Chapter One:
Exile or Death
Naruto was on his way to the bridge where his team met everyday. With his hands behind his head, fingers laced, the blond ninja continued on until he saw the familiar pink hair of his teammate Sakura. A big grin spreading across his face, Naruto ran up to his crush yelling out a hello in the process while waving his arms through the air. Sakura sighed at Naruto's hyperness but knew she couldn't do anything about it. Instead she just smiled at the blonde before retuning her attention to the stoic Sasuke Uchiha.
Jealous that Sasuke always took Sakura's full attention, well the good part of her attention, he crossed his arms and pouted cutely. Sasuke took that moment to look over at the blonde. He blushed slightly at how cute Naruto looked but quickly got rid of the thought. About to ask the blonde what his problem was, he got interrupted by the pink haired kunoichi.
"So, Sasuke, would you like to get breakfast with me? I mean Kakashi-sensei's always late so we'd have plenty…"
"No." Sasuke interrupted the girl before him. He couldn't stand Sakura's constant flirting or that pink blob of hair she had.
"But why not?" Sakura whined, annoyingly.
"How many times do I have to tell you Sakura? I'm not interested in you and I will never be interested in you so stop asking me out." with that said Sasuke walked over to Naruto, a disappointed pink haired kunoichi left behind.
Naruto bit his bottom lip, trying not to laugh at what Sasuke had just told Sakura. It was true he had a crush on her for a while but today he decided it was time to let it go and move on. Sakura made it clear to him, painfully, that she would rather eat a porcupine then go out with Naruto. It hurt the blonde when she told him that but didn't let it show. As it got harder for Naruto to hold in his laughter he turned away from his team mates.
Sasuke looked at Naruto curiously, momentarily letting his usually emotionless mask slip away. He tapped the blonde on the shoulder and that was bad…for Naruto. The blonde burst out laughing, clutching his sides. Sasuke backed up a little as Naruto completely lost it. Knowing what he was laughing about, Sakura balled her fists and went after the blonde violently. Seeing Sakura just in time Naruto dodged her attack and fell.
Unfortunately for the blonde, he was at the edge of the slight, but still steep, hill that went down into the river which ran beneath the bridge. As Naruto fell he hit a moss covered rock, hearing a bad crack. The crack sound was followed by a searing pain, telling the blonde he now had a few broken ribs. He continued to fall until he landed in the shallow river and hit his head on a large rock, making everything go black instantly.
Sasuke rushed to the blonde's side, pulling him out of the water and keeping him from drowning. As the raven haired teen picked Naruto up he saw the deep gash on his head from where he hit it. Panicking for his friend's life, the Uchiha rushed the blonde to the hospital, closely followed by Sakura. He got Naruto there with in minutes and yelled out for some one to help. A doctor with short brown hair rushed forward and took Naruto from Sasuke, bringing the blonde to the E.R.
After half an hour the doctor came back out and told Sasuke about Naruto's injuries. He had four broken ribs, his skull was fractured, and he had a concussion. Sasuke looked at the doctor worried for his friend. The doctor reassured Sasuke and told him that Naruto would be fine and all he needed was some rest. Sasuke nodded in understanding and asked the doctor if he could see Naruto. The woman permitted it and showed the Uchiha what room Naruto was in.
Sakura followed quietly, guilt rising up inside her. She knew if she hadn't charged at the blonde he wouldn't have dodged her attack and fell. Looking at the back of Sasuke's head, the kunoichi knew he would never forgive her for this. He may not show it, but Sasuke really cared about Naruto and would do just about anything for him. Fearing what Sasuke would say to her or worse, what he would do to her, Sakura decided it would be best to go find Kakashi.
Sasuke heard Sakura turn around and leave just as he arrived outside Naruto's room. He glared in the direction Sakura disappeared, anger towards the pink haired girl growing to dangerous levels. It was her fault Naruto was hurt and she just leaves like that? Sasuke was fuming. As he opened the door he saw Naruto laying in the bed before him. Sasuke stood still for a moment, taking in the appearance of the blonde.
Naruto's head was wrapped in bandages. The doctor had removed the blonde's orange jacket and black shirt, showing the well toned chest of the younger teen also wrapped tight in bandages. Sasuke quietly stepped the rest of the way into the room and closed the door behind him. He sat beside Naruto on the bed and looked at how helpless the blonde looked. Sasuke sighed sadly, wishing he could have caught the blonde before hitting the ground.
As Sasuke looked at his friend he saw Naruto's eyes flutter slightly before opening half way. Just seeing those big blue eyes of his calmed the raven down some. It took a few seconds for Naruto's blurry vision to clear but when it did he saw his raven haired team mate sitting beside him. Felling groggy and very dizzy, Naruto tried to sit up but was held down by Sasuke. Naruto looked at him slightly irritated before sighing and laying back against the pillow.
"What happened Sasuke?" Naruto asked weakly.
"You fell down into the river, Naruto. The doctor said you have a few broken ribs, a concussion, and you fractured your skull." Sasuke responded.
"Jeez, what the hell's the good news?" Naruto asked exasperated.
"You're still alive." Sasuke responded bluntly.
"Yeah…if you can call that good." Naruto mumbled.
"What?!" Sasuke hadn't expected Naruto, of all people, to say something like that, "Naruto, why did you say that?"
Naruto stared sadly up at the white, tiled ceiling of his hospital room.
"Can I leave yet?" Naruto asked his raven companion, changing the subject.
"I…" Before Sasuke could answer, the door to Naruto's room opened up.
Surprising both teens, a woman with light blonde hair and brown eyes walked into the room. It was the fifth Hokage, Tsunade. She walked over to Naruto and looked at him for a few seconds before speaking.
"So you gonna tell me what happened?" Tsunade asked exhausted.
"I pissed Sakura off by laughing at her when Sasuke turned her down for the billionth time." Naruto answered in a bored tone.
"I see. So she's the reason you've got broken ribs and a fractured skull?"
"Not entirely. I wasn't careful and fell down a hill when I dodged her attack."
"Okay…" Tsunade looked at Naruto for a few seconds as if contemplating something.
Finally the Hokage sighed and held her hands over the injured teen. A light green glow emitted from her hands and Naruto felt the pain in his head and chest go away almost instantly. The blonde sat up gingerly to make sure everything was okay and then looked up at Tsunade, a big grin plastered across his face.
"Thanks grandma Tsunade!"
"Yeah sure, just stop being an annoying pain in the ass." With that said Tsunade left the room.
Naruto got out of the hospital bed and grabbed his shirt. He pulled it on then turned around to face Sasuke. The raven was sitting in a chair now, staring blankly out of the window, deep in thought. Naruto got curious and stood right in front of Sasuke, blocking his vision to the outside world. Sasuke blinked a few times before looking into blue eyes that were staring at him curiously. Surprising the blonde big time, Sasuke blushed a little.
"Er, what?" Sasuke asked the blonde before him uneasily.
"Um, are you, well, uh, you okay?" Naruto asked feeling weird all of a sudden.
"…Yeah…why?" the Uchiha asked cautiously.
"Well…you were spacing out just now and that's not like you…" Naruto didn't finish his sentence, unable to.
The two teens were interrupted by shouting that could be heard coming from outside the hospital. Naruto grabbed his jacket as he and Sasuke ran outside to see what was going on. When they stepped out into the bright, shining sun, they saw a huge crowd of people gathering around the elders of the village. Curious, Sasuke and Naruto moved closer. That's when one of the elders pointed directly at Naruto.
"YOU! COME WITH US NOW!" The old man shouted.
Naruto looked at Sasuke nervously before obeying the command. Sasuke stayed with Naruto as the elders led the blonde to Hokage tower. They walked right into Tsunade's office where she and Shizune, her assistant, were working. Both women looked up a little shocked at the sudden intrusion.
"What's going on?" Tsunade asked professionally.
"Tsunade, we have been hounded constantly by the villagers to do something about Naruto Uzumaki!" One of the elders spoke.
"Hey! I haven't done anything to anyone! What the hell?" Naruto yelled out.
"That's a good question and I would very much like to know the answer elders." Tsunade said.
"The villagers are tired of his constant disturbances and want him banished, exiled." Another elder answered.
Tsunade's, Shizune's, Sasuke's, and Naruto's mouths fell open. They couldn't believe what they had just heard. The elders were asking, no, commanding that Naruto be banished from the village.
"FOR WHAT!?" Sasuke shouted angrily, breaking the silence in the room.
"We just said for what Mr. Uchiha." An elder responded coldly.
"We will give Naruto one week to decide. It's either banishment or death." With that the elders left Tsunade's office.
Naruto couldn't believe this was happening. He collapsed onto the couch in Tsunade's office, staring at the floor and trying to understand what had just happened. Sasuke sat down beside Naruto and looked at Tsunade.
"Can't you tell them to go to hell?" Sasuke asked desperately.
"No, I can't. The elders have spoken Sasuke…my hands are tied." Tsunade said sadly while Shizune hugged Naruto to herself tightly.
Not wanting to lose his friend like this, Sasuke started thinking to himself, trying to figure out a plan to keep Naruto alive and keep the blonde from being banished. That's when the idea hit. Sasuke jumped off the couch startling everyone in the room. He turned to Naruto suddenly who was staring at Sasuke like he had officially snapped.
"Naruto I want you to go home and wait there for me all right? I'll be there soon." Once that was said Sasuke bolted from the room to the closest jewelry store.
"What the hell was that about?" Naruto whispered.
Tsunade And Shizune shrugged their shoulders and told Naruto he should do what the raven had said. The blonde nodded and headed home.