Disclaimer: Won't be owning this any time soon.

Warnings: This chapter contains coarse language (a lot of the f-bomb), sexual content, skewed thoughts on rape, OOC, and canon is disregarded. This is the shortest one of all of the chapters I've posted so far, but it's still pretty long, thanks for putting up with me.

Pairings: References of ItaSasu, SasuNaru, slight SasuSaku and SasuIno, traces of NaruSaku.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked as he shook Sasuke's body. "Are you asleep?" the shaking continued as he heard Sasuke moan in protest. "You lazy bum, there's no way that we're going to get you out of here if you keep on falling asleep."

Sasuke's eyes opened his voice low. "Am I walking yet?"

"Barely," Naruto scoffed. "You're too tired; you need to go to sleep."

"I am not tired," Sasuke breathed looking at the sky through the window. The last thing that he needed to do was fall asleep. Whenever he closed his eyes he heard the screams coming from that room during the nights. He heard the way that his father was talking to his brother. He could hear the way that his brother spoke to Shisui outside of their house. He didn't want to resurrect the feelings that those nights caused him. He wasn't going to try to justify the reasoning of why his brother so easily, why he did the horrible deed four years ago.

"You're worn out," Naruto breathed. "Come on; sleep for a little while, you have plenty of time to learn. Besides, if you don't sleep you're going to go insane."

"If I do sleep I'm going to go insane," Sasuke breathed. "If I even think about closing my eyes he's going to be right there… and I can't have that. I have to eliminate him, before he does anything else."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "You should still go to sleep."

There was a silence as Sasuke looked out the window remembering that night. It was all fine until that moment. He could still hear the screams seeping out of his throat as Itachi spilled his blood. He remembered the look in his eyes. There was no mercy in those irises, nothing but pleasure from his sadism.

I want to see him again, a part of him told himself. I want to feel him up against my body again. I want to feel the way that his lips felt up against mine. Maybe he does still care and I'm starting to break through all of the layers that he had smothered himself in. He took a breath. Bullshit, Sasuke, he's the same prick who made your life hell.

His body ached for him, yearned for him, needed him more than he had ever needed anything. He was addicted to Itachi's presence and he never wanted to let it go. It was getting to the point where when he thought about killing him… it brought tears to his eyes. He wasn't sure he could do it.

"Naruto…" Sasuke breathed. "About what happened earlier… why did you… kiss me on the cheek?"

The blond blushed slightly. "I-I-I'm sorry about that. It was an accident. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. It was just a reflex I guess…"

"A reflex?" Sasuke asked, he knew it was a reflex; he did the same thing to Itachi when they were young, only his was on the lips.

"You seemed like you needed to calm down, and the only way that I could get through to you was through that kiss. And it was only on the cheek, I didn't mean to intrude on you if that's what you're thinking," Naruto shook his head. "I'm not into that kind of thing?"

"You mean having sex with men?" Sasuke asked.

"Sex? I was just talking about kissing, Sasuke," the blond blushed brighter. "And I don't make it a habit to kiss my best friend. I can hug you, I can hold your hand, I can sleep in the same bed as you, but I can't kiss you."

"That sounds reasonable," Sasuke answered with a smirk. "But why can you do all of that in a bed with me when you know that I have kissed a boy before… consensually?"

Naruto pushed the stray hairs of out Sasuke's face with a smile. "I trust you."

"You trust me?" Sasuke asked. "But why? After all that I've done to you, after how I treat you, you still trust me?"

Naruto nodded. "You're a good person."

Good person? He had never considered himself to be a good person. That meant he was pure, he was far from that the day when he vowed that he was going to kill his brother. Would a good person ever want to spill his own blood? Apparently Naruto saw something in his since day one; he saw that there as still a pure side of Sasuke. He knew that in his heart he cared about life.

"You idiot, you think I'm a good person?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah, I do," the blond smiled. "Come on you're my best friend, Sasuke, there's no way that I'm going to think that you're horrible. You have a cause, and people still care about you and through it all you haven't been shutting those close to you out. I've never seen Sakura smile the way she does these days, she always wanted your attention and you finally gave it to her. You've made her so happy."

"I enjoy her company," Sasuke answered. "I can do without, Ino though. She's so annoying… does that make me a bad person?"

"No, that makes you human. If Ino Yamanaka had a crush on me, I would probably kill her. You have more patience than I will ever have when it comes to girls. But Sakura's a different story. She's a really nice girl and she's obsessed with you."

"I know," Sasuke answered. "She is a really nice girl… pretty too…"

"And annoying," Naruto continued. "That's what you were going to say."

"I was a total prick for saying that to her," Sasuke breathed. "Was out of line."

"I'll say you were, whenever you say things like that I know it hurts her feelings, she really likes you," Naruto answered. "You were constantly being a real prick to her, and yet she's right here with you everyday that she can. She goes home at unbelievably late hours at night, and even when you won't let her in here, she's in the waiting room. She wants to be close to you…"

Sasuke's eyes closed. I don't deserve someone like that…

Silence filled the room as Sasuke closed his eyes thinking about all that Sakura had done. She was there every moment that went by, she was there since the beginning of this torture. Ever since the day that he was in the hospital, she was right there. He never thought that he would get the kind of attention. She was truly more than he deserved, more than he would ever deserve.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"How does she really feel about me?" he asked looking into blue eyes.

Naruto looked straight at his best friend. "I think… I think she's in love with you, Sasuke. You're all she talks about, and you're the only thing on her mind these days. It's the weirdest thing that I have ever heard, but it's the truth. She wants you more than anything."

"Really?" obsidian eyes filled with confusion.

"Would I lie to you?" Naruto asked.

"I thought you liked Sakura," Sasuke breathed.

"I do, I just can't deny what she feels, it's obvious," Naruto answered. "She wants to give her heart to you, Sasuke."

"But…" Sasuke swallowed hard. "After all that I've been through I know that I can't be the same as I was before… I can't let things get pass me by like they don't mean anything. What Itachi did that night… what he did to me… it was a test… he was seeing if it was going to faze me. For the past four years… I've shut everything out to beat him, but he can still feel pain… I know he can still feel emotion. He tries to hide it… but…"

"We shouldn't talk about him," Naruto soothed.

"He still exists…" Sasuke closed his eyes. "He's still out there somewhere, and he wants me for something…"

"What are you going to do? What are you going to do to Naruto?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion looking down at his best friend. "What does he want you to do for him, Sasuke? What did he tell you while you were in here alone with him." His voice rose. "What did that bastard ask you to do?"

"I'm going to kill him…"

Sasuke sighed. "He didn't tell me anything, Naruto… he was just in here so he could beat Kakashi to me. He wanted to engage our sensei into a full scale battle," he took a breath. "Another greedy reason, that's how he operates."

"Kill him?"

Naruto sighed. "I don't believe you, what did he really tell you? Is he after me, Sasuke? Am I the one that he wants?"

"You're going to deliver him to me to do it to him."

Sasuke bowed his head as he remembered every single word that his brother said. He was going to kill Naruto. That was his purpose there, and Sasuke was going to be the one to bring him to him. Was it all for the mangekyou sharingan, the only way that he was going to be equal to him? Was Itachi helping him get his dream? Did Itachi want death that badly?

"No," Sasuke answered. "He has no interest into you, moron. He's got a whole agenda, what makes you even think that you're part of it?"

"Because of the fox inside of me," he answered. "Doesn't he want it?"

Sasuke swallowed hard as he looked at him. "If he even thinks about touching you… I'll kill him…"

"Jealous?" Naruto asked.

"This isn't a game, Naruto; this isn't part of our rivalry. This is life or death. Itachi is a twisted bastard, and he will stop at nothing to make sure that I'm in pain," he closed his eyes. If he wanted me to be in pain, why didn't he kill Kakashi? Why hasn't he gone after you or Sakura yet?

The words of those nights in their youth came back to him. "I love you more than anything, Sasuke."

"You want to start trying to walk again?" Naruto asked, changing the topic.

Sasuke looked into his best friend's eyes. "I-I think that would be a good idea," he took Naruto's hand as he got up on his feet. The thoughts of the kisses, the embraces, the sweet nothings whispered in his ear. He loved me… he closed his eyes a tear falling down his cheek. And I loved him… I still do…

Pain rose throughout his body, he couldn't wait any longer to get out of here, he had to do it now. Slowly he let his hand leave Naruto's taking a step forward. He had to do this, do this so he could tell himself that he didn't love him. He never did.

His mind swirled around the subject as he looked out the window, getting closer and closer. Reality was gone, all he could see was his brother jumping out of the window hearing the gasp of shock as the glass cut into his skin. He jumped out of a six story window just to get away from the jounin. Why did he do it? Why was he only there for a brief time again? He had to go, and it hurt Sasuke to know that he might never see him again.

I have to kill him; I promised myself that I would kill him. If I don't… then why am I still alive? Why have I been trying so hard? Was all of this just for nothing? He leaned up against the window looking down. "It's not raining anymore…" he turned around to see the look on Naruto's face, blue irises lighten up with shock. "What's with that face, idiot?"

"S-Sasuke…" he muttered. "You walked…"

"What?" the Uchiha asked finally noticing the distance between him and his best friend. "I… I walked… I did it, Naruto!" he smiled broadly. "I can get out of here!"

Naruto ran up to him capturing Sasuke in a strong embrace. "You did it! You did it, Sasuke! I knew you could…" a tear fell down his cheek hitting the floor lightly. "I knew you were going to get out of this?" his hand moved lower to touch the small of Sasuke's back, moving up his shirt. "But how does it make you feel… that Itachi is…?"

"You still can't talk about that night, can you?" Sasuke asked.

"It's hard to talk about that. Doesn't the subject bother you?" Naruto answered.

"No," Sasuke breathed.

Naruto's eyes looked straight into Sasuke's. "Are you sure?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I don't know; keep prying if you're so concerned."

"No… I-I… no," Naruto blushed. "I told you I'm not into that kind of thing, Sasuke. It took a while for me to even accept the subject."

"Naruto," Sasuke breathed. "I know this is difficult for you."

"It's more difficult for you," Naruto asked. "I mean, you were the one who was raped, not me. How did he get in the village? The only way in is going through that heavily guarded gate. Those guards are in trouble, if they aren't already dead."

"He could cut through the woods," Sasuke answered. "Or swim through the river, there are other ways that he could have used, Naruto, it isn't necessarily the guards' fault. He's Itachi Uchiha; he always gets what he wants."

Naruto moved his hand from Sasuke's shirt. "So you feel fine?"

"My throat hurts a little, but I do still have that cold," Sasuke complied. "And I have a headache, but you're here… so that's the reason."

"Well I'm sorry, but who was the one who taught your fat ass how to walk, Sasuke?" Naruto asked turning his back to Sasuke. "You haven't changed at all, still the pain in my ass that you've always been. But that's why I keep you around."

Sasuke looked out the window. "After this, you said that you wanted to spend more time with me… I would like that."

Naruto looked back at him. "Did you have a stroke? Who the hell are you and what have you done with my Sasuke?"

"I told you, I want to change the way that we were around each other," Sasuke smiled. That's the only way that I'm going to keep Itachi off of you. If he can't get me to bring you to him, then his plan is a total flop.

"You really want to spend time with me?" Naruto asked.

"I do," Sasuke answered happily. "I want you to know that I'm not going to make the same mistake that I did earlier. I'm not going to shut you out. I'm going to let you in, we're best friends after. It's about time we acted like it."

Sasuke looked out the window. My lucky day is approaching, the day when I finally get out of here. Am I ready to do what I have to when it comes time? Will I be able to kill Itachi? Even if I do… love him? My feelings are clouded by his words. I don't know who he really is. I don't know which personality is my brother, and I don't have time to find out. I can't second guess my motives.

-----

He told me to leave him again, why does he always do that? She looked around the empty hospital waiting room. Even without him wanting her there she wasn't going to leave him. She heard the whispers of the doctors, today was the day when Sasuke was supposed to be let loose. Is he ready though?

"You okay, forehead girl?" Ino asked from next to her a grin on her face. "You've been silent for an hour now, something interesting about the door?"

"The day when I brought him here… he went through that door, and today he might be coming out that same door. For days now I've been sitting here waiting for the day when he was going to be alright. There were times when I thought that he wasn't going to get out of there alive."

Ino rolled her eyes. "So melodramatic."

"It's not melodramatic," Sakura continued. "His heart, Ino… I don't think it's strong enough for him to continue on like this. I saw him lying dead on the hospital bed, watching as the doctors called the morgue… I never wanted to see that again."

"You mean he died?" Ino asked, her voice finally showing interest. "Sakura…"

Sakura never took her attention off of the door. "He's so strong, he's been on the other side twice, and still he hasn't broken completely. He's an inspiration and I love him more because of it…"

"You're delusional," Ino sighed. "There's no way in hell that he is ever going to get out of there. The doctors just left a few minutes ago to see if he can even stand. Even for him that's too much pain."

Sakura laughed. "It's amazing…"

"What's amazing?" Ino's ice blue eyes narrowed in hate.

"After all this time of being obsessed with him," Sakura pushed a few pink strands out of her face. "You still know so little. He's going to get through this. He promised himself," she took a breath. "He's an avenger… he's more than a pretty face, Ino. You only like him because of how he looks. I know what he's like on the inside. I know that he's not just a jerk, he's still a human. He has emotions."

There was a small silence as Ino looked at the door. "It's amazing that after all of this time… you know so little, Sakura. You might think he can love you, but he can never love anything. You have to face that it's all about physical attraction."

Green eyes gazed closer at the door; he was bound to come out of there anytime now. He was ready; he said that he was only going to spend a little time in the hospital or he would feel his life was worthless. The look in his eyes, they were burning with passion as he looked to the day he was going to get out. Vengeance was the only thing that allowed him to stay with them, the only reason why he didn't die there.

The door opened, but it wasn't a doctor, nor was it Sasuke. "Naruto?"

The blond boy walked closer to them with a smile on his face. "They're in there right now talking to Sasuke about how he did."

"How is he?" Sakura asked standing up. "Did he walk?"

Naruto nodded. "Like a pro, we'll be Team 7 in no time at all. There's nothing that's going to stand in our way now."

"Except…" Sakura whispered, "Kakashi-sensei is still in a coma. They say it's bad, his mind, they can't find any real response, it like there's nothing there. He might never get out of it… we might…"

"Don't say that he's going to die, Sakura, we saved Sasuke, we'll save Kakashi-sensei too," Naruto smiled. "The problem is that the country is hurting. Asuma Sarutobi is in there everyday. I heard Chouji say that he never leaves."

"Never?" Sakura asked looking over at Ino. "Is that true?"

The blond girl sighed. "You no doubt heard what happened that day. Asuma-sensei tried to go after Kakashi-sensei but he was too weak to stop him. Asuma-sensei's in rough condition, he can barely breathe. Four of his ribs are broken making every movement painful. He blames what happened to Kakashi on himself."

"That's harsh," Naruto answered. "Was it his fault?"

"That's what Gai says," Ino continued weaving a hand through her blond hair. "He thinks that Asuma-sensei is the reason why Itachi is still out there. If anything happens to Sasuke after this, it's all Asuma-sensei's fault."

Sakura shook her head. "Itachi Uchiha is an S-ranked criminal, that means he's jounin level. There's no way that the other ones would stand a chance if Kakashi-sensei fell that easily. Itachi wiped out jounin of the most powerful clans in all of Konoha the Uchiha clan, what makes you think any of us stand a chance? And yet Sasuke's running after him, he won't make it."

"Itachi doesn't want to kill him," Naruto answered looking out the window. "Why else do you think he's alive? He had so many opportunities to kill him, it' more than just coincidence that he passed all of them up. He's up to something…"

"It's out of our hands," Ino explained. "We're not highly ranked enough, and besides, if his only interest is Sasuke maybe we should let the two on them meet up."

"So he can rape him again?" Naruto asked shaking his head. "We don't know what he wants… and I know that if we bring any of this up around Sasuke… he'll hurt himself or somebody else. I'm not going to let that happen," he looked over at Sakura. "He wants to be closer to us, Sakura, you especially. Don't let him down."

"You're still blaming yourself," Sakura whispered. "Aren't you, Naruto?"

"How am I supposed to feel?" Naruto asked. "Anyway, he's going to be down any minute now…"

"You mean… he's done?" Sakura asked with a smile on her face. "He's going to be alright with all of those weak muscles?"

"They say he should keep from any strenuous activity, but other than that he's fine," the blond boy smiled. "He asked me to stay down here and wait for him. He apparently had something to do before coming down here. He really wants to be alone; all I remember is that serious look in his eyes. It must be pretty important to him," he looked at the door. But what is it? Where are you Sasuke?

-----

He strapped on his shoe looking down at his feet. This is it, I'm finally free. For once in a long time he could breathe, the stiffness in his chest a disappeared. He got everything back. Luck was on his side, life still clung to him while others would have died by now. For once he felt he could live with pride, like he had a sense of dignity.

"And you got out with your life, there are people your age that go through the same that you do and they aren't lucky enough to come out alive. They die right there and it's Hell. And not only are you alive, but no one has turned their back on you."

He could hear the sounds of pain coming from Kakashi's lips as Itachi attacked him from the inside. The screams echoed off of the walls of his sanity destroying all that he had left. Was it all his fault? If he had just spoken up would Kakashi still be alive?tachi once told him all he had to do was say stop.

Kakashi… he thought as he looked over at his forehead protector reaching for it. You were right; there was nothing that I could have done to stop him, and now... I still can't. He took the forehead protector into his hand as he stood up looking behind him. It was over, after a painful visit in the hospital he was finally free. Stiffness returned as he remembered, shattered glass, screaming, blood, all of it was in this room. He could still see it, the look in his brother's eyes as his hair was held in Kakashi's hand. Pain.

Moving slowly to the door he closed his eyes remembering back to the bell test. Kakashi always believed in teamwork, yet Sasuke had betrayed the principle. Still his sensei didn't look at him with disgust; he let it be, knowing it was out of fear for Itachi. But was fear worth Kakashi's sacrifice? Was it worth never being able to hear his voice again?

He moved toward the elevator pushing the button remembering his brother's lips that day, they were sympathetic as they always were. He could feel in the caressing hands up against his face that he didn't want to hurt him that day. Itachi was there in peace, so long as Sasuke wished to keep it that way.

The elevator came as Sasuke walked in looking at his forehead protector, his eyes watering lightly. I guess I've seen the pain that you wanted me to see, Itachi. I just watched my sensei die and I watched you do it. The elevator ride was slow as he moved the forehead protector to its rightful place on his forehead. He tied it tightly. This was the life he had chosen, he had chosen the path of absolute pain. Staring at his reflection in the door, he saw what had happened to him, he was no longer the person that he was before. He looked like hell.

The door opened on his desired floor as he looked at the room numbers. He's in here somewhere. I have to see him one last time before I put my fears to rest. I have to see you, Kakashi. He looked at all of the room numbers until he found it, the dark aura of death seeping from under the door.

"Kakashi?" he asked pushing the door open, the aura proved to be right. The beeping of the EKG, the drip of the IVs, it was death right in front of him. Is this what Naruto and Sakura saw in me? He closed the door behind him walking into the rays of sunlight. "What the hell happened, Kakashi? How did you let yourself get into that situation?"

Beeping filled his ears as he closed his eyes. It was gloomy, morose, the angst whirling around him in a dark cloud. So much pain, and once again he couldn't save himself from it. Itachi won another round.

"I know… I fucked up, I really fucked up, and it hurts me to know this is my fault," he started his voice breaking, his eyes burning with the feeling of tears. "I just sat there, Kakashi, if I had never left them that night, if I had just stayed with them like I was supposed to I wouldn't have watched that. You were always looking out for me," he shook his head. "But… I… I didn't ask you to do that. I didn't ask you to come in there, you just did. You always said that teamwork was the back bone of a civil team."

Naruto was waiting for him in the waiting room probably with guilty eyes and sorrowful thoughts. If only he had known what happened that day. He was the one who let Itachi in; he was the one who let him go. Now all Sasuke could do was live with his mistakes, and watch as his own eyes got colder, like his.

"I wasn't there for you, Kakashi," Sasuke breathed. "The whole time I was worried about, Itachi. Did you know that he could die at any moment? I disabled his chakra flow," he sniffled sorrowfully, his body starting to shake violently. "I remember so clear the day when I hit him. The way that he screamed made a rush of joy that I haven't felt in years run through my veins. I did it, Kakashi; I made him pay for what I did to me all of those years. I made him pay, but again it wasn't good enough, I'm never good enough."

His vision clouded with sorrow as fought the tears that were coming to his eyes, he couldn't cry. Twenty-fifth principle. He had to remember the lessons that he learned in the academy, all of those tests that he aced. They weren't for nothing; it was how a ninja lived. It was more than killing.

"A ninja is more than you think, it's more than weapons. Being a ninja is an art and you don't have the capability to hold that title, you never did, Sasuke. Art is more than just paint and clay, it's pure raw talent, a ninja is an embodiment of that. You're too weak to hold a candle to half of our clan. You call yourself an Uchiha!"

"I called myself an Uchiha, and once they were proud of me for it. I received my rite as an adult of the clan when I was eight with the fireball jutsu. I know that now it was all a waste, I was still a child," a tear fell down his cheek leaving warm grief in its wake. "I was too weak to do anything about this, I couldn't hold him off and you'd hate me if you knew why Kakashi. I'm a fool for talking to you about this, but I don't need someone to listen, I need to get it off of my chest," Sasuke swallowed hard. "When he touched my lips… held me in his arms before you came in… my heart raced with exhilaration. For once I was getting to the Itachi that I once knew, the one that I respected."

A burning sensation took hold of his chest as he tried to understand the words. They were still the in the process of him trying to understand them. They still felt so wrong for him to even think about it, making his stomach churn faster than it ever had before. He hated himself for what he did, and he hated himself for his own feelings.

"Kakashi… the reason that I didn't help you was…" the words weren't coming easily. "I-I think that I love him… I think I'm in love with Itachi. The night when he raped me, a part of me was telling my body to give into him. I was slightly enjoying it. I guess that makes me a masochist, a sick masochist," another tear fell. "I love him, Kakashi, and I don't regret losing my virginity to him even if it was rape."

He swallowed hard. "I-it can't be rape… it's no rape if it's something that you wanted all along. I could have moved my hands, but that predatory look in his eyes made me realize that it was time to fighting and give into lust. I wanted to have sex with him. I have to tell you this… since I was eight I wanted to fuck my brother… but I was too scared… too weak… too young… now I knew I was ready," his voice broke completely. "All of these years they were a waste, four years of my life were a waste of my time. They were a waste… but they were worth it. They were worth it!"

Feelings took over as he let out a loud scream starting to sob on Kakashi's chest. "It was worth it, Kakashi, it was worth it… I love him… I love him with all of my being, all of my soul," his fingernails embedded in his sensei's shoulder as he sobbed harder, the tears running down his cheeks fiercely. There was no end to the tears; it seemed that even though the rain had stopped more sorrow was still falling. It was relentless

"I didn't protect you because I was in love with him," Sasuke breathed listening to the pulsations of Kakashi's heart through his chest. "I hate myself because I love him, but I can't stop. I thought it was all over, but at night… there are times where I feel as though my body is betraying me. My emotions belong to him, but my soul is telling me to destroy him. I don't want to love him… if he doesn't love me…"

"I love you more than anything Sasuke…"

"… but I think he loves me," Sasuke breathed his body shaking. "I don't know what I feel… nothing is making sense. You were right; there is nothing that comes of revenge other than feeling empty on the inside. I'm empty… there's nothing behind my eyes anymore. I-I don't even know if I'm alive…"

The beeping of the EKG filled the room as he took a deep breath. "Oh well… not like you can hear me anyway… thank God you can't… you'd kill Itachi for even thinking about loving me…" he looked at the clock. "I'll be back soon, Kakashi, even if you aren't here I want to be near you. You taught me everything that I know, and I'm a different person because of it," he held Kakashi's hand as he sat on the bed next to his body. "You gave me the strength that I needed."

The sun blinded his onyx eyes as he looked out the window. Itachi was still out there somewhere. You're going to pay for what you did to Kakashi, Itachi, whether my body loves you or not. My spirit isn't going to give up until I see those eyes well up in fear and pain. Someday… I will see you die, no matter how long it takes.

The silence was getting to him, just to hear his voice one more time would make his life so much more fulfilling. He never would get the chance, he wasn't an idiot, he knew there was nothing in Kakashi's mind, nothing but the emptiness and torture. Kakashi's last words were rolling through his head.

"Fight like a man, I'm not just going to let you go, nor am I going to let you take Sasuke, no matter how much you hold back. Are you saving chakra? And what for, this fight is over."

Shaking, he rose from his sensei's chest drying his eyes. "So much for the twenty-fifth principle, huh?" a smile grace his lips. "I will make sure that your sacrifice isn't in vain. You'll open your eyes again and you will see a new me. A better me… the best of me." He held Kakashi's hand tightly. "I'm going to make you proud of me, Kakashi; I'll be the best student you ever imagined. I promise…" he reached over and held one of Kakashi's gloves. "I promise you…" he tucked the glove into his pocket as he looked toward the door. "I have to go, Kakashi, I'll be back soon…"

He walked toward the door still drying his eyes from all of the tears. He was supposed to be a ninja and that meant living up to the standards. His hand moved slowly over his pocket touching the glove that was buried inside, he was never going to forget what happened, he had to be stronger. He needed more power to overcome love.

I'm going to kill you! I'm an avenger… there's no way that I'm going to lose to you anymore, Itachi. I'm becoming stronger than you… I have to kill you to prove that I don't love you. I won't give in… no matter how much I want to.

-----

"There he is!" Naruto cried out as he looked at the doorway to the waiting room. "Sasuke, you're alright!"

Sasuke walked closer to them his hand still situated over his pocket. He was going to keep the glove until further notice. Even in the absolute deepest hole of his pain, all he could think about was his brother's face, the smiles that were on his lips all of those years back. What did he really feel in his heart? Did he want to kill Itachi or did he want to embrace him? Either way his heart would never be at peace.

"I was wondering when you'd get down from that room," Naruto smiled but it faded as he looked into Sasuke's eyes. "Damn, you look horrible."

"That's exactly what I want to hear when I get out," Sasuke shook his head. "After all of this time… you're still clueless, Naruto. I was up all night trying to walk; do you think I'm well rested?"

"First thing you do when you get out is bitch," blue eyes rolled. "You're such a drama queen…"

Sasuke's attention was taken from Naruto to Sakura, her green eyes welling up with tears. She had seen the most pain that he had gone through, but he thanked God that she was spared the image of Kakashi's undoing. Slowly he moved his hand to take hers tightly, pulling Sakura closer.

"I'm sorry, guys…" Sasuke started. "I should have stayed with you that night. I made a mistake. I was a real ass to you for the last couple of days, and if there's one thing that these last few days told me it's that with my pathway I don't have much time left," he looked at his teammates. "So do you guys hate me or what?"

"No," Sakura stated hugging him tightly. "I'm glad that you're out of there alive. There were times where you scared the living hell out of me…"

For once he felt his arms wrap around her unsympathetically, her body letting out a gasp as he did so. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt her during this; it was his battle and his alone. He kissed her cheek lightly as he closed his eyes.

"Let's go guys," Sakura smiled, letting go of Sasuke. "It's a beautiful day outside."

Sasuke watched as his teammates walked forward he touched his pocket lightly at then looked at the sun. Kakashi was always going to be with him whether Itachi tried to take him away or not. His quest was in action to avenge Kakashi and prove that he wasn't in love with his brother. His heart didn't beat for him, it beat for himself.

"Sasuke, are you coming?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah…" Sasuke answered shakily his hand in his pocket touching the cool metal of the jounin glove his eyes closing as he thought back to what he was leaving behind. He would never forget what happened.

Author's Note: This chapter was almost a complete filler, but this closes the "Sasuke in the Hospital" arc, now onto the "Itachi's Diabolical Plan" arc. Itachi will be back for sure in the next chapter as will some hardcore ItaSasu, so you all can look forward to that. What did you think of this? Good? Bad? Just want to get to the ItaSasu? Honesty is always good.