Chapter 22

Naruto pov

Author's note: Hi! You guys are so sweet in the comments, truly happy to see this story make an impact for someone. I put so much of my time and effort into this story it really is nice to see it appreciated. From planning, thinking, more planning, then the writing it took around 6 months to finish this piece. I can't wait to start cleaning it up and polishing the edges, getting things better formatted, to really make this story glow. Thank you all, to those of you who have been following the story along. Also. I had this thought. An idea really. Would anyone want a Chapter, kind of a 'what if' story, that would explore what would have happened if Sasuke never left the village? I'm thinking i might call it "Green eyes and radiance" if you guys give me enough positive feedback on the idea.(So sorry this story is so dang sad) I feel like i owe you guys Green eyes and radiance just for sitting through this mountain of sad. Well without further ado lets go! Happy reading! Brandy- looking glass is the song for this chapter. I always got SasuSaku vibes from it, am i right? Lol.

When he was a child it felt like that would be his life forever. Naruto would forever be the orphan who never knew family, and couldn't seem to make friends. Childhood was hard for him and so he wished it away. Prayed to whatever deity that existed that he could hurry up and grow and get stronger. Prayed that he would be named Hokage for his effort someday. Naruto didn't appreciate his childhood because it was riddled with loneliness until team 7 finally came along, but about as soon as they showed up it seemed Naruto's childhood finally did end. Of course it would end when he was finally enjoying it. There was a brief period of time where he recalled being happy during his childhood, with team 7. Sure it was alot of hard work and missions, but he finally felt like he belonged like he was safe enough to enjoy being a kid. One day he was 12 and sitting between Sakura and Sasuke during the chunin exams sharing a fish they caught in the river, and then Naruto blinked and everything had come crashing down around him.

Sasuke left.

Naruto couldn't believe it had happened at first. After everything they had been through. Sasuke just walked away like that?

After a few years had passed and he had matured in more ways than one. Naruto understood. Leaving the village. Sasuke's decision wasn't ever Naruto's to make. He couldn't force Sasuke into coming home. What he could do was try his best to let Sasuke understand him. To make sure he knew he still had people to come back to in Konoha and he always would. No matter what.

So Sasuke killed his teacher? Who cared.

So he killed his own brother? Good. From what Naruto knew the guy had it long coming, and if Sasuke hadn't taken care of him who was to say Naruto wouldn't have went after him if their paths ever crossed.

So Sasuke went kind of crazy, and threatened the village? Who wouldn't go crazy, living his life?

So Sasuke started running the same evil ass village his teacher left behind? Not the most constructive use of time sure, but Sasuke had to do something with his time. Okay.

So Sasuke tried to kill each member of team 7 at least once... Okay well that was fucked, but like he was crazy when that all happened. Naruto wasn't going to hold him responsible for things he did when he wasn't in his right mind.

Forgiven. Sasuke was forgiven as far as Naruto was concerned.

Sasuke was his best friend in the whole world, he wouldn't abandon him. No matter what.

"You'll have to give it back you know." Naruto teased.

Sakura had one dainty hand extended in front of herself, admiring the ring Naruto had given her. She beamed up at him.

"It's not that I don't think you'll bring Sasuke home i know you will, but do i really have to give it back? It's grown on me." The light glinted off the ring making a bit of space around them blaze with it's force. "Your mother's taste was impeccable."

Naruto liked when it was just the two of them. It brought back so many fond memories. Sometimes he even pretended Sasuke was still with them.

"And that's why i will be needing that ring back."

"Hmm?" She murmured in that way that only Naruto understood what she was asking. 'Keep talking.'

"There's a girl, that i might like to give it to someday." He blushed tilting his head up and out of her sight. That was one of the perks of being taller than Sakura, he could hide his face when he wanted to. "So you better be taking care of it."

"You don't say." She preened. "Is it love?"

"Yeah." He grinned goofily thinking of plum locks of hair.

"Oh wow." Sakura smiled. "It's settled then come on." She grabbed Naruto's hand, pulling him along with her.

"Sak-" He blurted out dazedly.

"It's BIG. Naruto. Love. It's the biggest thing there is." Her voice floated to him airly, silkily like the whispering of flowers floating through the wind. Then Naruto understood where she was taking him.

They made it to the Hokage mountain, hand in hand. There was no one in the village that knew him quite like Sakura, not even Hinata.

Sasuke maybe could have known him like Sakura did, if he'd wanted. If he hadn't left them behind.

Just like they all promised though, Sakura had brought Naruto here for this BIG moment. Without Sasuke it stung a bit, and It felt like that night they shared together had been a lifetime ago.

'So you guys swear it right? This will be where we come to celebrate all the BIG stuff in our lives?' Sakura's voice haunted the recesses of Naruto's mind with those words.

"What, i wonder do you think Sasuke would think of you asking someone to marry you."

"Do you think he thinks of us?" Naruto's voice was pained, it was hard to talk about Sasuke in general but especially to Sakura. They were both among the few people left in the world that still felt any kind of affection for the rogue nin. Talks of Sasuke tended to lead to tears.

"What?" Sakura balked at the idea. "Of course he does." She smiled distastefully. "Probably more than he'd like to." She admitted.

"What do you think he's out there doing, right now?"

"I'm not sure i'd really like to know." She stared out into the midnight sky, watching as the stars danced for them. "Sasuke-" She rubbed the ring on her finger like it helped center her hap-hazardous thoughts on their ex teammate. "I think i'll love him forever, Naruto. No matter what he's done, and regardless of how he's hurt both of us. I can't. Help it."

Naruto understood her feelings perfectly as if she'd plucked them right out of his head. Naruto didn't have it in him to disparage Sasuke for the choices he'd made, not knowing everything he knew now. Naruto didn't blame him for leaving them, not anymore. The way Naruto saw it, it had probably been one of the most selfless things Sasuke had ever done. He had chosen, carefully, very carefully to sever his ties to team 7 rather than pull them along into the death match he had waiting for him with his brother. Naruto would have helped him pursue Itachi, but he and Sakura had been to weak back then. There was a time Naruto would have followed Sasuke happily into hell had the occasion called for it. He would have given anything for Sasuke to acknowledge him, now there were some things Naruto could no longer sacrifice in the hopes of bringing Sasuke home.

The village. Hinata. Sakura. Iruka. Kakashi. Shikamaru. The list of his precious people went on. Naruto had decided after word came that Sasuke had finally killed Itachi, he had to allow Sasuke his distance for the time being. In time he hoped Sasuke might begin to mellow out, that he might begin to remember the good old days, that he might remember who he was before. After some time Naruto might toy with the idea of starting the pursuit once more, but this time it would be harder. This time Naruto didn't want Sakura included. From what he'd heard Sasuke was and still was currently unhinged. Crazed with the traumas of his past. Naruto couldn't risk Sakura being hurt at Sasuke's hand, or killed. Sasuke had already made it clear he wouldn't hesitate to kill them if they stood in his way. He'd tried to kill them both, and though Sakura had not told him about the incident, Shikamaru had. Sasuke had stabbed her when she was alone and vulnerable. A teammate- Naruto could never have betrayed her trust in the same manner. The Sasuke they knew had faded, but Naruto believed he was still there. Somewhere. He just didn't know how to reach him in the darkness.

Sasuke was Naruto's other half, the darker part of his soul, and Sakura was Naruto's heart. She was kind and gentle, Sasuke's complete opposite. Naruto needed them to be whole.

"I'm sorry." Naruto told her, taking her hand again. She leaned into his touch. He knew he wasn't the person she wanted comfort from, but it was all Naruto could offer her. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. I wish he didn't have to be so-" Naruto struggled to find the perfect word for what exactly Sasuke was.

"Idiotic?" Sakura supplied.

"Yeah." He squeezed her round the middle. "Someday soon. You'll have to give me the ring back. I swear."

"I'm looking forward to it."

It wasn't like the last time they sat on the Hokage mountain as a group of 3. The first time had been exciting, and the throws of teenage hormones still had them all by the teeth. Coming back to celebrate this BIG moment was bittersweet without them all, but they'd sworn. They swore as those innocent little genin, that this was where they would come, together when things in life had gone right. There would be so few of those moments, Naruto knew he had to snatch them up as they came. Treasure them. Forever.

Much later when Naruto found Sakura cold and lifeless, he wondered 'Had i treasured her enough?'

Sakura's eyes were horrifically empty. They stared off into the distance at something Naruto couldn't make out.

Tenten, mostly out of duty felt Sakura's wrist for a pulse, the pull of her lip was all Naruto needed to know she was gone. He had known, of course anyone looking at her would have known, there was so much blood-to much blood. Somehow though it took Tenten confirming it for Naruto to really know.

Naruto had fallen to his knees, screaming at the universe. Begging it to give her back. Begging for more time. His throat felt like it had been raked over on a bed of hot coals by the time he was done screaming. It felt like the whole weight of the world was crushing him.

What was his life without Sakura Haruno in it? Who was going to laugh at his jokes? Who was going to make him smile, even when he didn't want to? Who would stand by his side when he became Hokage? He had no teammates now. They'd both moved on to other places and left him behind.

Naruto felt like it was finally all over, he'd finally hit a breaking point and he didn't know if he could came back from it.

"Kurama. Kurama." He called inside his head. There was no answer. "Kurama, is there even life after this?" He wanted to ask the tailed beast that had been with him his entire life, but there was only silence. What was life after loss? A voice was screaming inside of Naruto's head that told him he wasn't strong enough for this, he found it was his own voice. It echoed off of the now empty recesses of his mind like a cave. "Give up." It said. "Give up, and it will all be over soon."

The salt in his tears stung his face as they mixed with his cuts and blood.

Naruto didn't understand why he couldn't speak to Kurama, why his words echoed and bounced back to him inside his head. His thoughts were so scattered he couldn't make sense of much of anything. His body was running on pure adrenaline.

There was a moment during his fight with Deidara where Naruto had felt something within him snap. Where something in him suddenly started to feel like a vortex, sucking the strength from him. The more chakra he used the more he felt exhausted. Deidara had barely touched him right? So why was it an entire battle to keep his eyes open?

Naruto knew without a doubt if Lee's team hadn't shown up when they did, he would have died by Deidara's hand. Naruto realized his chakra wasn't restoring itself at the rate that it usually did. It would have only been a matter of time before he had run out completely.

Tenten had helped Naruto to cradle Sakura's body. He was extremely weak, he couldn't remember ever being so tired. The adrenaline rush was wearing off. He knew it was bad, he couldn't communicate with Kurama. That was something that had to be very bad. What a rookie mistake he made. Letting Deidara get close enough to do whatever he did to him. Naruto had let himself be distracted, he'd been worried about Sakura. Rightfully so it seemed. So stupid.

"Naruto let me-" Tenten began.

"No!"

"I need to look at your wounds, please."

He couldn't bare it. It would mean he'd have to let go of Sakura. He couldn't, he wasn't ready. She was to cold. He couldn't let her be this cold. Sasuke the old Sasuke would never let her get this- 'Oh' Naruto realized as he weakly wrenched his shirt off himself to lay on top of her. 'Sasuke. Sasuke would find out, someone would have to tell him right?' Naruto cried harder, and shook off Tenten's hands. 'This was going to hurt Sasuke.' Naruto had no doubt. It was buried deep but Sasuke still bore the ties of team 7, they hadn't allowed the passage of time to break them.

"Naruto." Neji got down face level with him as he writhed in the dirt with Sakura's bloody corpse. "Hand her to me. Tenten needs to look you over, i'm worried about your injuries. My byukugan-" Neji's look intensified. "You might collapse any minute."

Naruto ignored him. He wouldn't mind at all, laying down here next to Sakura and never getting up. Everything had been to much, he couldn't take it anymore. He didn't care if he bled out, or died of chakra depletion, he just didn't want to be apart from Sakura. He shut his eyes welcoming death.

"Hey!" Neji screamed at him, and Naruto blinked his eyes blearily back open. Rock lee was pulling Sakura from the cage he'd made of his arms, and by that point Naruto was to weak to fight him. "Don't fall asleep, you idiot! You might never wake up."

Neji slapped his cheek, and Naruto barely felt the sting of it. Then Tenten was snapping her fingers in front of his face. Her hands started to flow with green chakra, applying whatever medical treatment she could.

"Damn you!" Neji howled pounding on Naruto's chest. Had he stopped breathing? Everything was glossy, like a dream. Consciousness was fading in and out of him. Naruto was dying. "Don't you dare do this to Hinata!"

'Hinata.' Naruto's brain struggled at the name. To make sense and place it. Pale gray eyes, and plum colored tresses. Shapely lips, and freckled collar bones. 'HINATA.' His brain began to fire again, the glossiness disappeared, and his consciousness became more exact. It was like having ice water thrown down his back.

He arched upwards as more pain bared down on him when he took a breath that seared his lungs. His eyes shot open and one arm extended on instinct towards the sky to block out the sun as it blinded him. Neji and Lee held him down, as he flailed.

How could he have forgotten about her for even a moment? He couldn't lay down and die with Sakura, he had to go home to Hinata. It would be a dishonor to the girl who believed in love before anything else, to die here. Sakura would never forgive him.

"Hina-" Naruto's voice was thready and weak.

"Yes! That's it! Stay with us Naruto, think of Hinata." Neji wasn't trying to pound on his chest any longer, he was mirroring Tenten as she healed, using his byakugan to do as she did. "Hinata is back in Konoha waiting for you, don't forget that, do you hear me?"

"Yea-"

Every breath he took felt like fire, but he continued on. How long had he stopped breathing? When he felt his fingers again, he felt around the ground for Sakura. Lee most have realized what he was after, and he put Sakura's limp hand in his. Naruto worried over the ring he gave her as he saw her do so many times before.

Naruto let the tears come again. Tears for himself. For Sakura. Then for Sasuke, who at that moment didn't even know what had happened yet. How would Naruto ever be able to face him, again? He hadn't kept her safe. Sakura had died under his watch. The guilt reared up, and Naruto let himself be blasted by it.

"You can't fall asleep. Not even for a minute." Neji said to Naruto. "Lee, carry Sakura. I'll carry Naruto, and Tenten stay close if he starts going under while we travel we have to act quick."

Naruto felt himself being scooped up off the ground like he used to imagine he had been as a child, even though he never had. He imagined Sakura's blazing green eyes, and would have sworn he could hear her laughter as he watched her hand fall from his when they were pulled apart.

Lee had closed her eyes.

Lee whispered what Naruto thought must have been a prayer as he lifted her body up. She was so small. Naruto's shirt was still draped over her like a blanket. Lee had harbored a torch for Sakura since they were kids, it was no big secret, and in that moment Naruto saw a part of Lee die to. Naruto expected every person she had known was about to know this pain. They were going to have a part of them die, when they found out what happened to her.

Sasuke. Oh. Sasuke.

They didn't get far into their journey home before Naruto felt more of the the stabbing, slicing pain of his wounds. The shock had worn off from his body, and he felt the torment in every cell of his being.

"It's good." Tenten said. "It means the healing helped." The pain was not just from the cuts but from somewhere deep in his chest, it was aching and it demanded to be heard by him. The suffering was so consuming he couldn't even muster up any embarrassment, when he was sick all over himself.

The hospital kept him stable enough before Tsunade got to him. She did what she could but said his body still had to fight. She couldn't undo all of what had been done to him. She could only manage it. It would take time to completely heal him. If she could figure out what had been done to him.

A fever came over him. It burned Naruto up from the inside out. He tried to find Kurama again, but there was still nothing. What would he do if the fox never came back?

Then there was a moment at the hospital, when the fever spiked at it's worst, where Naruto was so delusional from it he couldn't quite make out who was in the room with him. People had been coming and going so regularly Naruto tried to ignore them all. It might have been Hinata. Kakashi. Shikamaru. Anyone really. In his panic and despair he started begging.

"Sas." Naruto choked, struggling against the tubes in his hand and the restraints on his chest. "Sasuke! I need Sasuke." Naruto sobbed pitifully like a lost child. "Please."

He had lost Sakura, he had almost died himself, and so in that moment he didn't think or care about what had happened between them all in the past. He just knew he needed his best friend.

Someone grabbed his hand and held it tightly. "Okay." they said. "He'll be here." They promised. "I'll make sure."

Naruto allowed the delirium take him, it was easier to submit to it than struggle against it. It felt scary not to hear Kurama. Not to have that other voice in his head yelling or cursing at him. Was the demon fox even okay? Worrying was to much effort. So he let that thought drift away.

Naruto let his mind drift off to a place that wasn't very far down in his mind. This memory usually sat high up, floating along on the surface like a buoy waiting until Naruto needed to feel it. This memory always kept him focused. It reminded him. He still had alot to do in this life. He had a promise to keep. Dammit. Sakura and Sasuke had saved him from his loneliness, he owed them everything.

Even if she was gone. His promise to Sakura... Sasuke had to come home. He just had to. When they were growing up together there wasn't anyone Sakura thought higher of than Sasuke. Sasuke hung the moon in her eyes. He was THE definition of cool to her. Naruto knew she had missed him terribly.

Naruto loved team 7 with everything he had. If he could go back and change all of what happened to them he would.

This memory was the first time the 3 of them had actually worked together. It was the first time they all stopped seeing each other as annoyances or obstacles.

In Kakashi sensei's bachelor pad they somehow became friends.

They had all been 12. Sasuke. Sakura. Naruto. They'd been on a handful of missions by this point, but they still weren't the best at working together. Kakashi scolded them alot. Sasuke and Naruto fought and argued more than they trained. Sakura could be counted on to ignore them, that is until Naruto inevitably dragged her into whatever disagreement was most current with Sasuke.

Kakashi had left them alone while he ran an errand. He had tasked them to complete some kind of written assignment together, but Naruto hadn't even pretended to have an interest in it. Instead he had busied himself with making his seat at the table more comfortable while Sakura took over their little project.

There had been some extra blankets in the closet. Naruto planned on finishing out his day with a nap.

"Come on Sakura. You agree with me don't you?" Naruto whined, rubbing the back of his head with one hand, and shaking the other in a fist at Sasuke.

"Leave her out of it, loser." Sasuke sneered not breaking eye contact with Naruto. The brown noser had sat next to Sakura giving the illusion of offering his assistance, but Naruto had yet to actually see him crack a book open to help her.

Naruto had off handedly commented on the blankets he pulled out of the closet, to Sasuke. 'You think he's gay?' The blankets were adorned with little dogs in rainbow shirts.

Sasuke's entire face had gone redder than the tomatoes he loved. 'Something. Is wrong with you.' Sasuke had said, but Naruto hadn't let it go. For some reason Naruto was intrigued. They barely knew a thing about their sensei, and for the first time it felt like they had learned something tangible about him. Kakashi sensei was a mystery Naruto wanted to unravel.

"Come on Sakura, pay attention to me. Sasuke's boring." Naruto complained. Sasuke stood up from his seat, walked around the table to Naruto and kicked the chair out from under him.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted jumping up from his pile of blankets in the floor.

"Whatever Kakashi does in his free time doesn't concern any of us. Drop it."

Sakura turned away from the text she had been diligently scouring, and quickly jumped up when she realized how close to beating each other into oblivion they were. "Woah! Hey!" She admonished them both, and she squeezed herself between their chests trying to push them both back. Sakura had been saddled with the unfortunate task of being the referee in their team.

Kakashi had given up the job the first week as their teacher. 'Let them give each other fat lips, they'll probably learn something.' He had said smoothing his mask into place.

"If we don't finish up this assignment by the time Kakashi sensei gets back from his errand, you both know he'll make us run laps, or- oh God! Remember last time he made us spend the rest of the day training with Guy's team?" Sakura shoved at their chests one more time, finally forcing them apart. "If i have to spend another afternoon dodging BUSHY BROW because of you two-" Sakura paused searching for a word in her fury. "Losers!" She yelled and Sasuke looked at least from Naruto's judgement like he'd been slapped. "I swear neither of you will hear the end of it." She stomped on the ground, and it actually shook.

That was probably the moment Naruto realized Sakura would be strong one day. Maybe even stronger than Sasuke or himself he cringed.

"Do we understand each other?" Sakura hissed at them, they didn't dare look at her but nodded their heads like guilty toddlers.

Sasuke as was typical when he was at fault or had been criticized began sulking. His arms crossed in front of him defensively. Naruto held back a chortle of laughter.

"Sucks doesn't it?" Naruto asked when he knew Sakura wasn't paying them any attention anymore having gone back to the book.

"What?" Sasuke was watching Sakura as she worked, like he was trying to decipher a puzzle.

"Being called a loserrrr." Naruto let the 'R' roll.

Indignant fury flashed in Sasuke's vision.

"Listen up you little troll I'm going to-"

"What? What was that Sasuke?" Sakura's voice rang out shrilly. "You say you were just about to sit down and do your fair share of this assignment while i have a glass of tea?" She giggled.

She stared Sasuke down, and Naruto couldn't believe HE had let her! He hadn't even glared at her like he would have if Naruto had spoken to him like that.

Naruto got goosebumps up and down his arms, and started to back away before she could blow a fuse. She didn't typically go off on Sasuke or at least Naruto had never seen it, and he really hadn't wanted to in that moment.

"Oh and you're going to help him?" She smiled devilishly. "Right? Naruto!"

"Ummm-" Naruto floundered for words and looked to Sasuke for help, but Sasuke was purposely avoiding eye contact.

"Right?!?"

"Yeah! Yeah um, great!" Naruto raced forward to take her seat at the table. "Writing. Writing stuff. Love it."

Sasuke followed silently, and Naruto took note of the fact Sasuke avoided having his back to Sakura. Someone was clearly intimidated. Naruto might have even laughed out loud if he hadn't been so afraid Sakura was going to punch him into next week.

Before they got the chance to get to work, Kakashi had pulled the door open, and Sasuke and Naruto knew they were screwed.

"Oh, not finished yet? Come on guys this is basic stuff. It should have taken no time for you guys to complete it." Kakashi scolded them shaking his head. He sat a bag of groceries down on his counter. "Sakura? Can you explain to me why this wasn't completed?"

Sakura looked between Naruto and Sasuke and the phrase 'if looks could kill' had come briefly to Naruto's mind.'

"You see Kakashi sensei-"

"No. not good enough." He cut her off before she could blame the boys, knowing exactly what had happened. "Let me guess." Kakashi looked from his rainbow dog blankets on the floor to the chair no one bothered to sit back up. "You were the only one actually working on the assignment? The boys got into an argument, and distracted you?"

Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose attempting to stave off his brewing headache.

"What have i been trying to teach you 3? Can anyone tell me?"

Sakura looked at the text book labeled ancient scrolls she had been working from. "Ancient scrolls."

"Fail." He told Sakura, and she looked like she couldn't believe that word could be directed at her.

"The importance of turning assignments in on time?" Naruto tried.

"Fail."

"Sasuke?" Kakashi had his head between his hands by that point, probably asking God why these were his genin.

Sasuke shrugged at first but after a second the answer must have come to him, because he sighed. "Teamwork. It's teamwork again right?"

"Pass." Kakashi looked between the 3 of them. "If you can't work together properly as a squad you have no business being called shinobi."

"Oh- i'm sorry Kakashi sensei." Sakura apologized for all of them.

"Well it's done now. On to the punishment."

Sasuke guffawed, while Naruto accepted his fate.

"I'll be back in 10. I'm going to go walk around and cool off and think up something- some way to get you kids to under- brace yourselves for the worst punishment of your lives." Kakashi warned and stomped back out of his apartment.

"How did i not see that was what the assignment was really about?" Sakura asked outloud but it was a question meant only for her.

"He's going to pawn us off own Bushy Brows team again." Naruto stated resigned to the situation.

Sakura looked at him like a bird just pooped in her hair. "Nooooo." She grabbed the bottom of her dress clenching it in her hands. "This is all your fault." She glared between the boys.

Sasuke had probably been about to tell them to knock it off or to shut up. Then Naruto saw him smirk. It was like Naruto could the the inner mechanisms of Sasuke's mind as it processed and developed a plan. It was as cool as it was disconcerting.

"I think. Maybe we actually don't stick around." Naruto and Sakura looked at him like he had chopped his arm off, and slapped them both with it. "For the punishment." He clarified.

"What?!" Sakura squawked. Her immediate response to disregarding rules was so her. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean, not stick around?" Naruto rubbed his chin. "You realize who our squad captain is right? Ya know the copy cat ninja. Kakashi of the sharingan. Super deadly and scary dude in the mask? Remembering the badass jonin that teaches us everyday yet?"

"Yes. I realize how it sounds. But i think-"

"There's no way we could outrun him." Sakura interjected.

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed. "Plus those dogs he has!"

"Yeah! His summoning dogs. He'd chase us down easy."

"But he won't want to. Don't you understand?"

Naruto and Sakura still looked unconvinced.

"Teamwork. He keeps trying to drill that into us right?" Sasuke argued.

"Yes." Sakura hesitated answering like it was a trap.

"Well." Sasuke smirked at them in full Uchiha arrogance. "How's this for solidarity? He can take the punishment, and shove it."

Sakura started to smile, finally seeing what he was getting at. "Well, allright. Go team!" She cheered, and waved an imaginary flag.

"Ya know." Naruto started narrowing his eyes at Sasuke. "When you aren't being such a jerk, you are pretty cool." Naruto broke out into a smile.

When Kakashi finally came back they had already worked it out. They were all holding back their laughter. Sasuke was in the front with Naruto and Sakura behind on either side.

"Allright. I decided on your punishment and-"

"No thanks." Sasuke told their deadly team leader.

"Excuse me." Kakashi asked looking around like he was looking for the person Sasuke was actually talking to.

"I said no thanks. To the whole punishment thing. We're heading home. Catch you later. Kakashi."

Then Sasuke jumped backwards out of the open window, as Naruto and Sasuke followed. They took flight into the trees. Kakashi pursued only briefly.

"I don't know what you think you're-" Kakashi started in his angry dad tone. "Pulling but get your butts back on the ground."

The four of them wove through the trees jumping from branch to branch using the chakra at their feet.

"You said if we couldn't work together, we had no business calling ourselves shinobi." Sasuke reminded. "Look at us! Look at us working together." Sasuke used a kunai to cut off a large branch that would have been in Naruto's way.

Naruto turned to look back and saw Kakashi frozen on a lone branch. He was smiling under the mask, like he had just witnessed a miracle and maybe he had. Kakashi shook himself free from whatever he had been thinking.

"Just this once! Only this once do you get out of being punished, you hear me?" He had his hands cupped around his mouth to amplify the sound.

The three genin didn't slow down, they left their teacher in their wake.

"Yeahhhh." Naruto called back.

"I can't believe we just got away with that." Sakura squealed. "Guess I don't have to beat the tar out of you guys after all!"

As they jumped through the trees together Naruto watched his two teammates exchange a look. This look said so much, held so much meaning even though it only lasted a second. Trust. Hope. For a fraction of a second Naruto even briefly thought Love. He just wasn't entirely sure. And by the time Sasuke deserted he had convinced himself he imagined it.

Naruto recalled asking them, not knowing they would wonder for years to come, "What do you guys think is under Kakashi sensei's mask?"

Sakura blushed, and Sasuke called him a loser. Some point between rainbow dog blankets, and the discussion of their sensei's sexuality the 3 of them had formed an irrevocable bond that day.

They had been Naruto's sole motivation for so long,he wasn't sure what his life was going to be without either of them.

The second the fever broke Naruto hauled himself out of bed and made a break for it. The hospital could force itself on him when he wasn't conscious but there was no way in hell he would stay there now that he was functioning again. Straight to Sakura's apartment he went. Ino could shove all her creepy needles right through her own skin, there had to be some places she hadn't yet pierced Naruto thought acidly.

When Naruto saw Sasuke again for the first time in ages. He didn't know what to say. What could he say? They had lost 1/3 of themselves, there were no words for that. So with nothing else coming to mind he settled on, "I thought i'd be a-lot happier when you came back home."

Naruto didn't know how to react to Sasuke being there in Sakura's room, among her treasured things. Seeing the life he had actively chosen not to be apart of. It pained Naruto to watch that as much as taking a chidori to his chest had. He knew though as much as he hurt Sasuke had to hurt and regret it all at the same time.

Naruto hadn't forgotten all the shit Sasuke put them through, but he understood his actions now in a way he never had years ago. Sasuke was already in his own hell, what good would throwing up any of the things he had done do? Naruto could see Sasuke wasn't taking things okay. None of them were but Sasuke was already so broken from what Itachi did to their family. Naruto couldn't let Sasuke slip through his fingers again. He had to find a way to make Sasuke stay. For good.

Naruto went to Kakashi. Kakashi had felt the same. And together they created a plan. A plan to keep Sasuke in the leaf where he belonged. It would take manipulation, and some withholding of the truth, but hadn't Sasuke given them the same more than once? Naruto also knew Kakashi wasn't telling him everything, but Naruto didn't care. He trusted Kakashi to deal with whatever it was so they could focus on keeping Sasuke in Konoha.

Between Hinata, and Sasuke in the wake of Sakura's demise they made him feel like the world was not falling apart. They held his world together, and so Naruto turned his head when he started to realize maybe Sasuke was alot more messed up than he originally thought. He was so happy to have his best friend back, he couldn't think of accepting the possibility that Sasuke could be crazy. Like certifiably crazy. PTSD. Ino had said when she gave them their shots. Naruto hadn't wanted to hear it. Even when Sasuke swore he saw Sakura climbing out of the closet, Naruto rationalized it away to a simple dream.

If he couldn't have Sakura he had to have Sasuke. It wasn't fair that she died, and Sasuke was crazy. Regardless when pushed to see the truth of his best friends insanity, he would keep Sasuke anyway. He wouldn't falter in his friendship.

Naruto tried not to 'blink' anymore, he tried not to wish away parts of his life. He knew there would come a day when he would look back and wish he appreciated that time more. Heaven only knew how true that was of his time with Sakura.

Wherever it was that souls went when they left this earth, Naruto hoped someday team 7 could have a proper reunion. That was the only kind of heaven Naruto was interested in. One where all of his precious people past and present surrounded him.

Naruto visited Sasuke as often as he could. In the psych unit. It got harder. Naruto couldn't remember ever feeling as weak as he did. Some of the days were worse than others. It was like his chakra would slowly leach itself out of him to the point he could barely roll over in bed. Then before it killed him entirely it would slowly start to build back up in him. The process repeated over and over. It was exhausting. Sasuke pretended not to be worried, but Naruto knew he was. He wished there was more Tsunade had been able to do.

"Like a band aid." The 5th hokage had told him when she got her hands on him after Deidara. "Until i can figure out what exactly happened to you." Unlike her usual domineering self she leaned down to kiss Naruto's cheek. Naruto tried to ask her about Sakura but she wouldn't. Every time she tried she would change the subject or plain just walk away from him.

Later. After Saku- the puppet got done with him Naruto found himself once again back in the hospital.

"Granny Tsunade lied to Sasuke. Didn't she?" Naruto was staring up at the blank ceiling tile, tracing the swirly bits with his eyes out of sheer anxiety.

"Naruto. You have to understand. She didn't want-" Shizune started and Naruto could tell she was going to treat him like glass. Screw that.

"I'm not a kid, anymore. I'm not that same stupid kid you met back then." He growled lowly.

Shizune adjusted herself in her seat next to his bed, and he heard her set the clipboard she was always carrying down.

"Let's talk about this when you're feeling a bit better. You only just woke up. I'm sure you're ready to start seeing some of your friends. Hinata's in the waiting room, and Kakashi sent a hawk for Sasuke. We don't have to get into this now."

"I want to."

She sighed, but accepted it.

"Yes she lied to Sasuke."

"Why? Why did she lie about knowing that jutsu."

"It isn't- what Tsunade did. What Tsunade used on you Naruto wasn't Orochimaru's jutsu. She did know Edo tensei so she did lie, but the jutsu that brought you back wasn't that. No one's going to be able to control you. Your friend. Gaara?"

"Gaara?" What did he have to do with... "Oh i see."

So Granny Tsunade had learned the jutsu Granny Chiyo used on Gaara all that time ago.

Then something occurred to Naruto, and he was angry at a dead person. How could Tsunade- how dare she!

"If she knew that jutsu this entire time. How could she do that? Shizune? What?! How could she." Naruto couldn't sit up, he was to weak but tears leaked out of his eyes down the side of his face. The heart monitor started beeping.

"Naruto. Calm down. You have to calm down."

It felt like he needed to throw up, or scream or something!

He heard Shizune open a drawer and some instruments clang around. "If you can't calm down, i'll have to out you back under." She threatened waving a needle in front of his face.

Naruto felt his eyes widen in shock. Calm! Calm! Calm! He screamed in his head. He was already extremely unhappy with the IV's in his arm, he couldn't handle a shot.

"I'm calm. I'm good. Just tell me how she could do that to Sakura! Didn't she love her at all? She didn't even come to the funeral. How could Granny Tsunade be so- cold?"

"Oh. Naruto. No, honey. No. You don't understand. Please just try to stay calm, i'll explain."

Shizune started brushing the hair out of his face.

"If she could have used this jutsu for Sakura she would have, sweet boy. She loved Sakura like a daughter, Naruto."

"She didn't even come to the funeral."

"When you guys came back, by the time Tsunade got to her...Sakura had been dead to long. It wasn't possible to pull her back at that point. If it had Tsunade would have given her life then and there. Believe me. The funeral. She couldn't bare it, Naruto. She drank herself into oblivion that night. Even i couldn't get through to her. I tried. I told her she would regret not going, but she just couldn't."

Naruro swallowed the thickness in his throat.

"When she got to you, when you were dead. There was still time, and she well i think you understand the rest."

He did understand the rest Granny Tsunade died for him. She gave her life for his.

"Don't let-" Naruto sobbed. "Don't let anyone in yet." Snot dribbled down. "Don't let them see me like this."

Especially Sasuke. He couldn't let Sasuke see him like this. He had to put on a brave face for him. Sasuke had already been through so much. Naruto couldn't let his own pain add to Sasuke's.

"Okay." Shizune said. She busied herself by checking his vitals, writing in her clipboard. She didn't say a word as Naruto let it all out. She didn't say a word as he broke down.

...

Sasuke was gone again.

He swore on Naruto's mother's ring he'd come back.

Naruto believed Sasuke meant the promise.

And yet. Something wasn't sitting eight with him. It hadn't for days.

Hinata was asleep, her head on Naruto's bed while the rest of her was squished into the hospital chair.

"Kakashi."

Naruto asked his sensei who seemed to be fussing over a mission report on the other side of the room. It was probably whatever work he hadn't finished out during his day as hokage.

"Hmm?"

"Somethings been bothering me."

"Hungry again?" Kakashi chuckled. "You heard Ino. No ramen until you are properly discharged."

Kakashi fumbled with the pages and flipped one over. His pen scratched across it's surface.

"No." Naruto sighed. "It's just- where do you think his other puppets went?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi's pen froze.

"His other-"

Kakashi looked up for a fraction of a second and it made Naruto immediately feel uneasy.

"Sasuke could be in trouble." Naruto started to sit up, but found Kakashi's hand holding him firmly in place.

"No. Sasuke is fine."

"The look on your face sensei!"

Hinata stirred a bit, and Naruto lowered his voice.

"Someone could have found the puppets. Deidara would have found them. You sent Sasuke out there alone what if-"

"I overreacted. I've been working especially hard lately. There were some things Tsunade still took care of, but now it's all been turned over to me. I'm not worried about Sasuke. There's a slim chance of anyone else finding those puppets. Sasori would have hidden them so well, no one would ever find them. Naruto i swear it okay? I wouldn't lie to you would i?"

Naruto shook his head, but still wasn't swayed.

"Sasuke can take care of himself even if someone else found those puppets. Right?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah. Yeah. I guess you're right."

"Well i've got to head out, anyways. Like i said i've been busy. Take care okay? No worrying about anything but yourself. That's a order from the hokage okay." Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair.

"Yeah. Okay." Naruto allowed Kakashi to soothe that part of him that doubted how exactly strong Sasuke was. Underestimating their opponent got Sakura killed. Who knew what Deidara would be capable of with the puppets in his hands. Like Kakashi said though it didn't matter. Sasori wouldn't have just left them anywhere. He would have hidden them. Deidara wouldn't just stumble across them. The chances of that were astronomical.

Kakashi left.

Naruto drifted off to sleep.

Brief Kakashi pov

"Pakkun." Kakashi summoned his most faithful dog. "Gather Lee's team. They're to meet me at the village gates. I have a mission for them and they're leaving immediately."

"Sir, what mission details can i give them?"

"They are to find Sasuke Uchiha and ensure he makes it back to this village unharmed. Sasuke is in grave danger."

Once again Kakashi had sent a student out fool hardily without having thought through every scenario. The damn puppets how could he have forgotten? The only puppet sasori had brought with him when he attacked the hospital had been Sakura's. At the time Kakashi hadn't cared about the others, now he realized how much he still had to learn as hokage.

"Go. Pakkun. Quickly." Kakashi couldn't lose another.

The dog disappeared into a puff of smoke.

Naruto would have to forgive his white lie later.

'I don't care how old you kids get. I'll always do what i think is best for you. Even if you can't see that for yourself.'

Naruto would try to go after Sasuke. Kakashi couldn't allow it.

Kakashi lit up a cigarette Shikamaru had given him, and he headed to meet Lee's team.

"Dammit. Sasuke. Don't let me have failed you to." Kakashi took a drag to steady his shot nerves. "Don't let it be to late."