-17-
„After two years in Washington, I often long for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood."
Fred Thompson,Speech before the Commonwealth Club of California
„Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who you care about."
Trey Parker and Matt Stone,South Park, Ike's Wee Wee, 1998
„Right now, the only power I have, is the power to annoy you"
Dr. Gregory House, House M.D. (Season 3)
One Week later…
"You're late" Naruto stated when Sasuke (being about 3 hours late) finally paraded through the main entrance.
"So?" was all Uchiha said as he signed on the entrance sheet.
"It's the fifth time this week" Naruto continued.
"So?" Sasuke shrugged as he moved towards the elevator.
"You're going to piss Tsunade off" Naruto warned as they both waited for the elevator to come down.
"As long as I can survive her screaming" Sasuke just shrugged, watching the numbers above the elevator door going down.
"You seriously are in love" Naruto deduced, flashing his big smile.
"What's with a goofy smile?" Sasuke asked, frowning at him.
"Sasuke, you've been constantly late for all week, you barely have any cases and you spend more time on the phone, or staring off into distance than ever. I hadn't seen you like this every since a new coffee machine was brought into cafeteria"
"Yeah, I actually have a brand new at home" Sasuke said and entered the elevator when it opened. Naruto followed.
"Does it produces coffee on its own, or do you have to insert something?" Naruto asked with shrewdly narrowed eyes. Sasuke turned to him with an arched eyebrow.
"Are we still speaking metaphorically?"
"Well, if you pre-"
Naruto was interrupted by a loud bang on the closing elevator door. Both doctors stared in horror how fingers with red, two-inched nails slowly open the door.
"Oh, good morning, Tsu-" Naruto started, but…
"You two, in my office, NOW!" she yelled and stormed away. Sasuke and Naruto both looked at each other.
"So, can I run home now?" Sasuke asked.
"No way are you leaving me alone on this one. Come on" Sasuke sighed.
"Figures"
-x-
When Naruto and Sasuke entered Tsunade's office, they found their boss already standing behind her desk, talking to somebody, who was sitting on an armchair in front of her.
"So, what national disaster did your New Bra Times announced now?" Sasuke asked without a care in a world.
"Uchiha, shut your tongue. Say hello to our new chairman of Konoha Hospital Committee and investor"
What came next was beyond comprehension.
When I got up this morning, it all started normally: yawning and stuff, a kiss on Sakura's sweet cheek, then watching her waking up, then having sex with her, then coffee, then shower with Sakura of course, then some more coffee, then driving to the hospital, stopping to buy some coffee on the way, then arguing with Naruto. This was a perfect morning.
The day should've followed just like any other: I get to my office, throw away an unnecessary pile of files, then argue with Karin, cause she's the only one not having sex in this department. Then call Sakura and argue about what to have for dinner. Then go and annoy Naruto about his coming marriage and parenthood. Then a little blackout with visions of Sakura naked. Then call her again and argue some more. Then finally collecting my stuff and go home to have the agreed dinner. That's the way it usually is.
But that is about to end.
Why oh why do I have to be born alongside with an asshole brother like mine? Why can't he just…have cancer, or some other unknown disease that I wouldn't know and wouldn't bother to figure out? But no, hell no, everything bad has to happen NOT to the person who is supposed to take it, but to his brother!
Where was I when God planed our family? Wasn't there somebody to annoy him?!
Shit! And I will have to obey my brother!
LIKE HELL IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN!!
Note: all these thoughts happened while Itachi was standing up.
"Good morning, Doctor Uzumaki, little brother" Itachi shot his smirk at them. Naruto simply nodded, staring at him. Sasuke, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes, desperately trying not to run over to Itachi and beat the shit out of him.
"Good go to hell" Sasuke gave back the greeting "what's he doing here?"
"I told you, he's a new cha-"
"No, I mean why the hell is he here?"
"I'm here to ensure the financial side of this hospital also, of course, to ensure the health of the citizens of this city" Itachi calmly explained, fixing lapels of his black suit "in exchange I asked to be placed as an authority in this hospital's decision making. It was a fair trade, I assume"
"Of course" Tsunade looked at Itachi with a smile and with a frown at Sasuke "from now on, you will be getting permission to every extremely dangerous procedure from Itachi"
"Oh, yeah, thank goodness he went to medical school instead of business since his high school graduation" Sasuke noted ironically and turned around on his heel "if somebody dies, look up to God for help" he said while walking out.
"Sasuke, now is-" Naruto started.
"Later!" and he shot the door closed. Few pieced of plaster fell on Naruto's head. He turned around and shone the light of his goofy smile.
"Ah, excuse me, Ms. Tsunade, Mr. Uchiha" and he ran out.
-x-
Naruto caught up with Sasuke in the third floor.
"Sasuke, wait up!" Naruto panted out "this is bad"
"No really?" Sasuke rolled eyes and continued his trip to the office.
"He's here with only one reason: to take your life to the level of misery on human or super-human has ever accomplished"
"Yeah, thanks for the insight"
"You have to talk to him"
"Oh, about what? How I want to do an open-heart surgery on him without anesthesia?"
"No" Naruto ran towards and blocked Sasuke's way "go there and set things straight with him. If this is about Sakura…"
"Of course this is about Sakura" Sasuke exhaled the sentence "he's going to roam around, making me screw up until I give her back to him"
"And all of this is about sex?" Naruto blinked at Sasuke.
"No, it's about his feelings and broken soul. She's the only person who can mend those non-existing components" Sasuke said ironically.
"Seriously?"
"NO! Or course it's about sex! He likes to have sex toys and I took away one of his best ones! What do you think Itachi would end up doing?"
"Taking it back, no surprise" Naruto sighed "but still, you have to talk to him"
"Go away. I get this "go, love your brother" nonsense from Sakura already"
"Then don't listen to me, listen to her" Naruto shrugged "TALK to him!"
"It will end up me sticking his head into a toilet and him, pulling me along. Now go away" Sasuke walked around Naruto and continued heading to his office.
"What will you do if he succeeds?" Naruto asked, not turning around. This question made Sasuke stop. Both stayed silent for a while. Then Sasuke scoffed.
"He won't. He's going to be walking out of this hospital long before I come begging him to leave me alone"
-x-
One minute later, in Sasuke's office…
"Karin, I need you to sleep with Itachi" Sasuke said the moment he walked in. The red-haired doctor blinked at him, followed by stunned faces of Temari and Shikamaru.
"Is this…your new way of saying good morning?" Karin asked slowly.
"Patients' and also our lives are hanging in the balance of hands of a businessman. Don't you want to save this world?" Sasuke asked sarcastically, while pouring some coffee in a red cup.
"I take that 'sleep with' is the way of saying I should influence him?" Karin arched an eyebrow.
"No, I literally mean sleep with him" Sasuke smirked "he likes when girls are daring, so I suggest you go bra-less"
"In which retarded universe does 'sleeping-with' solve anything?" Temari slapped her forehead.
"You'd be surprised" Shikamaru rolled eyes "what are you going to do?" he asked Sasuke.
"I just said-"
"Not involving the sabotage of your employees" Sasuke sighed.
"I'll just ignore it, until it gets impossible, then, Ill humiliate him. I also plan some power play when the weakness appears"
"You are aware of the fact that this is completely STUPID!!" Temari yelled at him.
"Yelling is stupid" Sasuke fiddled his ear "annoying others till the impossible level, though, is art"
"You're crazy" Karin stated.
"I know" Sasuke shrugged "but if I wasn't, this department wouldn't exist, would it" Shikamaru drowned his face in his palms.
"Are you sure you two are brothers?"
"Definitely not. But DNA tests showed we are, so…can't do anything about it"
"You ran a DNA…on your own brother?" Karin's jaw fell open alongside with Temari's.
"Had to be sure" Sasuke shrugged and sipped some coffee "now, you guys go do some doctor stuff. I'd be pretty irresponsible to get you tree involved"
"Involved in what?" Shikamaru raised his eyebrow.
"Cruel, bloody and absolutely annoying power play" Sasuke smirked and walked to his own desk with the steaming coffee.
"You gotta be kidding me" Temari said.
"No, he's not" Shikamaru sighed "here comes hell" all three sighed in unison.
"Troublesome"
-x-
"Thank you for coming with me, Sakura" Hinata said as she and a pink-haired woman entered a shop for children.
"Nah, it's ok. I never actually did shopping for babies, so…it's a new experience" Sakura smiled and both giggled a bit.
"Guess it makes two of us" Hinata said in a distant voice while walking around little beds with wooden bars.
"I always wondered how you and Naruto…you know, got together" Sakura started carefully.
"Oh, that was actually Sasuke's fault" Hinata sighed "it was my third year at Syracuse university and Naruto and Sasuke went to Weill. We had nothing in common except a little coffee bar all students gathered. Naruto was too scared to approach me, so…Sasuke simply went over and literally dragged me to join them"
"Well, that definitely sounds like him" Sakura giggled.
"Yeah, well, that's how it happened. I don't, since then we just sort of…started meeting more often and before we knew it…we got together"
"And know there're three of you" Sakura looked down gently to Hinata's belly, which already started to grow.
"Yeah. I'm happy with Naruto. And I also hope that Sasuke is happy with you" Hinata looked hopefully at Sakura.
"Well, it's hard to say" she let out a little sad smile "it's difficult to figure him out sometimes. It always seems like he's hiding something. But I guess that's his nature and…if I want to be with him, I'll just have to accept it" Hinata walked closer to Sakura and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Sasuke is a good person. He's just…damaged. Give him time to let you see his wounds and then…heal them"
"Thanks. I…needed that"
Ring, ring…ring, ring…
Sakura's phone went off. She quickly flipped it open. The caller was Sai.
"Hello?"
Silence. Sakura's eyes widened in shock.
"He...What?"
--
A/N: Well, a little, tiny cliff-hanger…sorry. I also have an announcement: this just might be my last story. I have no choice but to give up on writing. I may be able to throw in occasional one-shots, but…that would be it. Sorry to disappoint you guys. You always were and always will be the best. Of course I won't discontinue this story, since I'm also interested how it will turn out in that twisted head of mine ;)))) well, thanks for reading ;)))