couldn't wait to get back and tell him. Picking up his speed he raced over Konoha faster than before. He was eager to start his new life with Naruto forever by his side.

Landing in front of the hospital with sure feet, Sasuke took to the stairs knowing he would be faster than the elevator. He practically pranced down the hall towards Naruto's room. The anticipation of seeing Naruto's face light up when he told him the news was killing him.

Bolting through the door, Sasuke finally let a smile show on his face. He wanted Naruto to see it.

"Naruto, I have-" Sasuke stopped short and his smile faded.

Naruto was gone.

AHHHHH! Another cliffhanger! Sorry, but I love them. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, and I hope I will still get my wonderful reviews! Did I mention I love reviewers? Also, hopefully the next chapter will be up soon, as long as schoolwork doesn't get in the way again. Gah! If only people didn't have to go to school, then I could stay home and write SasuNaru fanfiction all day! I can only dream . . . Ja ne for now, peoples!