Chapter 5

Not thirty seconds after he took off in Naruto's wake, Sasuke concluded that he wouldn't be catching him anytime this century. Under normal circumstances, that is to say when not fueled by adrenaline, his body wasn't agile. It didn't respond to physical activity positively, whereas Naruto…

The blond hair and black hoodie dwindled amazingly fast, disappearing far ahead into the distance as Naruto's arms and legs pumped in the rhythm of a born runner. Sasuke was out of breath after a single block. Almost choking for air, he staggered to a stop.

He couldn't think. Leaning his hands on his knees to bark out a hacking cough –wheezing and gasping, still- he saw that his hands were gloved in red. He just couldn't breathe, couldn't remember, couldn't think.

His hands. So red and wet. Like-

No.

Slowly, he sat there on the sidewalk. His hands rested to either side of himself, where he couldn't see them. A confusion of thoughts swirled in his mind: Naruto seeing him at his worst, and going to the cops. Trouble. Jail. His brother. The man, his mark, possibly dead. Probably dead. This last froze him where he sat, chilling him so that a shudder worked through him. If he's dead, then I…killed him.

I killed him.

Naruto didn't know where he was going. He was just running. Not from Sasuke, so much as from the realization that Sasuke was too much. Too…dark. All he saw, while he ran, was the mindless way that gleaming blade had risen and fell, risen and fell. The droplets of blood that had sprayed each time it had been jerked free of the man's body, the faint, meaty tchunk sound each time it had fallen. Sasuke. Sasuke sitting back, hands red, face splattered, to calmly hunt for the man's money. Sasuke looking blank, and soulless, and utterly inhuman as he'd stabbed the guy repeatedly.

-oOo-

He and Neji had taken the bus. It was a novel experience for Naruto, who'd had his face pressed to the filthy bus window for most of the ride. Sights and scenery had passed by and he'd taken in the display greedily. He had no idea where they were going, or where Oto was, only that Neji had said this was where Sasuke went. At some point during the 2-hour ride, Neji had produced a map of the province, and shown Naruto where Otogakure was in relation to Konoha. Naruto had tucked the map into his pocket, unable to understand much of what it showed.

Once in Oto, Neji explained how Sasuke seemed to follow a little routine of watching some man. Naruto had been busily cataloging the differences between Oto and Konoha, but he'd listened attentively. He and Neji had been across the street, hidden in shadows, while Sasuke watched some man outside a strip club. At first Naruto had called out to him when they arrived, but Neji had quickly shush-ed him; the man Sasuke was watching was surrounded by people Neji said were dangerous and probably armed. Better to wait until they'd gone, he'd said. Naruto had waited.

A few suspect individuals had approached them, but Neji's tall musculature and steely stare discouraged anyone from actually speaking to them. Neji even went so far as to make sure Naruto stood behind him. This protectiveness left Naruto feeling touched and absurdly resentful of the fact that Neji would be joining the Academy in a few months.

When Sasuke began following the man away from the club, Neji nodded. "Now's your chance to talk to him or whatever. I'll be in that club when you're done. Unless you need me to come with?" He looked doubtful of a sudden as he took in their surroundings again, then dropped his eyes to size Naruto up. "I probably should come with you. There's no telling who or what might-"

"No," Naruto said. "I need to talk to him alone."

"This isn't a great neighborhood," Neji fretted. "And you're…you."

Naruto had no idea what that meant, but he was adamant. Neji reluctantly agreed to let Naruto follow Sasuke alone. "I'll meet you back here in an hour," Naruto said. "Okay? Please?"

"All right. One hour exactly, before I come looking for you. Be careful," Neji said, but whatever protective streak he had was apparently narrow; his eyes were already glued to the club as they crossed the street.

He'd followed Sasuke at a safe distance, aware of faceless eyes in alleys and shadowy doorways. They watched as he passed. He'd pulled his hood over his head, tugging it low over his face, and that had been better. He was still noticed, but now he seemed to blend in more.

Contrary to what he'd thought, Sasuke hadn't been waiting to have a private word with the guy. From his position a block and a half away, he'd seen what appeared to be a brief fight going on between Sasuke and the man. Even at that distance, he'd been able to hear the faint click of a gun being cocked. It was a sound he'd only heard on television. And then he was charging forward, no thought in his head but Sasuke.

He was fit. Strong. Athletic. But he'd never been in a fight. He didn't know how to fight, beyond mimicking things he'd seen in movies. It was a surprise to him to learn just how much it hurt to punch someone, and how hard it was to physically overpower another person. But then Sasuke had been there, closing in with that knife, and he'd stumbled out of the way just in time.

Sasuke had been silent. Deliberate. He'd looked almost calm while stabbing that guy, except his eyes had been wide and fixated the entire time. Again, the thought that Sasuke had looked inhuman crossed his mind.

-oOo-

Now at the club, Naruto finally slowed to a walk, then stopped altogether. Neji was nowhere in sight. Probably inside. The black car that man had been trying to start still sat in the same spot in front of the club. Naruto looked at it, thought of its owner lying dead, and simply bent over to empty his guts. Right there on the sidewalk, by the club's peeling pink stairs. The bouncer stationed at the head of the stairs, outside the club's doors, looked on dispassionately.

When he was done, Naruto moved away from his mess and squat on his heels. Head in his hands, he tried to think.

Almost from the moment he'd met Sasuke, it seemed there had been one thing or another urging him to keep his distance. If it wasn't Iruka –despite his exhortations to be hopeful- it was Sasuke's own behavior, or his own disgust with Sasuke's lack of principles. Or the way Sasuke himself seemed to dislike him.

He wanted someone. More than anything else in life, even more than wanting a home, Naruto just wanted someone.

He sat there for a long time. Eventually he sniffed and got up. Wiped his nose on his sleeve, and resolutely walked back the way he'd come.

A minute later, Neji came out of the club, saw Naruto two blocks away and followed him.

He came upon Sasuke sitting on a street corner a block from the park. Squinting, Naruto could just make out the body of the man where it lay a few feet inside the entrance. He looked back at Sasuke's bent head. "Hey."

Sasuke didn't respond.

Naruto lightly kicked his hip. "Sasuke."

Still no answer.

Looking around, Naruto saw that they were at an intersection, of sorts. On his left, a convenience store sat in the middle of a block of liquor stores, with project housing on the opposite side of the street. To his right sat more housing. Behind him, he'd passed a garage, a gas station, and more housing after the club. Ahead sat the tiny park, with more housing beyond. Oto was a hodgepodge mix of residential and commercial property, it seemed, without the order he was accustomed to seeing in Konoha on his infrequent trips from the home.

Up the block and on his left, he saw a group of shadowy individuals loitering outside one of the liquor stores. A cloud of grayish white hung above their heads, with faint orange dots periodically winking in and out of sight to signal that they were smoking cigarettes. They were looking at him and Sasuke. Naruto got down on Sasuke's level, and shoved him gently. "Hey. Sasuke. Get up."

Sasuke's eyes slowly rose to his, then kept rising, looking at someone behind Naruto. Naruto was caught off guard by the empty look in those black eyes, but felt his scalp prickle with fear at feeling someone at his back. He turned quickly, expecting an attack, but it was only Neji. Neji, however, was looking to their left where, it seemed, the smokers had finally decided to come over and investigate.

-oOo-

There were seven of them.

Naruto got to his feet, as the prickle of fear returned with interest; the way they walked, their hooded eyes, how the smokes were casually tossed aside to free their hands- this all communicated a sense of imminent danger to Naruto. As loathsome as the home was sometimes, he realized now that it had always sheltered him from the ugliness of life, a fact he was now submerged in. He was in danger, and he was afraid, and he had no idea what to do. He wished he was at the home, surrounded by nothing more harmful than a bunch of annoying kids. Right now he would welcome Iruka's over-protectiveness and Hinata's shy mothering.

Sasuke sat at his feet. Naruto had the wild notion that he would rather like to see the violent, inhuman side of him right now, but all Sasuke did was stare at his lap.

Neji placed himself between Naruto and Sasuke and the group of seven, for which Naruto was secretly grateful. He stood shaking behind this tall shield, as the seven slowly spread out to surround them. Resisting the urge to clutch at the back of Neji's shirt, Naruto nonetheless recalled all his boasting on martial arts training. He hoped it was accurate. A discreet glance at where Neji's hands hung at his sides showed them to be broad and thick. Capable hands. Hopefully strong hands.

"Well, now," one of the seven drawled. "Y'alls lost?"

Neji did the speaking. "No."

"Look like y'all lost," another said. "Wan' some he'p?"

"We don't need your help."

Neji kept his eyes on the ones in front of him, but Naruto had the impression that he was also aware of the ones at his back. Naruto turned his head to look for himself, and was given a sick jolt at seeing a gun tucked into one guy's waistband. Yet another held some kind of long, thin thing that wasn't exactly a knife, but which looked deadly anyway. This one kicked Sasuke hard in the thigh, and Naruto cried out.

That seemed to be their cue; they closed in on them with faint mutters and curses. Naruto yelled Neji's name.

Neji went for the one who'd spoken first, who, Naruto saw in horror, also had a gun. It was leveled at Neji. He expected Neji to be shot in the face, but that didn't happen. Neji ducked to one side as he charged, also expecting a shot to be fired. It was, and the bullet took one of the seven in the throat. Naruto stood there and watched blood so dark it was nearly black gurgle out of the hole in the man's neck. He dropped to his knees, both hands over the wound, but then another gun was drawn, this one by the man Naruto had seen behind him. He pointed it at Neji, who was grappling with his opponent, and fired.

Naruto screamed, and dropped down beside Sasuke. "Sasuke, help!" he bawled.

Miraculously, Neji wasn't hit. He slammed his opponent's head on the sidewalk, putting him out of commission, before taking up the gun he'd held and spinning on one knee to take out the man who'd fired at him. the man went down with a smoking hole in his chest, though he wasn't dead. Two more drew guns. Neji swiveled, sighting and firing in calm detachment. One bullet took a man in the eye, another dead center of his forehead. The rest were running. Some up the block, one for a car parked not twenty feet from where they stood. Neji fired at the fleeing ones first –and managing to bring them down- while calmly getting to his feet and walking toward the car. Its owner was behind the wheel now.

Neji stood in the street and took aim. The driver dipped sideways, presumably to shield his face from the imploding glass, but when he came up he had a shotgun cocked and pointed out the windshield. Neji only had time to widen his eyes before the bullet that took him in the shoulder spun him. He dropped to his knees. There was a squeal of tires; the car jumped forward and plowed into Neji, sending him flying several feet, before he rolled up against the shallow rise of the sidewalk.

Naruto had his hands over his ears, mouth stretched wide in a silent shriek of pure terror.

I killed him, I killed him, I killed him. This thought looped endlessly in Sasuke's foggy brain. He was aware and not aware of Naruto's face, of him talking, maybe even shouting. There were people, gunshots, blood. And then it was quiet, and he could hear the thought again, echoing in his head and trying to smother his mind.

Eventually he did hear, though. Faintly, as if from a great distance, he heard the terrified, panic-stricken sound of someone's hoarse voice screaming for help. Just screaming, over and over. The sound of that scratchy voice was so incredibly abrasive that Sasuke blinked, and consciously suppressed the echoing thought long enough to turn his head in search of it. He wanted to tell the person to shut up. To let him be miserable in peace, and do their screaming elsewhere.

But it was Naruto screaming. He was in the middle of the street, crouched over someone's body, and screaming for someone to please help him or call 911. A quick glance showed faces at windows, in apartments and stores, but no one moved to help. They only watched.

Naruto saw him looking. "Sasuke." His voice was lowered from its previous volume. Shaky and quavery and clogged with tears. "Sasuke, please. Please."

He found himself crawling off the sidewalk, over some man with a serious throat wound who tugged weakly at his pants leg as he passed, and into the street. When he reached Naruto, he looked down, and saw it was Neji. His hair was spread beneath him, his eyes half closed.

I killed a man. I killed someone, just like-

No. No!

"Sasuke?" Naruto hiccupped. "Is he…is he dead?"

"Yes." I killed him, you saw me do it. It was hard to think, to focus on the one in front of him and not the one in the park. "I mean…no." He could see a faint pulse beating in Neji's neck. "I don't know."

A fresh wave of crying bowed Naruto's head. He wheezed a moment, trying to gain control of himself. Sasuke looked at him. Looked at Neji. "Can you s-save him?" Naruto bleated. The last word came out high-pitched.

Sasuke ran his eyes over Neji. "No."

Naruto stared at him. Sasuke's face was still bloody, still blank, but those eyes were sharp, he saw. He could see the way they cataloged Neji's injuries. A hazy memory of Sasuke picking him up and slinging him across his shoulders surfaced in his mind. Of Sasuke having this same sharp look in his eyes, of using words he didn't know. Sasuke treating him. Saving him.

Anger, swift and cleansing, swept through Naruto and doused the majority of his grief. Without warning, he slapped Sasuke hard, lunging over Neji to grab him by his shirt. "Yes you can, you can save him, you bastard, you can save him, you can, you can s-save him…" He collapsed with his head in Sasuke's lap, as tears threatened once more, but sat up again immediately.

Sasuke was standing up. He bent over Neji and caught him beneath the arms. "Help me move him."

The convenience store was closed. Sasuke said it would have the most supplies, though, and told Naruto to take one of the guns lying in the street and shoot the padlock. Naruto cautiously took up a gun, dropped it, yelled when it went off, and finally managed to pick it up and hold it gingerly on the second try. He needed three shots to hit the lock. The window shattered with his first attempt.

-oOo-

Inside, it was dark and musty. There was still merchandise on the shelves, so the place couldn't have been closed too long. Sasuke directed Naruto to help him lay Neji out in the middle of the store, with the aisles to one side of them.

At first Sasuke did nothing. Only stared around as if wondering where he was. Naruto waited for him to do something, to help Neji, but all Sasuke did was kneel there at Neji's torso. He felt his anger returning. The longer Sasuke waited, the longer Neji went without attention. "I checked," he said to Sasuke's bewildered face. "There's no phone here. We can't call an ambulance. So it's you or he dies. You want that to happen? I know you go around killing people now, and that your fun seems to consists of stabbing guys for kicks, but I'm not going to let you let him die. You fucking murderer, you better-"

Sasuke flinched. Naruto checked his tirade, watching him warily. But Sasuke only got up and went to the back of the store. When he didn't return, Naruto cursed and went after him.

He was standing at the freezer, where ice was sold. His back was to Naruto, head bowed. "I didn't mean to kill him," Sasuke whispered. "I didn't."

Naruto blinked. "The…man in the park?"

Sasuke shuddered. "I didn't mean to. I only wanted to hurt him."

The anger went out of Naruto at seeing Sasuke's shoulders shake. He realized with a shock that Sasuke was crying, and slowly went to stand beside him. He had to bend to see his face, but Sasuke turned away from him.

The crying was short-lived. A few tears that seemed to dry up as soon as they started, to leave Sasuke weak and listless. He turned and slid to the floor, with his back against the freezer. "I can't help Neji," he choked out. "I can't help anybody. We should go, before someone else comes." His hands rested on his drawn-up knees.

Neji's condition worried Naruto, but at that moment Sasuke's called to him more strongly. The shock of the firefight was fading a bit; he didn't feel as hysterical or panicky, not with Sasuke's tears sobering him the way they were. He was able to remember his reason for coming back to Sasuke after having run away.

Naruto slid down beside him. After a minute, he said, "Why? Why did you kill him?"

Sasuke was a long time answering. "I…don't know." His mind, never far from the attack in the park, not since it happened, cast itself back to the moment he'd felt the gun against the underside of his chin. He would have been shot, he had no doubt about that, but that wasn't why he'd stabbed the man so many times. He didn't care about his own life. But then he remembered falling to the ground as someone rescued him. He'd looked up and seen his mark fighting someone. Saw his mark winning, and…"You were there," he said slowly.

Naruto looked at him hard.

"You…were there. He was…"

Sasuke's words were so halting, so low, that Naruto struggled to fill in the blanks, to read Sasuke's thoughts in order to see the whole idea behind his broken speech. To understand, really understand, this person beside him. Frowning with the effort, he thought maybe he did see. Something contracted painfully in his chest. "He was…hurting me," Naruto said. His voice was just as low. He was afraid that if he spoke any louder, he would lose the tenuous connection he'd established with Sasuke, and thus this glimpse into mind. "He was hurting me, so you…?"

"Hurt him first." Sasuke stared at the floor, brows drawn together as if he wasn't seeing the floor, but the man he'd stabbed. "Before he could..."

"…Hurt me more?"

"Yes. And then…" And then he'd just gone away, Sasuke thought with difficulty. He'd forgotten Naruto completely. And when he was done, he went for the money, as he'd originally planned; his mind had completely erased the whole thing for a few seconds. He'd had the money, and so he was good. It wasn't until he'd stood up and seen Naruto that memory returned. When it did, he'd looked down to see just what he'd done. "I'm not…" His throat was dry. Talking hurt. "I'm not…a murderer. I hurt…people. Sometimes. But, I'm not-" He couldn't finish.

Naruto stared at Sasuke's bloody hand, where it rested on his knee.

He wanted someone. When he was small, he used to lie awake at night and dream up scores of friends for himself. Always, though, there would be one special someone, his best friend. Someone he told secrets to, who played with him, and who didn't mind that he was stupid. His friend wouldn't care that no one wanted him, because he wanted him. He would always want him, always be there to protect him, to make much over his cuts and scrapes, to talk to and laugh with. During the day, Naruto would think about having such a person, and vow that he would be the best friend ever in return. Whatever flaws his friend had, he would accept them, because that's what friends did. You held on to friends no matter what they did to you, or how mad they made you, and you could rest easy in the knowledge that your friend would stick by you with the same devotion, no matter what you did to piss them off or hurt them.

That was what he wanted. Someone to call his own.

Fate had given him Sasuke. Sasuke was nothing like the stalwart friend Naruto had imagined so many times, but he'd chosen Naruto just the same. Sasuke had tried to steal for him. Had worried over him when he'd collapsed with heatstroke. Had brought him to his own house and treated him. And he'd stabbed a man for him. Maybe not solely for his sake, but he'd stabbed him nonetheless out of fear for Naruto's safety.

In the home, you learned to cherish what few belongings you had, even if they were broken beyond repair. You held on to them, because you weren't likely to get a replacement. You worked with what you had, and made it serviceable.

Sasuke was clearly broken, but Naruto continued to stare at his bloody hand until he hesitantly covered it with his own. Sasuke was his. His friend. And broken or not, he wasn't walking away from him.

"I believe you," he said quietly. "You didn't mean to kill him." He sensed Sasuke turning his head to look at him, and turned to meet the eyes as well. "And…and even if you did…even if you meant to kill him, I…understand." And he did. He wasn't without his own faults, his own rages. He kept them to himself, but he'd known the urge to hurt on several occasions. To rail at the hand he'd been dealt and lash out, to hurt others as much as he was hurting inside. That he didn't act on those urges, while Sasuke did, made very little difference to his mind just then. "It's okay. Okay? I won't…tell. I won't." He squeezed the bloody hand. Then, because Sasuke hadn't looked away, he cautiously reached over with his other arm, and gave him an awkward hug. "It'll be our secret," he whispered. "Okay?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. He didn't feel better, but there was a distinct…shift, in his internal landscape. Something in him moved. Made room for the unfamiliar yet bitterly longed-for absolution he was receiving. He was being handed acceptance. Offered a hand. A chance. Another shoulder to help carry his burden, and he took it. He took it all, and clenched his jaws against the emotion welling up his throat.

His free hand came up and touched Naruto's arm. Just a light, brief acknowledgement, accompanied by a deep sigh. "Okay," he said.

When Naruto released him, Sasuke looked at him for a minute or two, as if not quite sure what to make of him. But then he looked behind Naruto to where Neji's head was just visible at the end of the aisle. "Batteries."

"What?"

"There are flashlights on the wall behind the counter. Get the biggest one you can find and put batteries in it, I need light."

"Wha-"

Sasuke was all jerky motion, swinging his knapsack off his back to take out that penlight Naruto remembered. He was at Neji's side a moment later looking into his eyes. "Left pupil's blown, shit."

Naruto ran for the light and batteries, noticing as he did that there were people gathering outside, around the fallen men who'd attacked them.

Back at Neji's side, he held the light while Sasuke upended a bottle of peroxide onto his hands, scrubbing them hard. He brought another bottle and one of rubbing alcohol to where Neji lay, went back for dishtowels and a water bottle, and brought all this back to Neji. "Pulse is weak. Steady, but he's fading."

"Should I-"

One of the onlookers outside came to the doorway. "Seen what happened."

Sasuke didn't reply, but Naruto looked up fearfully. "L-leave us alone."

"Some of them out there still breathing," the stranger said. He watched as Sasuke took one of the many blades he seemed to carry, and cleaned it with alcohol. "If'n you's a doctor-"

"They tried to kill us!" Naruto squawked indignantly. His hand jerked in his agitation.

"Hold that light still," Sasuke snapped. He put his ear to Neji's mouth and chest, frowning as he concentrated, then shook his head. "Tension pneumo, probably even a hemothorax. I can't tell for sure, fuck it to hell. I need equipment, and don't have shit." He took up the water bottle. It was the reusable kind.

Naruto and the stranger watched as Sasuke took off the cover, and extracted the heavy-duty plastic straw inside. He cut away Neji's shirt with a scissors he'd brought. Using his left hand, he felt along Neji's ribcage, as if counting, then cut into the skin he bracketed with his thumb and forefinger. Naruto winced, especially when that straw was punched in and a fountain of blood spurted out. Neji suddenly gasped, though he didn't respond to Sasuke calling his name. Naruto thought the blood coming out of the straw seemed like a hell of a lot, but Sasuke only looked up at the stranger. "Get me a drill."

The guy was also looking at all the blood. "A what, now?"

"A drill! Get me a fucking drill!"

The man disappeared.

Naruto held the light as Sasuke gently felt along Neji's ribs. He came to the gunshot wound in his shoulder. "Definite rib fractures. Bullet tore a chunk of meat off the shoulder, but missed the bone," he muttered. He doused the wound with peroxide and told Naruto to hold a towel to it.

Naruto juggled the flashlight a moment, as he pressed the towel to Neji's shoulder. "Should we try to find a phone? Call the hospital?" he said.

"I doubt they'll come. Not to this part of the 'hood."

"Your brother, then?"

"No."

"But…what are we going to do? He looks bad."

"He is bad. I need to get him stabilized before he moves anywhere, though. I should have treated him sooner." His eyes flicked up to meet Naruto's. Naruto heard the unspoken thought. If Sasuke hadn't sat around boohoo-ing over the man in the park, Neji would have received prompt attention. "I don't know if I can save him."

"You can," Naruto said. He had unshakable faith in those sharp eyes. "I believe in you."

-oOo-

The man came back with a rusty toolbox. Sasuke carefully selected a drill bit, scrubbed it with alcohol and peroxide, and fit it into the drill. He pressed the trigger a few times, studying the velocity of the bit's motion, then set it down and moved to Neji's head. Here, he used his fingers as if measuring again, counting three fingers up from Neji's left ear and three fingers over. Taking hold of the hair at this spot, he cut it short with a scissors, and shaved the rest with a disposable razor and some shaving cream, items he'd brought with the dishtowels. He swabbed the area several times, placed some folded dishtowels beneath Neji's head, then used his knife to make an incision in the skin he had his finger against. There was a lot of blood, but Sasuke blotted carefully.

Naruto's stomach roiled heavily as he watched Sasuke part the skin of the incision to reveal gleaming bone. Sasuke placed the drill's bit against it. "What the fuck…what are you doing?" Naruto screeched.

"Car hit him. Threw him. He's got a depressed skull fracture, and signs of intracranial bleeding. He'll start seizing soon if I don't relieve the pressure."

Naruto understood none of that. "You're going to put a hole in his head?" A glance at the stranger showed his face to be just as appalled. "Jesus, Sasuke!"

"I have to," Sasuke muttered. "Burr holes are the only way. He could die if that pressure isn't relieved."

"But…"

Sasuke looked up at the stranger. "You. You're doing good, okay? See if you can get an ambulance to this part of town."

The man nodded quickly and vanished once again. Naruto inched closer with the flashlight, and licked his lips. "You sure about this?"

Sasuke chewed his own lip a moment. "Mostly sure. It's been a long time since I…" But he shook his head without finishing, and focused on the drill.

It was beyond Naruto's ability to express the horror of seeing Sasuke drill into Neji's skull, but he had to look in order to keep the light where Sasuke needed it. At the sound of the skull finally cracking, he thought he would vomit. Instead, he clamped his teeth shut and concentrated on breathing shallowly. Sasuke looked intent. Focused and intent.

"Okay…there's blood, but not…not arterial, I don't think," Sasuke murmured to himself. "Bring that light here, Naruto. Christ, I only did one craniotomy, before…dura looks intact. Seems blood and oxygen are still entering the brain, from the looks of it…thank fuck."

Again, Naruto understood nothing. He saw Sasuke carefully removing what looked like clotted blood with his bare fingers. He turned his head away a moment, but Sasuke asked for paper towel. He had to let go of Neji's shoulder to rip off a sheet, but he managed, and handed it to Sasuke. "N-" he cleared his throat a few times. "Now what?"

"Uh…" Sasuke had his face bent to Neji's scalp, clearly distracted, but at last he sat up straight and looked at Naruto. Then he looked out the open convenience store doorway. "I know they tried to fuck us over, but…"

Naruto followed his eyes. He understood. "But they need help," he finished for him.

"Yeah. And…I need you to come with me. To the…to the park."

Naruto looked back at him and met his eyes. He nodded. "All right."

Later, he would look back on the thirty minutes or so Sasuke spent flitting between the fallen men on the street and just shake his head. The things Sasuke did, how he bullied indifferent bystanders into helping him… Sasuke called it triage. Said the stretch of sidewalk he'd managed to get covered with a large tarp, and the score of large flashlights he had people train on it was an emergency trauma bay. His 'patients' were laid out and lined up on this tarp. Once it became clear that no further violence was taking place, the watchers from behind the windows had emerged in force. Poor and downtrodden as most of them were, they rallied to Sasuke's commands and assisted him however they could.

And later still, when he turned for the park with Naruto by his side, at least five of them tagged along with flashlights and more supplies.

-oOo-

The man was still breathing. Sasuke cursed in shock, or maybe it was wonder, but the man was definitely breathing. Naruto hunkered down with Sasuke as he inspected the wounds, and heard the feverish whispering to himself.

"-I mean, all I ever do is stick a person once, between the ribs. I know how to stab, for fuck's sake, so as not to hit anything major. Even out of my mind like I was, I managed to fall back on that, and give superficial wounds. Punctures to the biceps, shoulders, one to the ribs, some lacerations along the abdomen, a few in the quads here…the only serious one looks like the first one I did, up here in the throat."

Naruto moved closer to see. Sasuke's voice was shaking but his fingers were steady. "How bad is it?"

Sasuke was a moment in answering, motioning for the woman behind him to bring the light closer. "Jesus. Another millimeter or two and I'd have sliced his carotid. It's deep, clear through his throat. Think his trachea is nicked…but he's breathing. Lost a lot of blood, but he's…he's not critical, I don't think. He's alive," Sasuke gusted suddenly. He hung his head, as if unable to bear the relief. "He's alive."

-oOo-

The people who'd followed Sasuke to the park worked together to carry the man back to Sasuke's trauma bay, where Sasuke did what he could for his wounds. The man who'd originally helped them, the one who'd supplied the drill, came puffing up with a cell phone in his hand. His face was doleful.

"Been tryin' t'find you," he said. "Got 911 on the line now. They ain't coming. Saying they amb'lances is all occupied in the field wit' other emergencies or some such shit. You wanna talk?" He thrust the phone at Sasuke, who finished tying off a tourniquet before taking it.

Sasuke's voice was cool and snarky, the way it had been when Naruto met him on that first night. "To whom am I speaking?" he said. Naruto couldn't help but smile, as Sasuke listened a moment. "Is that right. Well listen up, you piece of shit. I happen to know there are two hospitals in this miserable township. If you don't have ambulances to spare, then you phone over to Oto General and get theirs. I have an emergency crike, two tension pneumos, an extradural hematoma, and several critical requirements for blood and sutures. And…fatalities. Get your asses down here, or so help me I will call that corrupt son of a bitch you have for a governor, what's his name. Orochimaru? Him. I will call him and make it known in no uncertain terms that I will be going to the province press and airing all his dirty laundry about this joke of a town. And then I will go to Tsunade –yes, the Tsunade, the one who runs my town- and make sure she steps in and follows through. Trust me, I got nothing better to do; I will see you in hell for this, you and whoever the bleeding fuck is working night duty over there. Either grow a pair and send EMTs, or put me on with the director of your flea-ridden, crack-peddling, ass-sucking dump of a hospital. Now, motherfucker. I don't have all night."

Sasuke listened a moment more, then violently pressed end on the phone.

One of the women ventured forward. "They's comin'?"

"Yes," Sasuke nodded. "I'll wait here till they do."

The crowd was silent for a while, watching him with wide and marveling eyes. Naruto also watched him. Watched the way he timed pulses and moved between Neji and the other people on the tarp anxiously as they waited.

Five minutes later they all heard the sirens in the distance, quickly approaching their location.