Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Hehehehehe...School sucks. On Friday I had two tests to take as well as an assembly. We have Stanford Test this week and we're behind in Creative Writing, which means that I didn't get the free writing hour I was looking forward to. Oh and I have an oral book report to write and give within the next two week. I'm getting five hours of sleep everyday, including weekends, thanks to marching band and my brother talking as loud as he can at 3 in the morning. (To my brother) JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN SLEEP IN TO 7:40 DOESN'T MEAN I CAN! (fumes)

Ehehehehehehe...Sorry...felt the need to rant. On to the chapter!

Warnings: Angst, blood, eventual boyxboy

--

Naruto was not nervous. He was not worried, scared, concerned, anxious or anything similar to that. He was happy, and just a touch shocked. Sasuke was back. Sasuke had killed Itachi. Sasuke was in the hospital being treated by the best medic-nin in the Five Nations, but he was back. And that's all the mattered.

Kakashi, Iruka, and Sakura had come too. Shizune had come out and said that Sasuke didn't have any wounds that would be hard to take care of, so Sakura didn't have to help, though the pink haired girl obviously wanted to. Shizune also said that Sasuke would be fine within an hour. And he was, Tsunade came out half an hour later.

"He needs rest," she stated, "But he'll be fine."

Naruto resisted the urge to point and say 'I told you so!' at his companions, because he hadn't told them. In fact, he hadn't really said much of anything, which was probably why they thought he was upset and attempted to comfort him with pats of support and pointless words.

"Uh..." Everyone turned to the young medic-nin

"Yes, Sakura?"

"W-what's going to happen to Sasuke-kun?"

Naruto blinked at the nervously delivered question. What was going to happen to Sasuke? He was a criminal, a traitor. He left Konoha, willingly, to go to their enemy. That immediately qualified him for execution. Naruto never had thought about what would happen once he brought his stubborn friend back. Never thought that he might just be doing the very thing he had tried to stop.

But Sasuke was here, he had come back without someone forcing him. That had to count for something! He probably had lots of useful information about Orochimaru and the Sound village. Information that could lead to the downfall of that snake bastard! And he had killed Itachi! One of the top members of Akatsuki, which meant he could probably take out some of the other members as well!

Itachi...Sasuke had killed Itachi, he had completed his life long ambition. It didn't seem all that life long now. Sasuke was only 15, 16 in three months. Even for a shinobi that was still rather young. Sasuke now had a whole life ahead of him! Hopefully...Maybe Sasuke had come back to the village so he could be killed. So that it was a life long ambition, and he wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore.

No! Naruto shook his head frantically, I won't let that happen! He frowned and looked at Tsunade expectantly.

"It depends on how well he behaves during the interrogation," the blonde haired women answered, "If he cooperates and answers everything truthfully, he won't have as severe a punishment."

Interrogation. Cooperate. Punishment. Didn't the hag have to make it sound like they were going to torture Sasuke for information! Well they do torture people for information, his mind told him.

No, Naruto answered back, They only do that if the person doesn't cooperate... And somehow that didn't make him feel any better.

"What's the worst thing that could happen?" The answer was rather obvious, but Naruto felt the need to ask anyways.

"Death." Sakura cut in before Naruto could open his mouth to yell at the Godaime.

"And the best?"

"We're not sure yet.

--

The interrogation went well. From what had Kakashi had said, Sasuke had answered all the questions they had asked in such detail that he couldn't possibly be lying.

"It all matches the information we have," Jiraiya had said, "He won't be executed. Probably."

Naruto really wished that the old pervert hadn't added the probably. Sasuke was the last Uchiha, the village wanted to restore that clan. Why would they kill the thing that they depended on for the Sharingan. Well...There was actually a long list, but he preferred to ignore that.

No one was allowed to see the raven haired ninja, a fact that Naruto (and several fangirls who still chased after the Uchiha, even though he was a traitor) protested rather loudly against. It was for 'safety precautions'. Hah. Right. They were just paranoid.

"After the trial," everyone told him, "You can see him after the trial."

And so Naruto was forced to wait.

--

You'd think that architects would know better than to add air shafts in a village for ninja, Naruto mused as he peered out of the vent at the room. The council were the only people allowed to come to the trial. But Naruto refused to just sit and wait as the future of his friend was decided!

Sasuke stood in the middle of the room, pale as ever, as clan heads, village elders, and of course Tsunade looked down at him. It was rather boring to watch, all that was happening was the council quietly discussing this and that, mulling over pros and cons and punishments. But Naruto didn't wasn't really paying attention to that, but rather Sasuke.

During the entire trial Sasuke kept his head down, forbidding anyone to see what was on his mind. After a while Naruto had noticed that the boy's thin shoulders were trembling, giving an odd jerk or two every now and then, and wandered what was wrong. Uchiha pride wouldn't allow Sasuke to cry so openly in front of others, so it was rather bizarre.

Sasuke finally looked up, just as the council had come to a decision. He bore no traces of tears or anger or any expression, though there were dark smudges under his eyes to show his lack of sleep. Naruto decided to knock the boy out after the trial, so he could get some sleep. It would be a good excuse to hold him while he slept.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Said boy focused his gaze on the Hokage, "We have come to a decision."

Naruto held his breath

"Either you spend 10 years in jail or 5 years under house arrest with your chakra sealed off, it's you're choice to make."

Naruto seethed. THAT'S NOT FAIR! Okay, it probably was, but he didn't particularly care right now. It was cruel to make Sasuke choose. Spending ten years in jail would mean that he wouldn't be able to be free and do whatever he wants and see everyone for a long time. But the other choice, even though it was a shorter amount of time, was just as bad. Not being able to use chakra would be a major blow to the young Uchiha.

Sasuke remained silent, staring at the woman in front of him. The raven haired boy got an odd look on his face before he bowed his head. Naruto furrowed his brow in confusion as Sasuke's shoulders, once again, jerked a few times before stopping and he looked back up.

He opened his mouth to speak and everyone gave a start as blood came rushing out down his chin and dripping down to the floor. He made a strange gurgling noise before spitting out the red liquid. Tsunade, who was on her feet getting ready to run over, paused mid-step when the Uchiha suddenly spoke.

" I don't think I have much of a choice." Strangled coughs sudden racked his thin frame as more blood dribbled onto the ground.

Naruto, not caring if he was going to get an earful later from the hag, managed to jump out of the air shaft just in time to catch his friend's body as it fell to the ground.

--

(Nervous giggle) That was an attempt at a cliff hanger. Did I succeed? Well, this chapter is longer than the last by a full two pages! Which means this is a 3 page chapter. But chapters will probably be short.

One thing I've noticed is that, when I'm typing, I feel like I'm using their names too much. But when I reread it, I never notice. So am I using them too much? And also, the dialog. Is it good, bad, terrible? Let me know.

Review. Yeah.