Chapter 17

Recovery

Both Nartuo and Sasuke were in recovery after the procedure/battle they had just been through. When it was over, Sasuke was concerned about Naruto and how the effects of the procedure were already wearing on him. He reached out with his unaffected arm and lightly touched Sakura's shoulder when she was getting ready to move him to his recovery room.

"I want to stay with Naruto," he uttered "please."

"Uh," she started apprehensively and looked up at Lady Tsunade.

"I don't think that's such a good idea Sakura, he will be moved back to holding until he recovers." She commanded.

"Holding!" Nartuo growled as he looked at Sakura and Lady Tsunade with shock and anger "You never told me you sent Sasuke there!"

"Why would I Naruto, do you think that I need to run all my decisions as Hokage past you?" She growled back.

"No, but this crosses the line grandma! Sasuke is a hero of this village, if it weren't for him Madara would have won and all of us would be drained of chakra and dead right now!"

"It's okay Nartuo," Sasuke returned, "I can see that you're doing okay. You seem to have enough energy left to argue."

"It's not okay Sasuke! Why are you accepting this," Naruto yelled.

"Because" Sasuke said as he laid his head down in defeat, "I deserve to be there. Why are you the only one who can't see that Naruto. You're pretty dim sometimes," he teased

"Deserve? Deserve? You're the dim one! How do you figure that?"

"I left the village, I decided to follow Orochimaru and do whatever it took to have my revenge. I nearly killed Sakura, not just once, but twice, and I turned on you after we battled Madara. What more would I need to do to become an enemy of the leaf. This is what I deserve Naruto, I accepted that when I offered to help you. I knew this is what I would be coming home to." Sasuke finished

All three of them looked at Sasuke in disbelief.

"…Exactly…" Lady Tsunade added after a pause. "This is why I can't release him at this point." She added

"At this point," Sakura repeated "do you mean…" she faltered

"Yes, it is my intention to eventually release Sasuke, if he cooperates and no longer presents a threat to the leaf village." Lady Tsunade added "However, now you both need to focus on recovery. You will be taken to your rooms and medics will be in to check on you shortly. Try to get some rest."

They were both wheeled out to go to recovery. Lady Tsunade left the recovery room too, and Kakashi met her right outside the room.

"It went well Kakashi," she started in first "I think they will both make a full recovery."

"Thank you 5th Hokage," he said with a truly grateful tone and look in his eye.

"I don't have the energy to argue with you about Sasuke today Kakashi, that was a long operation." She stated.

"You can't be serious putting him in holding after this kind of procedure. He's shown where his alliance is, he's a shinobi of the leaf. Why do you insist on this?" Kakashi pleaded.

"Maybe Orochimaru is a shinobi of the leaf too, he was also at the battle if you remember. He did kill the leader of our village but I suppose that can all be forgiven because…" She paused, not able to find a reason to forgive him, "I'm sure you can see what I'm trying to say."

"Comparing him to Orochimaru?!" Kakashi replied with shock

"He was his sensi afterall, it's not that far of a stretch. Seriously Kakashi, even Sasuke understands the reasons for his situation and he isn't complaining. When you're Hokage you can make the decisions that you want." She paused, "But please learn from the history of our village and from what happened to our 3rd Hokage because of his soft spot for his favorite student. You know what trouble that caused for the leaf and the shinobi world, and that his weakness drew your student into the situation he's in now."

Kakashi's eyes widened, Lady Tsunade could be forward sometimes, but did she really see the actions of the 3rd in him and reflected in his future.

"Thank you 5th Hokage," he managed and he walked past her into the operating room.