I'm writing another chapter tonight, hooray... I guess. My neck hurts. That's about it.

Key:

"Quotations: Speaking"

Italicized: Thinking/emphasized word

Chapter V: Homicide

"You fool!" the person in the doorway shouted.

Naruto recognized Orochimaru's chakra - but that wasn't Orochimaru. Or was it? He looked over at Sasuke, who showed no emotions on his face, but Naruto knew that Sasuke was just as confused as he was. Then Sasuke began to realize that the two years was up: and Orochimaru had found another body instead of Sasuke's. And he was angry.

Fortunately, Sasuke knew, Orochimaru had a temper, and sometimes didn't think while having one. And now was one of those times. Naruto saw Orochimaru glaring daggers at Sasuke, so naturally Naruto turned to glance back at him. He found that Sasuke looked almost like he was dizzy.

"I have no more use for you," Orochimaru said hastily. He sent two snakes that bit Sasuke's arms and spread them, leaving the vital spot where his heart and lungs and even throat were wide open. Orochimaru walked up to the helpless Sasuke with a Kunai and stood over him, pushing Naruto out of the way. He was about to bring the Kunai across Sasuke's throat when he said, "I think I have a much better way."

He stood back, and Naruto pulled on the snakes, trying to get them to loosen their grip on Sasuke's arms, but it failed. He turned toward Orochimaru and ran at him. Orochimaru, who had been smirking the whole time, opened his mouth as a long, metal blade sliced through Naruto's hand. In the same instant, the snakes on Sasuke's arms bit down harder, until Sasuke let out a cry of pain when they hit the bone. Naruto grit his teeth, not only at the pain of the blade in his hand, but also from the pain of hearing his friend in helpless agony. The blade disappeared.

"What are you waiting for?" Orochimaru asked them with a hint of laughter in his voice, "Entertain me."

Naruto tried to move his feet but felt something holding him back. As he looked down, he saw thread tied to his ankles, which one of the snakes must have done on their way to Sasuke, with visible chakra channeling through it. Something wasn't right... he felt the threads traveling up his arms and around his wrists. They themselves, with some help from the chakra and Orochimaru, began to force Naruto's hand into his weapon pouch. He pulled out a kunai, all of his muscles except for his face becoming involuntary. He started toward Sasuke.

"No!" Naruto shouted.

He heard Orochimaru hiss.

"Stop!" Naruto yelled again, drawing nearer to Sasuke.

He heard the rapid beating of his own heart beating even faster.

"STOP!" he yelled once more. He came to a stop in front of Sasuke.

The threads forced him to raise the Kunai above his head. He stared down at Sasuke. He could see fear and sadness in Sasuke's eyes.

"The trance is wearing off," Orochimaru mumbled to himself.

Naruto knew what he had to say, and knew he had to say it fast.

"Sasuke, Itachi wanted me to tell you," Naruto said, picking off from where Itachi never finished, "he's sorry."

He said it so solemnly that Sasuke believed him. But at the same time, this was Itachi! Itachi Uchiha! He wouldn't be able to say sorry! ...Would he? Sasuke looked at Naruto's hand with the kunai, it was trembling on its own behalf. So were Naruto's eyes. Naruto was staring at Sasuke in horror as he realized what was going to come next. It was worse than Sasuke leaving, or even having to fight him again. The threads began to put pressure on the hand with the kunai, but Naruto struggled to keep it up.

"Feisty, aren't we?" Orochimaru said wryly. His smirk became wider as the pressure stopped all at once.

Then, suddenly, it feeling like a elephant had landed on Naruto's hand, Naruto brought down the kunai - straight into Sasuke's neck.

"SASUKE!"

To be continued...

Ooh... suspensful.