Within These Empty Walls

Well here you go! Chapter 3! Please enjoy!

Chapter 3: Sasuke, Tears, and Medication

Sasuke blinked his eyes open slowly, but his eyelids slipped shut almost instantly again, feeling like they weighed forty pounds each.

"Sasuke? You didn't fall asleep again, did you teme?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto be quiet, if he's tired, he can sleep. He's worn out." Sasuke heard Kakashi's voice. He groaned and opened his eyes slowly, but he could feel his eyelids drooping down again, as if his eyes were fighting him to close. He lolled his head to the side and opened them halfway and stared out at what was in front of him, which happened to be Kakashi's vest.

"Sasuke? Are you awake?" His sensei's tone was serious. Sasuke didn't answer, but just blinked slowly. Kakashi sighed and put a hand on the cheek that was facing up, instead of pressed against the pillow. Sasuke's eyes blinked heavily again, but didn't look at him. He sighed quietly and patted his student's back.

"Go back to sleep, Sasuke." He whispered quietly. Sasuke glanced up tiredly and met Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura's gazes. He exhaled deeply, and then slowly let his eyelids slip shut.

Just before sleep overtook him, he heard Kakashi whisper "Shhh…" and he felt a gloved hand brush through his bangs, lulling him into the dark abyss of dreams.

Sasuke was a lot less drowsy when he woke up again, and when he opened his eyes, he was grateful to see that it was only Naruto and Kakashi there. The less people the better, and since Sakura had no part in what had happened, he felt she shouldn't be a part of it. He looked outside and was relieved to see it was nighttime. He had slept through the whole day, most likely because of Kakashi giving him something to help him sleep or to ease the pain.

"Sasuke?" Naruto whispered quietly, unsure whether he was awake or not. He turned his head to look at him, and the blonde sighed in relief.

"You really are awake." He breathed. Kakashi stepped in front of Naruto, bending over Sasuke a little.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. "Be honest. Tell me everything that doesn't seem right."

Sasuke sighed quietly, not really in the mood to explain anything. "I… I guess I just feel a little drowsy…" he whispered.

"What about before you lost consciousness? What happened?"

"I don't really remember…" He lied.

Kakashi sighed and turned to Naruto. "Naruto, will you explain to him what you saw to refresh his memory?"

Naruto nodded and quietly began speaking. "Well, I had come by your house just to say hello, and maybe see if you would go get some ramen with me. I came in and I saw that you were sleeping on the couch, and not in your bed, so I was a little confused. I walked over by you and just whispered your name, and you suddenly screamed and started flailing around like a fish! You fell on top of me! You got mad at me for being in your house and then all of the sudden you began screaming in pain. I tried to ask you what was wrong but you just kept yelling at me to leave. I tried to help you with the pain but you suddenly lost consciousness on me! I didn't know what I should do so I ran to get Kakashi-sensei after I put you back on the couch…" He finished and sighed shakily. "You freaking scared the crap out of me." He admitted.

Kakashi nodded and looked back at Sasuke, and he sat down by his legs on the bed. "So? You remember now?" He asked.

He really wants to know… Sasuke thought.

"Sasuke… I'm only doing this for your safety." He said. Sasuke sighed and finally spoke.

"I guess… I just felt a stinging sensation in the Curse Mark… I don't remember anything after that." He lied, not wanting his teacher to get worried. He was relieved when Kakashi believed him.

"Do you think this is related to Orochimaru?" He asked. Sasuke just shrugged, not answering.

"It's pretty late, Sasuke. Why don't you go to sleep?" He asked. Sasuke nodded, and repositioned the blanket around him. Kakashi nudged Naruto, gesturing towards the door.

When they got to the doorway, he slipped his shoes on. "Kakashi-sensei? Is Sasuke going to be alright?" He asked quietly. Kakashi sighed heavily.

"I don't know Naruto… I don't know." He patted his shoulder. "I'm doing everything I can as a sensei to figure out what Orochimaru did to him. "The last thing I want is to see something bad happen to Sasuke…"

Naruto lowered his eyes and nodded, whispering a goodbye before leaving. Kakashi sighed and locked the door, and made sure all of the windows were locked and the traps were set. He then quietly walked back into Sasuke's room.

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked and Kakashi when he came in.

"You're still awake?" He asked, surprised.

"You're not leaving?"

"No… I'm going to stay here for the night just to make sure that you're okay…" He whispered.

A sigh.

"That doesn't mean you stay up all night just because I'm here."

"Kakashi I swear, if you do anything to me…"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're a porn-loving perverted teacher." He growled tiredly.

"Oh Sasuke, your words hurt me so deeply." He joked.

"Whatever… I'm not sleeping…" He mumbled sleepily.

"I don't think your body likes that." He laughed, patting his head.

"I'm tired, but I feel like I can't sleep at all…"

"Do you want some medicine? Or do you want me to put you to sleep?"

"Whatever… I don't really care anymore…" he sighed softly.

Kakashi nodded and pulled out some liquid, which he poured into a glass of water he retrieved from the sink. He poured it in and he mixed it up gently so it wouldn't spill.

"One sip of this and you'll be asleep soon." He said as Sasuke drank some of it. "Before when you were asleep, I had you drink some of it so you'd sleep better, which is why you were so drowsy and out of it when you first woke up." He explained. Sasuke nodded and Kakashi took the glass from him. "I probably shouldn't have made you drink it straight without water though…" He smiled behind his mask.

Sasuke began to feel the effects, but it was only an increased drowsiness. "Whatever…" He whispered quietly. Kakashi stood up and turned the lights off, but opened the curtains so there was some light from the moon. Sasuke blinked heavily as Kakashi came back and pulled back the covers, crawling in next to his student after abandoning his vest.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke mumbled tiredly, trying to push him away. "You pervert… get away from me…"

"I'm staying the night here. I know you wouldn't want me to sleep in your parent's room, or Itachi's." He sighed. "So live with it."

Sasuke blinked heavily again. "Out…" he groaned.

Kakashi just smiled about him. "Look how tired you are already Sasuke. The great Uchiha Sasuke isn't losing his battle to exhaustion, is he?" He teased.

"Sh't up… you drugged me…" He murmured sleepily. Kakashi just smiled with his eyes and patted his student's head.

"Goodnight Sasuke." He whispered quietly.

"D'nt… t'ch… me…" he was barely understandable anymore as he tried very desperately to stay awake.

"Shh Sasuke just go to sleep, go to sleep." He murmured quietly.

It only took a few seconds for his eyelids to slide shut as he finally fell into dreams.

Kakashi leaned up against the wall and pulled out his book, having trained himself to read in the dark. He decided he was going to read the night away.

When Sasuke woke up the next day, he realized he felt like crap. His whole body felt tired and sore, and he felt sick to his stomach, like he was about to throw up. He shifted uncomfortably onto his side. Bad idea. It just made him feel even more sick. He groaned and curled up in a ball.

"Sasuke? Are you awake?" Kakashi looked at him. "Wow Sasuke… you're pretty pale. You okay?" He asked.

"Do I look okay to you?" Sasuke growled. "I feel like I'm going to throw up…" He groaned again. Kakashi left and quickly retrieved a waste basket for him.

"Here, use this." He sighed. "I'll go get you some medicine from the store." He grabbed the glass of drugged water and brought it back to the kitchen. He slipped on some shoes and he walked outside, locking the door behind him.

Sasuke was left alone feeling like crap. His thirst was beginning to get to him.

I shouldn't have any trouble just getting a glass of water… he thought. He got up, stumbling a little as he attempted to walk down the hallway. Halfway there, he felt the Curse pulsate and he cried out, sliding against the wall onto the floor. He gripped his neck as it throbbed again. He looked at his body and realized the marks were beginning to spread across his entire body. He cried out again and fell to the floor completely. He rested his cheek against the wood, relieved that it was cold. He lied there unmoving, in too much pain to do anything.

Kakashi-sensei… please get here soon… it hurts so bad… he thought as a couple of tears escaped from his eyes.

"Kakashi… Kakashi…! Kakashi!" He desperately tried screaming. His pride no longer mattered to him. All that mattered was making the pain go away, no matter what it took. It was excruciating, worse than it had ever been. On top of it, he was sick, and he ended up throwing up on the floor, thankfully none of it getting on him. He curled up in a ball and cried weakly.

Thankfully, Kakashi came in a few minutes after. He set a bag down on the table and took out the medicine.

"Sasuke I- Oh my God. Sasuke!" He yelled, rushing over to his teammate. "What happened?" He whispered.

Sasuke said nothing but shake his head in pain. He couldn't speak, even if he wanted to.

"Sasuke your… crying…" he whispered, shocked that the Uchiha would ever cry. "Does it really hurt that bad?" Sasuke nodded, another sob escaping him.

"Shh… Just relax okay? I've got some medicine for your fever… hopefully once you calm down a little bit the Curse Mark will go away…" he murmured, picking up his student gently.

"Hurts…" Sasuke whispered quietly, leaning into Kakashi more.

"I know, Sasuke. Calm down okay? Deep breaths." He hushed him, trying his best to get him to calm down so his body could slow. He lied him down in bed and had him take the medication.

"This is non-drowsy, but I'm sure right now sleep sounds amazing to you, huh?" When Sasuke nodded, he sighed. "Do you want me knock you out?" He asked.

"Y-yea…" he murmured quietly. He shakily sat up, trying to drink a little more of the water Kakashi had brought with the medication. Kakashi helped him and set the glass down on the side table.

"Ready?" He asked. Sasuke nodded and tried to sit up straight without making him feel worse. Kakashi felt around his neck for the correct pressure point, and then pressed on it gently. He grabbed Sasuke as he immediately collapsed into his arms. He gently lowered him to the bed, and covered him up with the covers.

"Night Sasuke…" He whispered quietly, sitting down in the chair in the room and pulling out his book.

He wondered if Sasuke would ever be the same after this.

End!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!

~SasukeUchihasGuardian