Chapter Two: Understanding

"Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood."

(Sasuke POV)

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It was the day after Naruto had ran off. It struck me as weird when he just ran off. I mean all I did was call him "dobe," but I always do that. I know he complains about me calling him names but most, no, all of them are true: dobe, dunce, dead-last, baka, and a reject… all of them were true. He is an idiot where common sense is concerned and really slow about realizing things. Then he was the last of our old class to graduate so that makes him dead-last.

I guess I could let up but then he would ask, "Why are you suddenly being nice to me?" I hate that about him. I just can't get why he acts like that! Living with him lately is not helping me. I kind of almost thought about staying with Sakura when she offered but then I thought about what she might do while I was sleeping or worse. I shivered ever so slightly at the thought.

I let out a sigh as I stared at the Uzumaki's living room ceiling. It was morning now and I was really not in the mood to get up and go deal with Kakashi's bull. What kind of ninja is late every day, for no reason, and then tries to come up some lame excuse as to why he was late? Kakashi that's who; he may be a Jounin but he's about as punctual as a sail. I take that back. A sail would be more likely to be on time then Kakashi.

That Jounin says he's only late so Naruto can get there before him, but ever since I've been living with Naruto he's been more then on time. He's been waking up early, as a matter of fact. I keep catching him staring at me… I think…I think he may like me… If that's the case it looks like I've got a fan boy club now. That sounds so wrong…

Well, today I'm the first one up, because I did not even sleep last night. I can't get over how messy Naruto's house is; ramen all over, clothes, trash, help decorate the floor, god this is bad. I know he's been living alone but I'm here now so why doesn't he…do…something? I'm making it sound like I'm going to stay here.

"Now I'm really losing my mind!" I said a little loudly sitting up and shaking my head. It was either I was losing my mind or I was being affected by the smell of bad milk.

"If you keep talking to yourself like that, you are." Naruto's voice played from the hallway. I turned to face him seeing that stupid wide grin of his. It made him look like some kind of deformed fish.

"What do you know?" I asked glaring at him before standing up and folding the futon back into the couch. It was seriously uncomfortable but I had no other choices. This was the only place I'll admit that Naruto has more say so then I do, in his own house.

"I know a lot. You all just think I'm a dimwit!" he said in an oh, so convincing matter, as he jabbed his chest rather hard hurting himself. I smirked concealing a laugh.

"What a joke!" I said out loud. 'Shit…I said that out loud.' I thought my eye brow twitching.

He looked at me sadly at first then angry. "Well if you're gonna say stuff like that you can get out of my house!" he yelled before he turned his back to be his shoulders shaking.

"Naruto I didn't mean it!" I said. 'Am I pleading?' I asked myself listening to my own voice as I started to walk over to him.

"Liar!" he shouted pointing at the door, "Get out!"

"Naruto wait a second!" I said trying to clam him down. It was too early in the morning to fight, I was getting a headache quickly. I put a hand on his shoulder. For a moment he froze then he slapped my hand away and ran down the hall to open the bathroom door before turning back to me for merely a second.

"When I come back your ass had better be gone!" Naruto screamed slamming the door to the bathroom. Before he did though I could have sworn his face was red with frustration and it looked like he was crying.

"Shit.." I said looking around, I walked over to the door and heard a shower going and faitly heard sniffing. I knocked on the door. "Naruto?"

"Go away! I'm trying to take a shower!" he yelled, his voice cracked. I knew it he was crying. I couldn't understand why he cried so easily. Maybe I really should stop picking on him so much.

"Naruto…" I said pressing my forehead to the wood of the door. "Listen I'm sorry…" I said truthfully my face saddening as I leaned on the table a bit more before closing my eyes. I was sorry, sorry I made fun of him all the time.

Whoa!

If he heard me say that he'd think I am sick or really have lost my mind.

"Fuck off." He choked throwing something at the door. When I heard glass shatter I guessed it was the toothbrush holder or the soap dispenser. I stared at the door for a minute before I shook my head more at myself then at Naruto. I turned to leave looking back one more time at the place where Naruto was crying. I sighed and went out the front door deciding I would walk around the city.

"I'm not going to go deal with Kakashi today…" I said as I walked past the bridge and to the forest. I walked for a long time not really paying attention to where I was going until I stopped and thoughtlessly stared at one spot on the ground.

I finally remembered what was so special about that spot to me and why I was staring at it so intently. It was the place where I stopped Naruto from hitting the ground. An extremely sharp rock had dug into my back and to mask the pain I hugged Naruto tightly. I guess.

It seemed so long ago. I laughed at him that night too. Why do I always pick on him? 'What am I thinking? I can't be thing about Naruto! Come on! I'm Uchiha Sasuke surviving member of the Uchiha clan!'

I laughed a bit. I wasn't the only one left. I punched the tree closest to me in anger. Just thinking about it; other then me, the only other member left was the one that killed everyone, Itachi. He only killed my family just to test his strength. It seemed a little ironic that I'd meet Naruto, the only one in the whole Hidden Leaf that understood me… as I understood him. We were both alone.

It was about mid-afternoon when I started to walk back to the Leaf. I was only about twelve feet from where I was staning when I heard Sakura yelling at someone. I rolled my eyes as I knew she was either yelling at Naruto or Ino about something stupid.

"This is your fault!" She shrieked.

"It is not!" Naruto shouted back obviously annoyed beyond reason. "It's his own damn fault!"

So they were yelling about me vanishing. I was trying to decide whether or not to show myself when something moved behind me. I quickly turned to look back to see what it was but I met with no one so I turned away again. Sakura and Naruto were now gone so I began to walk out of the forest when a hand grabbed my shoulder. I clutched a kunai in my hand as I turned to cut whoever it was but I stopped midway as I spotted blonde hair.

"What the hell?" I turned to meet the eyes of Naruto. 'How'd he get behind me?' I thought as he fell back a bit before looking up and smirking. He knew he'd gotten the jump on me but I hid it by clearing my throat. "What are you—"

He pushed a finger to my lips and made a "shhh" sound while pressing another finger to his own lips. He then motioned for me to follow him. I guessed he was running from Sakura so I didn't press the matter. Its not like I want to stay there and let Sakura find me. That's just stupid.

He led me back into the forest and stopped in front of a pool of water. The calmness of the place we were at now was a little unnerving for me so I picked up a stone and dropped it in the water shatting the perfect reflection of myself in a mess of ripples. "Okay Naruto, why'd you bring me here? We could have just gone around to get away from Sakura if that's what this is about. Unless you're still pissed about this morning…" my voice trailed off as I watched the water slowly begin to calm.

"No reason really." Naruto said to me a little coldly. "I guess…" he paused then spoke again but not in his voice but in someone's that I hated," I wanted to see how foolish you truly are little brother."

I turned fast while I could feel a burning anger rising up from the pit of my stomach. "Nii-sama!" I growled while quickly going for my kunai, but he was faster and pined me to a tree forcing my kunai to drop to the ground. My hands were pined to either side of my head and Itachi got merely inches from my face.

"I don't think so." He whispered in my ear as he pulled my hands above my head and used one hand to form a jutsu before changing into me. "I can't have you ruining my plans to get the Kyuubi."

"Wha…What?" I questioned before he grabbed a hold of my neck tightly.

"Don't fret I won't kill you," he said using my face to smile in a twisted way," I need you to revive the clan, but…you're in the way right now."

I couldn't breath. He was cutting off my air just enough so I'd faint. I tried shake him off but it wasn't working! 'Why am I so damn weak!?'

"Give it up…" Itachi cooed in my ear evilly.

"No…" I said gasping for air while still trying to get free," I won't let you get Naruto!"

Itachi turned slightly to look behind him as I heard someone crash through the brush," Sasuke!" I heard Sakura scream.

"Fuck off!" Itachi said in my voice," I'm taking care of this fake myself."

"Don…Don't believe…believe him! Na…Naru….Naruto…sorry." I managed to get out.

"Sorry?" he tilted his head to one side confused. Right not was not the best time to act out of character but I didn't know if I was really going to be able to get out of this or not so I wanted to say sorry now.

"For calling….you…a…dobe…" my voice started to die out.

"I don't know which ones which!" Naruto screamed messing his hair. My sight was beginning to blur as my head began to hurt from lack of oxygen. Damn my weakness.

"I know!" Sakura said putting one figure up. "The one who's choking the fake is the real one! The real Sasuke would never lose to some fake!"

'If only you knew…' I thought as I started to go limp. My body just hanging there barely awake. My vision almost had gone black.

Suddenly I felt myself drop and I found myself lying in Naruto's arms, catching my breath," Sasuke! Are you okay?" he asked as I choked a little while sitting up.

"Naruto!" Sakura screeched, "What are you doing? Sasuke almost took care of that faker. Get back over here before that fake tries to kill you!"

"He's not a fake the one you're protecting is! This is the real Sasuke!" Naruto yelled clutching the sides of my shoulders before standing up and pointing at Sakura. "I know Sasuke better then you do and I should tell you something…" he paused staring at Itachi for a moment," that Sasuke would have never actually tired to kill a fake. He would have knocked him out and taken the faker to the Hokage!"

"Sasuke would never apologize for making fun of you!" she shrieked back ignoring Naruto's explanation.

"Naruto you idiot," Itachi said, "get away from that guy before he kills you!"

"He's not a fake you are!" Naruto shouted back standing his ground. "Sakura get away from him it's not Sasuke! I've been living with him for a while now. I've learned more about him! I know that's not the real Sasuke!!"

"Naruto…" I said as I slowly stood up thankful that he was on my side. "Thanks…dobe."

He looked at me and smirked," Your welcome…teme."

I heard Itachi growl as Naruto and I turned back to look at him. "Nii-sama…it's time that I pay you back for what you've done to our family."

"Nii-sama?" Naruto repeated and thought for a moment then snapped his head toward Sakura," Holy shit! It's Itachi! Sakura get away now!"

"Who's Itachi?" she said but then looked at Itachi who was now in his own from. She gasped and jumped back fearful of what she saw. She knew nothing about Itachi. Naruto was the only one who knew because he had to help find Tsunade to heal me.

"Don't look him in the eyes." I said quietly to Naruto as each of us pulled out a pair of kunai.

"You want my help?" He asked me surprised.

I looked at the floor for a second then back up to Itachi's eyes that were closed," Yeah…let's go!" I said throwing the kunai with determination.

We both knew that kunai was not going to do anything but it was the mark of starting the fight.

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Chapter Two End

Haha! That was a fun chapter to re-write. Thanks for reading. I should have the next chapter re-written in a few days. So sit tight. If you're first reading this you may go ahead and read the rest of the fiction but it won't be very good. The ending will suck. A lot, and won't be very good at it. So be a little patient and wait a few days. Later.

Yoi ichinichi o.

((Have a nice day.))

--Kaiku--