"Ugh." Naruto tried to stretch his sore muscles. The beating last night had not been a pretty one, and he had the bruises to prove it. When Kiba had punched him on the shoulder, he'd almost started to cry. He'd feigned pain very well, seeing as his arm was screaming for mercy at just the slight contact. Shikamaru, who had become his friend through Kiba, seemed to notice his distress and had asked if something was wrong. Naruto had just said it was because he was a klutz and had fallen down the stairs. He'd gotten an unconvinced look, but Shikamaru dropped it. Naruto swore his way through the day, trying not to run into anything or start fights with anyone.

Which, with the Teme around, was harder than it sounded.

"Why are you so gimpy today, dobe. Where's your fighting spirit."

Sasuke had his face pulled into a smirk, and Naruto had to resist the urge to rip it off his face. Naruto didn't know it, but Sasuke knew exactly what had happened the previous night.

"Ke" had gotten a call the night before.

And it wasn't pretty.

"Damnation Ke, that bitch told father I hit her. He believed her and came at me with a lamp. A fucking lamp!!!" Naruto was near hysterics, and Sasuke could tell. He felt a familiar fury bubbling up in his stomach. "Are you o.k.?" Sasuke said calmly. He didn't want his fear and anger to transfer over the line. "Ok? OK?!? You've got to be kidding me? I think I need to go to the hospital! But, of course, that would cause problems for the bastard of the family. As long as no one suspects anything, he doesn't care if I slowly rot to death!" There was a pause then, Naruto spoke again.

"I think he'd prefer it that way…" Naruto whispered in a quiet, broken voice. "I think-…I don't know what to think anymore, Ke, I just-." "I know, dobe." Sasuke spoke softly to his friend. "I know."

Then Naruto had burst into tears, and all Sasuke could do was listen.

He was becoming more and more convinced he should let his identity become known. He realized that is was only his own selfishness that was keeping Naruto from a happy life. If Sasuke interceded on Naruto's behalf, his identity would be undeniable, and then all his happiness could be destroyed. It would all depend on the Dobe. He knew it would help the idiot no matter what the outcome for him, but he couldn't loose his only real friendship. He just couldn't.

It would be the perfect opening for the void to consume him.

And Sasuke was…scared.

He was terrified.

The only person he'd ever loved would be taken away. (People, he Luvs his mommy and daddy too, he's not that heartless.)

…Well, that finally gave a name to the unnamed emotion that swelled in his chest every time a smile appeared on the Blonde's lips. It explained why he always felt like his heart was breaking when Naruto cried. Why he became so flustered when the idiot said his name. (He's good at hiding these things, that's why he never pulls a Hinata and blushes and stammers. XD)

It explained why he was boring so selfish.

And it also made Sasuke realize what he had to do.

"Sasuke?" The sound of his name snapped the raven out of his thoughts. "Hn?" The blond looked up at his quizzically. "Nothing, you just spaced out for a second there." "…I had something on my mind."

"Oh." Naruto grinned up at Sasuke. "I guess even proper lads like you zone out every once and a while." He said it with an English accent, flaring the 'lads' with a swing of his arm. Sasuke allowed a small smile.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, Dobe. I have a phone call to make…"

Sasuke spun on his heels and towards his waiting car, a new resolve hardened in his stomach.

………………………….

Woooooo! I'm almost finished with this guy. I'm not sure how to end it, but I'm sure I'll think of something! I know all my chapters are short, but there also very paragraphy, so the length isn't that bad. Hehe, sorry for not writing anything from me till this chap, but I can't seem to figure out to edit my other chapters. T^T Well, ta-ta for now!

R and R!! Please! Tell me how I could improve, ect.