A/N: Thank you guys for your reviews, I really appreciate them. So sorry it took a while for me to update. There's school and all, plus I had to get the plot together and all of that, so I hope you'll forgive me. Here's the first part to make up for that. It's not as long as I'd wanted it to be, but I'll make sure the second part is. By the way, I'm not exactly sure how long this story will be. I'm thinking somewhere between 15 and 20 chapters, or longer if the story calls for it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. Don't forget to leave a review!

Victims of Ourselves
PART I

Naruto woke up to find himself curled into a ball on the cold bathroom floor. It took a few moments for him to realize that he'd cried himself to sleep last night. He remembered how he'd broken down, his body wracked with broken sobs, and how he'd given into the bliss of unconsciousness due to the unbelievable situation.

He placed his hands on the tiles of the floor and forced his body to get up. He almost laughed at how pitiful he looked as he stared at his reflection through the small mirror above his sink. His blue eyes that were usually bright and vibrant from what he could tell were now slightly dull, darker in color.

His blond hair was even wilder than it usually was, most likely from the way he'd pulled at it in frustration and from where he'd been asleep.

His bottom lids were rimmed a deep crimson and were puffy, like they'd been scraped against concrete repeatedly. He found his mouth to be dry and disgustingly sour, and when he tried to clear the bile from the back of his throat, it felt as if he'd strained his voice and screamed it raw.

Yeah, his voice wouldn't be the same for a while.

He managed to brush his teeth and splash water on his face before he heard a knock at the front door. His heart leapt up into his throat with hope until he realized that it couldn't be him.

He let out a sigh as whoever it was knocked again. He really didn't want to see anybody. Not now.

He reluctantly faced his door and looked through the peep-hole. Upon seeing who it was, he quickly unlocked the door, swallowing once before he opened it.

As soon as he did, Sakura swung her arms around his neck and squeezed hard, knocking the wind out of him for a second. He stumbled a little but caught himself, stiffening as he felt a stream of wetness sliding down his back. She was crying, moaning incoherent words, her body shaking as she made fists in the back of Naruto's t-shirt.

"N-Na-ru-t-to," Sakura sobbed, the pitch of her voice getting higher with each syllable of her teammate's name. "S-Sasuke-kun is–"

"Shhhh," Naruto lifted shaking hands to slowly caress her hair as she clung to him. He tried to soothe her while struggling to keep his own emotions under control.

She had to be in extreme emotional pain to allow Naruto to hold her like this. There'd never been much physical contact between them other than her beating the shit out of him daily, or at least her threatening that she was going to. But now, with the news of Sasuke, he knew Sakura would be a mess to the very end.

That was why he had to be the stronger one, for the sake of her and more than anything, his sanity. He didn't think he'd be able to take it if Sakura crumbled before him when he had the power to do something about it. He was going to save Sasuke, if it was the last thing he did. Even if it killed him in the process, he didn't care. As long as Sasuke was alright, he didn't care.

Sakura pulled away abruptly, green eyes watery as the tears continued to flow. "How could this happen? How could Tsunade-sama do this?"

Naruto swallowed, "She's the Hokage."

Sakura's eyes searched his, her brow wrinkling in what looked like a mixture of confusion and bewilderment. Naruto looked back at her, keeping his face as impassive as possible. Whatever fresh tears he felt threatening to fall, he held them back on willpower alone.

"Is... Is that all you have to say?" Sakura asked, her voice faltering. "She sentenced Sasuke to die, Naruto! Wasn't he– isn't he your best friend?"

"I won't let them kill him," Naruto pressed.

"You think you can stop them?"

"I will."

"You're going to get yourself killed, Naruto."

"Maybe," Naruto said, jaw clenched. "But if that's what it costs to save him, I'm going full throttle. I'm not the one who needs to be saved, Sakura-chan. He is. I've been nothing but a burden to him. If I die, wherever I end up, I know I'll be happy because he'll be alive, here where he belongs."

Naruto saw Sakura's mouth quiver like she was going to cry again and before he could change the subject, she made her way into the kitchen, turning on the teapot.

Now that Naruto thought about it, tea sounded really good at the moment. He dragged himself to the kitchen and leaned against the counter near the stove, folding his arms tightly across his chest.

"You look awful," Sakura observed. "Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

"Yeah... My body kind of shut down. If I'd had any control of myself I doubt I would have slept at all. What about you?"

Sakura let out a breath and wiped at her tear-stained face. Naruto wondered how she still managed to look beautiful after crying so much. He knew he wasn't a sight for sore eyes.

"No. I stayed up all night thinking about him." Green eyes met blue. "About all of us."

Naruto nodded silently. He didn't want to think about the past, the memories of Team Seven. All that mattered to him now was the future and the future memories he'd make once they were all reunited for good.

The soft whistling of the teapot on the stove broke the silence as Sakura cleared her throat and grabbed two mugs from a nearby cabinet.

"Oi, Sakura-chan, what are you doing today?" Naruto asked, watching as she inserted teabags in the mugs before pouring the boiling hot water, the steam a silhouette around her face.

"I'm supposed to meet up with Sai at the library. He says he needs my help finding a book on something."

Naruto rolled his eyes. Sai was still in that reading phase of his life? "What's the topic this time?"

Sakura shrugged. "Don't know. It must be important though, since he insisted that I join him."

"Careful, Sakura-chan, I think he's got a thing for you," Naruto teased, almost recoiling from the death glare Sakura threw him.

"Don't make me poison your tea," Sakura threatened, fingers lingering over his now tea-filled mug for emphasis. Naruto's eyes widened a fraction and he quickly snatched his mug off of the counter, causing some of the blistering liquid to splash on his shirt, no doubt burning his chest.

"AAHH! SHIT!" He set the drink back on the counter and blew at his reddened skin.

"Idiot," Sakura barked, "I wasn't serious. What are your plans for today besides acting like a spazoid?"

After recovering from whatever degree of burns he'd gained, Naruto calmed down enough to answer her question. "I'm gonna talk to Tsunade-baachan."

Sakura perked up, her eyes hopeful. "Did she summon you?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nope. But we need to talk. I need to know just what the hell she thinks she's doing."

"Naruto, you can't just barge in there and -!"

"Do you want Sasuke to live or not?"

Shiny green eyes widened, dainty jaw clenching, "Of course I do."

"Then trust me."

After a much needed shower, a change of clothes, Naruto felt a little better. At least, his hygiene did. His heart and soul were a completely different story. He couldn't feel too confident in trying to convince Tsunade-baachan, who had the power to end his one true best friend, to not end said best friend, especially since he'd made it clear that he was nothing more than a threat to Konoha.

Naruto pushed the doubt out of his mind as he headed inside the Hokage Tower. He'd almost made it to her office when Shizune stepped outside of it, closing the door behind her. She looked up at him and did a double take, a look of genuine surprise masking her features. He didn't understand why though. It should have been common sense to know he'd show up here sooner or later.

"Naruto-kun," Shizune spoke, her voice wary. "What are you doing here?"

Naruto cocked his head towards the door, "Tsunade-baachan in there?"

Shizune nodded slowly, "Yes… But you're going to have to wait to see her. She'll be having a very important meeting with the Elders soon and I'm sure they wouldn't like to be kept waiting."

Naruto suddenly felt very anxious. This couldn't wait. Sure, 365 – scratch that, 364 days seemed like a long time in some cases, but for someone awaiting the death penalty, those days could go by really, really fast. He had to save him as soon as possible, had to get rid of his hatred as soon as possible…

"How long until the meeting starts?" He asked. His eyes were locked on the door.

"Fifteen minutes."

"I'll be done by then."

With that, Naruto burst into the office, ignoring Shizune's frantic "Naruto-kun!" and shutting the door behind him. The sudden slam must have alarmed Tsunade-baachan, because she spun around in her quickly in her chair, and when she realized it was him, she gave him an unreadable look.

"I'm busy, Naruto," was all she said, avoiding eye contact.

"I want to see him."

Tsunade looked up at him, eyebrow raised. She let out a sigh and folded her hands on the desk in front of her. She didn't say anything for a while, as if contemplating her answer. Hopeful blue eyes stared back at her and she felt her heart tighten in her chest as she looked into them.

Naruto was always so determined, the true face of youth. Tsunade closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, suddenly feeling dreadful. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu would be there soon, in the office, no doubt to discuss the decision they'd so eagerly "helped" her come to.

"Baachan…" Naruto trailed off. She's gonna say no, she's gonna say no!

"Fine."

Naruto blinked at her, and he was positive that his face was a perfect sculpture of surprise. Did she just say what she thought he did?

She got up, then walking around her desk, heading for the door. "Stay here for a moment," she ordered. "You'll need to be escorted."

Naruto swallowed at the anticipation that he was actually allowed to see Sasuke again, and on such short notice. He watched in stunned silence as the Hokage walked out of the office. He stood still as a statue as he heard faint murmurs. He could hear Tsunade-baachan's voice as well as what sounded like two other men.

A few seconds later, the slightly cracked door was pushed all the way open and in walked Tsunade-baachan with two Anbu Black Ops behind her. One wore the mask of a tiger, and the other a bird.

It had always amused Naruto that Anbu could be so serious with such ridiculous things on their faces. The two Anbu stepped farther into the office, in front of Naruto as the Hokage stood behind her desk.

"I'll need you two to escort Uzumaki Naruto to the Correctional Facility where Uchiha Sasuke is being held," she said, her tone demanding.

Naruto felt his body twitch at the sound of his friend's name being voiced aloud.

The two Anbu shared a look before bowing in unison, in a display of absolute respect. "Yes, Hokage-sama," they also voiced in unison. "How long is he to see Mr. Uchiha?" Tiger mask asked.

"That will be up to the guards at the facility," she answered, sitting back down in her rolling chair.

The Anbu nodded and turned to face Naruto. They walked past him and left the office, prompting Naruto to follow them. Naruto threw a last glance over his shoulder.

"Oi, Baachan," Naruto called behind him.

She looked up at him, a slight look of irritation on her face, probably because he kept calling her Granny, and probably because she thought he had another request for her. He didn't.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Pale hands slid up the cool exterior of the metallic silver bars that separated the host from the rest of the prisoners. They kept him in a different cell, in a different block from the others, secluded and alone.

Just the way he liked it. The farther away he was from the rest of humanity, the easier it was for his to not exist. Emotions were for the weak.

Dark eyes wandered to the tray of "breakfast" next to him, if the imbeciles actually called the slimy, soggy dish that. When the guard had brought it to him, it took all his willpower not to chew it and spit it right back in the fat-ass's face.

Instead, he'd allowed the guard to plop it down on the ground, and only when he'd left and locked up the cell again, did Sasuke examine it, screw his face in disgust and fling it against the once white wall.

He would rather starve than put such inedible trash in his body. And besides, weren't they going to kill him eventually? What the fuck was the point in trying to nurture him in the meantime?

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the sheer stupidity of the people of Konoha. Though he had to admit, locking him up was the best thing for them. He'd been so close to destroying the worthless shit hole of a village. So fucking close.

And then he'd hesitated. He growled at what was the cause of it and quickly pushed it out of his thoughts. This wasn't the time to reflect and regret.

He didn't get to eviscerate Konoha like he'd wanted to, but that didn't mean nobody else wouldn't. He was positive he wasn't the only one with a grudge against the village and its people. He knew there were others.

It was only a matter of time before another big bad wolf would make its presence known and become an even larger threat. Sasuke was counting on it.

He'd soon come to realize that he didn't give a damn if it was him or someone else annihilating the village where he'd once resided and once fought to protect. As long as it was annihilated, he didn't much care who it was that finished the job.

And wherever he'd be by then, he would laugh. He would laugh the most genuine, honest laugh an Uchiha could give, because that would mean he'd won and Konoha had lost.

He almost smiled, and then he realized just who else was a part of the village that he'd grown to despise so much. He hated himself for even thinking about the total moron who still managed to grate on his nerves.

He also hated the feeling he got when he thought about someone other than him laying a finger on said moron, much less killing him. He was sure he'd made it clear to Naruto that he would be the fucking death of him.

It was Naruto's fault anyway. He was always in his business, always in his head, occasionally messing with his state of mind, constantly pissing Sasuke off. He just wanted him to go away. Sasuke didn't need him, didn't want to need him. He just wanted him gone out of his life so that he could finally; hopefully have some peace of mind.

He didn't need him. He didn't need anybody.

The loud buzz that indicated that a guard was entering his cell block snapped Sasuke out of his thoughts. He heard faint murmurs of more than one person and couldn't make out what was being said. It had to have something to do with him though, since no one came around these parts more than twice a day.

"...in here..."

The voices were getting clearer. Sasuke found himself inching closer to the bars, trying to hear as much as possible.

"...you have ten minutes..."

A visitor? Sasuke dismissed the thought. No, it couldn't be.

"...got to be kidding me...!"

That voice...

"...you want to see him or not?"

Sasuke felt his heart race in anticipation. No, no, no. He heard a muffled sound and could only guess that it was a grunt in reply to the guard's question.

Then he heard the telltale noise of keys jingling and the metal door was opening. He slowly slid away from the bars and listened to multiple footsteps approaching his cell.

He could hear his pulse drumming in his ears with each step that was taken. First he saw the prison guard, then two Anbu, and it seemed like time had come to a complete stop as he saw all-too familiar blond hair, and even more familiar orange clothing. Blue eyes immediately locked on his, and Sasuke felt his fingers curling into fists.

"Sasuke..." the teenager rasped. His voice was anything but stable.

Naruto...

TBC