A/N: It's update time! (grins) You know, this chapter was born surprisingly easily. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad… (sweatdrops)

BUT, first off… MAN, thank you so much for those absolutely unbelievable reviews you've left for this story – you've made me so happy! (GLOMPS) THANK YOU! As per usual, responses to anonymous reviews can be found from underneath the chappy.

Awkay, because I've already kept babbling long enough, let's rock! (gulps) I really hope ya'll find this worth the wait.

CHAPTER 8: The Clearing Depths

Two Days Later

Naruto felt cold when he stood by the doorway of Tengoku's common space that early morning, watching how Sasuke sat before a piano, his fingers ghosting above the keys but never really having the will create music. The silence was tense, filled with several emotions he couldn't name, and he found himself afraid of speaking out.

Then Sasuke started to play – first quietly, then with much more force until the music seemed to be screaming. Naruto had never heard this song before, he was quite sure. But it felt like something special, something reserved only for few occasions.

It took long, but eventually he managed to gather himself enough to move. Sasuke tensed up when he stood by the raven's side, and it hurt more than it should've.

So the distance between them was back.

He took a deep breath before attempting talking. "I… need to tell you something." It was harder than he'd expected to speak out the words. "I won't be working here much longer – I've got only five more shifts." He swallowed with a lot of difficulty, cursing how his eyes stung. Wasn't this supposed to be the right thing to do? "I just… I thought I should tell you."

He waited for Sasuke's reaction with his heart thumping, not sure of what he was expecting. What he got matched with nothing in his imagination.

Sasuke's eyes were terrifyingly dull when the boy shrugged. "If you want to leave so badly, then go."

He might've been fooled if he hadn't heard the metallic sidetone, the hurt the Uchiha was fighting to hide. He gulped. "Do you want me to go?"

Sasuke snorted, playing some angry notes that ripped his insides. "What the fuck does it matter what I want?"

He didn't manage to speak. And then it was too late.

Steps were heard beforeTsunade appeared to the room's doorway. There was a look on her face that unnerved Naruto. "I think we need to have a little talk", she announced, and her tone told that she wasn't asking for a permission.

He nodded stiffly and followed.

As soon as they made it to the woman's office she pulled out his resignation report as though it'd been the answer to eveything.

He blinked twice, not quite understanding. "I told you I'd do this days ago."

Tsunade smiled wryly. "I… suppose I didn't believe you until now." She gave him a long, evaluative look. "I guess there's no point in asking if you're okay."

He gulped again, looking away. "I don't want to leave him."

"Then don't."

He groaned, rubbing his face with one hand. "It's not that easy, okay?" He took a deep breath, and focused on the tiny insect that was making its way determinedly across the hopelessly huge floor. "It's… not that I wouldn't care. I care too much. And that's why I can't help him anymore." He chuckled bitterly. "This doesn't make any sense, right?"

Tsunade sighed heavily, appearing much older than usual all of a sudden. "Actually… I'm afraid it does." She looked at him directly to eyes. "But I don't want you to make a hasty decision."

"I'm not." It came quickly, so easily that it surprised even him. His eyes stung, and he blinked furiously. "Look… Right now, I can barely keep even myself together, okay? So… How am I supposed to help Sasuke?" No matter how much I'd want to.

Tsunade couldn't say anything to that.

As though responding to his emotions, rain started to fall heavily outside.

When Naruto finally made it home and peered cautiously into Iruka's bedroom, he just had to smile at what he found.

Inside, Kakashi gave a sleeping, pale yet slightly flushed Iruka's cheek a tiny, tender kiss before turning away from the brunet. He was almost sure he saw a brief blush when the silver-haired noticed him. "I… just came to make sure he's alright." The man cleared his throat. "I heard he's been feeling feeling queasy."

He nodded, unable to hold back a mischevious smile. At least something good was happening. "He's been feeling so nauseous that he's had trouble sleeping. But it looks like he's doing just fine now."

Now there was a definite blush on Kakashi's cheeks. The man started to leave. "I… might be able to stop by tomorrow, before my nightshift starts. Could you tell him that?"

He nodded, almost breaking to a grin. "I will. See you tomorrow."
Kakashi left as swiftly as possible.

As soon as the man had left, he focused on Iruka. It was good to see the man so peaceful – almost smiling – although he knew it wouldn't last long. And all of a sudden he just couldn't resist the temptation. Wasn't even he supposed to deserve some consolation at a time like this?

Fortunately Iruka didn't wake up when he climbed into the bed and lay down, breathing in the familiar scent of the man who was as close as a father to him. For a while everything was alright.

He managed to fall into a fitful slumber.

Four Days Later

That morning, Tsunade appeared to the therapy room carrying a cardboard box. There was something close to a smile on her face. "This morning we'll try something different", she announced, then looked towards the box. "There's someone I want you to meet."

The people currently in the room – Naruto, Sakura, Neji, Sai, Sasuke, Gaara, Juugo and Hinata – looked on with suspicion when something jumped out of the box. It turned out to be a tiny, white kitten with black paws.

At first the kitten looked at them all as though it'd found itself thrown in front of predators, then seemed to notice something. And as soon as it did it sprinted to Sasuke and jumped to the boy's lap with a startled mew, looking into the boy's eyes as though begging for help.

For the longest time the two of them kept looking at each other with confusion, unsure as to what the next move should be. Then, visibly bracing itself, the kitten lifted one of its paws and laid it softly to Sasuke's hand. And quite unlike they'd all been expecting, the boy gave it a couple of rather clumsy pats. His motions earned a very pleased, purring sound from the feline. The Uchiha, on the other hand, seemed to fight furiously against smiling. A connection had been formed, anyone could see.

Naruto realized that he was practically holding his breath while watching all this. Because at that moment, when watching the way the Uchiha treated the animal and how those onyx orbs filled with life, he felt what'd been swelling inside him since they'd first met explode. And suddenly being in the same room with Sasuke felt dangerous.

In the end Hinata, who'd been sitting nearby Sasuke, dared to move. The kitten gave her a confused look when she stroked its fur, but in the end kept purring in approval. At that moment Hinata did something that hadn't been heard in years. She laughed out loud – the sound was bubbly and filled with happiness. Her eyes shone when she looked at Neji. "It's just like Tiger!" There was no hesitation or stutter.

Neji's expression was a strange mixture of several emotions when he approached the feline almost cautiously, then took it surprisingly skillfully into his arms. The kitten squirmed a little at first, but calmed down once understanding that the boy wasn't about to harm it. Everyone was shocked when he laid the cat into Gaara's arms.

The redhead's papers were filled with mentions of him having resulted into brutal violence, many had viewed him as a monster. And deep down they were all horrified as to what he'd do to the poor, tiny animal.

But nothing violent happened. Instead – much to everyone's shock – the redhead merely blinked, subconsciously stroking the animal's fur, and looked towards Neji, demanding answers. The Hyuuga looked back, speaking as much with his eyes. The soundless dialogue obviously reassured down Gaara, because the redhead focused on the cat once more, kept patting it absent-mindedly, like trying to determine what exactly it was.

The confused silence lasted for a long time until soft, slow steps were heard. Gaara looked up to see a somewhat hesitant Juugo stood before him. "Can I… hold her?"

Gaara quirked an eyebrow. "It's a female?"

The much taller teen nodded.

As the others watched, baffled and dazed, the redhead handed the also confused cat rather gently to Juugo's arms. The moment the tall boy held it, the cat yawned, cuddled closer to the teen's warmth and fell asleep.

"Well…" Tsunade sounded almost shocked while she stared at the sight unfolding before them. "This… was a surprise."

Naruto's eyes, having a mind of their own, found Sasuke's. And emotions were dangerously close to slipping from his hold. "Yeah", he managed. "A surprise."

That night was one of goodbyes for Ino at the airport.

It'd been bad enough to hug Naruto and a playfully resisting Kiba goodbye. But now she was face to face with Sai.

He took a deep breath when looking at her. "I wouldn't want you to go."

She ran a hand through her hair, giving an exasperated sigh. "Look, I… I've gotta do this, okay? So please don't make this any harder than this already is."

Surprisingly enough there was no hurt in Sai's eyes – somewhere along the way the worst pain and soreness had subsided. The boy nodded. "'K." He then looked down, always having been bad at situations like this. "I… wish you well."

All of a sudden there was a tiny smile on her face. "I know." And before anyone could see it coming she gave the boy a firm, tender hug. She spoke so quietly that it could barely be heard. "I'm sorry, that I can't…" She trailed off.

Sai nodded, hugging her back although he obviously felt awkward. And it was all the two of them needed.

Just then the last call for her flight came. Barely managing to hold on the smile that'd been so very hard to create, she waved at her friends. "I'll see you soon, okay?" They all knew she wasn't about to come back once she left.

And with that one final look she turned around and walked away without looking back. Because if she'd looked, she might've never been able to stay firm.

-

Sai sighed heavily when Ino had disappeared from sight.

Kiba, who was usually such a loudmouth, laid a comforting hand to his shoulder. "I'm sorry, man." The boy's tone was atypically solemn. "I know this sucks."

Sai's eyes were even darker than usual. "I… talked to Shikamaru, and he told me he'd come here." The boy grit his teeth hard. "I was hoping he'd try."

Naruto opened his mouth, but before the boy could speak his cell-phone started to bleep. Blue eyes flashed when the boy noticed who the caller was. "It's from Tengoku." The blond looked at them. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

They could only nod.

Not much later, Kiba scratched his hair with apparent discomfort. "I… kinda have a date with Karin, so…"

Sai surprised himself with actually being able to smile a bit. "You can go. I'll see you tomorrow."

Almost as soon as the brunet had left, his cell-phone snapped to life. A dark flare crossed his whole being when he noticed that the number was Shikamaru's. He took a deep, evening breath before accepting the call. "Where were you?"

"It's… It's me." To his surprise, the voice was Shikamaru's father's. The man sounded like he'd been holding back tears. "I… couldn't get a hold of Ino or Naruto, so I…" There were strange sounds. "There's… been an accident. Do you… think you could come to the hospital?"

Naruto's heart hammered when he entered Sasuke's room about half an hour later, to find the raven kneeling before the bathroom's sink, shaking for most likely several reasons. The boy had never looked quite as frail as he did just then, and the mere sight was enough to scare him.

He swallowed thickly, then moved with difficulty. "I… heard you weren't doing well, so I came to check up on you."

"I'm fine", Sasuke all but barked out instantly. "So stop pitying me and beat it." Those words were, however, swiftly proven a lie when the raven swayed dangerously.

He dashed closer just as the boy managed to steady himself once more, and his hand was left lingering mere inches from the boy's back. He couldn't touch anymore, he reminded himself bitterly. Their connection just wasn't strong enough anymore. "It's okay", he murmured, hoping that he would've been allowed to touch, that he would've had some magical way to make things right, that he would've had the strength to do more. "Everything's… gonna work out, okay?"

Sasuke wouldn't look his way, didn't even react much to his words. "Hmph", came through what sounded like a thick layer.

He then decided that he couldn't just stand around any longer. Quite cautiously he lifted his hand and placed it to the raven's shoulder. "Look, Sasuke…"

That was the furthest he got. Because at that second Sasuke turned his gaze and looked at him with almost wild eyes he'd never seen before. "If you're going to leave again anyway…", the boy all but hissed. "… then leave me the fuck alone already. Stop playing with me." The raven's whole body was shaking, and the tightly balled fists told quite clearly that the boy definitely wasn't acting.

This pain, this anger, this sadness the Uchiha fought so very hard to hide… It was very much real. And he was the cause. That realization hurt so much it almost stole all his breath away.

He didn't know how far the situation might've gone if the room's door hadn't opened just then. In a matter of moments Tsunade was with them, giving him a look that was a mixture of sympathy and something colder. "Naruto, I think it'd be for the best if you'd leave. I'm afraid there's nothing you can do."

He nodded, although it happened with difficulty, and started to make his way reluctantly towards the room's door. He kept his eyes on Sasuke for a long time, but couldn't face the raven anymore when Tsunade eventually pulled a needle from her pocket – careful not to let the Uchiha see it – and the boy gave an outraged near-whimper when his skin was pierced. That sound echoed in Naruto's ears when he was finally out of the room.

Burying his face into his hands he leaned against the wall, fighting with his all to ease the turmoil inside him although he knew it pointless. He didn't remember ever feeling as low and bad in his life.

"Naruto?" The voice made his head snap up. He found Neji, who was looking at him with some worry and confusion. "Are you alright?"

He looked away once more, fighting with himself. He didn't want to break down in front of the Hyuuga – not when he was feeling the way he did at the moment. "No. But I don't want to talk about it."

Neji snorted. "You sound just like Gaara. He can be such a pain sometimes."

He smiled faintly. "You know it's because you and his feelings confuse him, right?" When the brunet stiffened with shock, he looked towards the boy with disbelief. "Don't tell me you hadn't noticed yet!"

Neji frowned. "Noticed what?"

If he'd been in a little bit lighter mood, he might've laughed out loud. At the moment, however, he could only smirk and shake his head. "You can be even more dense than me sometimes." Then deciding to go before he'd cause even more damage, he waved and started to leave. "See you later." With that he started to walk away.

-

Naruto's words struck Neji paralyzed and cold. He blinked slowly when facts started to sink in, slowly yet surely.

Now what was he supposed to do?

Sai's face was buried in his hands when he sat in the hospital's waiting room, fighting with more emotions than he ever remembered feeling.

He was almost startled when someone touched his shoulder. Looking up, he found Sakura's stunningly sympathetic face. "I came as soon as you called." Without waiting for invitation she sat beside him. "What the hell happened?"

He shook his head and looked away, deciding that the sickly green walls of the building needed paint. "It… was a hit and run." He swallowed thickly to rid the sickening taste from his mouth. "He's… in the ICU. No one's allowed to see him."

He sensed Sakura's nod. She remained silent for a while. "Have you… called Naruto?"

He shook his head. "He has enough of things to worry about already." He took a deep breath, feeling a brief sting in his eyes. "I'll tell him, if…" He trailed off, not wanting to say the rest.

All of a sudden there was an arm around him. He blinked with surprise when noticing that Sakura was actually trying to calm him down. And he was even more surprised to realize that he leaned closer to her.

No words were said that long night.

The following afternoon, Naruto felt extremely uncomfortable when saying goodbye to the inhabitants and staff of Tengoku. Juugo said his byes with a brief nod, and Gaara gave something that sounded like a 'Hn'. Hinata could only look at him with a bright blush and a sad expression. Tsunade and Shizune went as far as hugging him. Kabuto shook his hand, making him feel cold all over for some reason.

Sakura, on the other hand, sighed heavily when looking at him. "I really wish you wouldn't give up this easily. But… I guess I can't blame you, either." And suddenly she hugged him. "I guess I'll be seeing you anyway, right?"

He smiled faintly. "Yeah."

When their embrace broke he glanced towards the room's door. Still not a trace of Sasuke.

"Go and find him, will you?" Sakura's words were a command, not a request. "You'll regret it forever if you don't."

There was a heavy weight in his chest and stomach when he nodded. "I know."

After waving goodbye once more, he headed towards Sasuke's room. As he'd expected, he found the Uchiha there, sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the wall. The boy's eyes seemed empty, dead. And his heart broke once more while he slumped to sit beside the raven.

He would've wanted to touch, but didn't dare to. All he could focus on the warmth that was so very close yet much too far.

And suddenly he felt like he was giving up too easily.

He swallowed thickly, unsure what to do. He almost touched Sasuke, but decided against it at the last moment. "Look, I… I really don't wanna go, okay? I… don't wanna leave you like this." He swallowed thickly. "So, if you want me to stay…"

The raven looked away and leaned a little more heavily against the wall, appearing exhausted. "Just get going, will you? It'll start to rain any minute now."

It felt like a slap against his face, and it took his all to restrain a wince. His eyes stung when he straightened his form and took an unwilling step away from the raven. "I… I hope you'll be okay one day. And… I hope that I'll remember, enough to…" He trailed off, no longer knowing what he wanted to say.

He wondered bitterly if anything he could've said would've made much difference. For Sasuke remained still and soundless, like a statue of some sort. The connection he'd once felt seemed miles away.

Swallowing thickly, he hauled his body up, turned around and waited – for what, he didn't know – until he finally regained his strength and walked out of the room with slow, oddly heavy steps.

Wrong. All of this felt wrong.

Not sure why he thought she'd be able to help, he knocked on the door of Tsunade's office. "Hey, are you in there?"

He pushed the door open to find the office empty. Something, however, caught his attention. On her desk was a file that had his name written on it.

Why the hell would Tsunade have a file on him?!

Surprised, even shocked, he approached and started to flip through the papers.

Photographs of him as a child – a scared, scawny kid who obviously hadn't been looked after properly.

A document proving that he'd been adopted to Orochimaru's orphanage.

Several documents of him being hospitalized for all kinds of injuries, heavy suspicions that he was being abused.

And finally, he came a across a picture that represented about twenty children with somewhat grim expressions – amongst them he could see both himself and Sasuke.

The flood of memories started so surprisingly and with such speed that his whole world swayed, almost turning black.

/ Eight-years-old Naruto's ears perked up to the sounds coming through the door. "… former guardian, Sarutobi, died of a heart-attack six months ago, and we still haven't found a place for him. You're a heaven-sent."
The smooth, velvet-like voice sickened him for some reason. "Children are our most valuable gift, no? It's our duty to look after then.

And then the door opened, presenting him to a man who had long, black hair and strange snake's eyes that gave him chills. The man smiled at him. "Hello, Naruto. My name is Orochimaru, and I'm here to take you to my orphanage." /

/ A ten-years-old Naruto always enjoyed training sessions with Sasuke the most.

The raven was quick, skilled and always focused. Sometimes he could've sworn the boy could somehow memorize and foresee his movements.

But there was also one downside to training with the Uchiha – he never won. And that rather late evening he once again found himself pinned underneath Sasuke, who's eyes seemed to carry a hint of red in the light of a setting sun.

His eyes narrowed. "You just got lucky."

The raven snorted. "Again? Isn't that excuse getting kind of old?"

He was about to shoot back a remark, but never got the time before Orochimaru's voice spoke. "Congratulations, Sasuke", the man complimented in a sickeningly sweet tone. Snake's eyes were poison when looking at the raven, but – being just a child – Naruto couldn't see that then. "This means that you've reached to next level."

Whereas he felt envy, Sasuke seemed ready to throw up while looking down with sharp eyes. /

/ Only months later, Sasuke was sick – so badly that a doctor named Danzo was invited to the orphanage. Seeing the man was enough to make Naruto sick with worry – more often than not someone died when he appeared.

Through the storm raging outside, he managed to eavesdrop Danzo and Orochimaru talking. "… of the bags ruptured. The damage was already pretty bad."

For the first time ever, Orochimaru swore under his breath, then spoke. "How is he now?"

"He's got a pretty high fever, and the surgical wound is almost bound to get infected. That brat is lucky if he makes it through the night."

Naruto felt like someone had stolen all breath and warmth from him. His eyes were hurting as he started to shake.

NO! He wasn't about to accept that, that…

His usual determination filling him, he made his way to Sasuke's room.

It made him even more worried than before to find Sasuke sleeping, perhaps even unconscious, and terrifyingly still. Sweat trickled on the raven's utterly pale forehead, and the boy seemed to be shaking.

He swallowed thickly, and in some other situation he might've found it amusing how speechless he was all of a sudden. He'd never felt as scared and helpless as he did then. And all he could do was slump to the boy's bedside and take one of the much too warm, limp hands into his.

Maybe, if he kept Sasuke company and kept holding on as well, the boy might just make it until the morning.

All he could do was wait and hope. /

/ That day, everything had gone wrong from the start. And as Naruto made his way through the orphanage's basement, with only the candle he was carrying providing light and Sasuke following him, there was a bad feeling inside him.

They, however, had no other choice. They had to get away fast, before Sasuke would be harmed even worse than he was already.

All of a sudden Sasuke stopped with a sharp exhale, and he instinctively did the same, turning towards the raven with a frown. "Sasuke? What's wrong?"

Onyx eyes met his, even darker than usual. "Someone's here."


Before he got the chance to ask, he found Kabuto stood before him. And then he was hurled against the wall with such force that his vision swayed, and for a moment all he could make out was a blur of colors.

He couldn't tell how much later he heard Orochimaru's muffled voice, then Sasuke's screams that made him want to cry out. He smelled blood, heard the sounds of such pain he couldn't even imagine, and tears were out of his control. "Leave him alone…!" he whimpered. "Leave him alone!"

But the screams continued, tearing his child's heart to pieces.

And then he realized that he could smell smoke, and gasped. The candle, he'd dropped it…! The building…!

"Let's go", Orochimaru spoke in a voice that carried no emotions. "We have no further use for these two."

And then he was able to move again. He crawled to a sitting position, then stood, wincing at the pain that came from the part of his head he'd hit, and looked around anxiously.

The smell of smoke was thick and suffocating, seemed to steal absolutely all air from his lungs, and Naruto coughed sharply while fumbling forward, his eyes stinging hellishly. "Sas… Sasuke!" he barely managed, and coughed again, barely seeing from the smoke. "Where are you?" His heart hammered with such terror he'd never felt before.

And then he saw the dark figure standing some steps away. Blood was pooling underneath the child, but no matter how fervently he tried to look he couldn't see the damage. Sasuke lifted his head although it visibly took all the child's energy. The face he met was no longer the one he'd known – half of his best friend's face was burned, and the child was trembling pitiably, visibly barely clinging to consciousness.

Tears flowed down his cheeks, hot and heavy, while he trembled where he stood. The smell of burning wood and flesh – or perhaps something else – made him want to scream and throw up. "Sasuke…!"

And then the raven fell down to his knees, panting and crying a little, most likely from unbearable pain. "Just… fucking go", the boy growled. "He'll… come back, so… go. Go, or I'll never forgive you." And Sasuke's eyes told he meant it.

And that's when he did something he'd never forgive himself for deep in his heart – something he didn't think he'd be able to live with. He spun around, and started to run, hating himself so much that he wanted to throw up.

When he finally collapsed to his knees on the barely standing building's yard, screaming like a wounded beast, he was no longer the same person he'd once been.

As he left, he never noticed the shadow that dashed into the burning building. / (1)

Naruto gasped as the flood of memories started to pass, and his knees almost gave way when a flood of dizziness washed over him. He found it almost impossible to hold the bile down. And he was moving before he even realized it.

At around the same time, Tsunade sat on the floor next to Sasuke. Trying to reach out for the boy was a slow, extremely irritating process, and she had no idea how much longer she'd be able to go on without starting to scream.

In the end she sighed and looked away from the boy. "Look… I know it hurts that he left. But he did it for the sake of you both, to give you a chance to recover." She took a deep breath. "Sasuke… If you want to help both of you, you need to start talking. So… Please, tell me what happened. Show us that Naruto was right and there's still hope."

At first Tsunade thought she was imagining things when the voice spoke. "He made me swallow them since I was seven." Sasuke's eyes were vacant, as though the boy had been no longer connected to the reality. "They were too big. I felt like choking every time."

Her eyes widened as she listened, barely managing to make herself believe.

She expected Sasuke to shut down completely. Instead that painfully monotone voice spoke again, as though narrating something insignificant – apparently the Uchiha was afraid of the storm that might arise. "I never got caught – they never knew to suspect a child. I hated it, but… At least it was a route out of the usual cage." The boy gave something that sounded like a snort. "Some of those people… were even nice."

She swallowed dryly, shock drying her saliva. "Orochimaru… made you smuggle drugs?"

And at that moment Sasuke, apparently, decided that he'd already said too much. The boy brought his legs to his chest, withdrawing into his own world.

The frustration was almost enough to make her scream. Her voice shook. "Sasuke?" She grit her teeth so hard it hurt, and got up to baddly shaking legs. "I'll… be back in a second, okay?"

She could barely walk, and when she got out of the room she had to lean against the wall. It took ages before she finally managed to speak to Shizune, who'd been waiting for her. "It's… It's even worse than we thought", she muttered, feeling sick to her stomach. She took a deep breath, but it didn't help any.

"What… should we do?" Shizune inquired quietly.

Her eyes darkened. "I'm going to have to have a talk with Kabuto. And then I'll call Ibiki."

Naruto ran without any aim whatsoever for the longest time – so long that his knees gave out in the end, sending him down to his knees, panting and shaking.

He didn't know how long he'd remained that way until he heard a somewhat familiar voice. "Who's there?" Looking up, he realized that he was kneeling outside the orphanage's gates – and that the raven-haired, blindfolded man he'd seen the last time was stood nearby, trying to look towards him.

"Just… me", he managed in an unsteady voice.

The other male frowned. "Are you alright? You sound strained."

Just then he gave the other male a long, good look – and little by little, as the similarities registered to him, he started to see.

And at that moment he understood everything, so clearly that the realization left him gasping. His knees felt weak once more. "Itachi", he breathed out.

The slightly older male's body grew stiff. "How… do you know my name?"

He smiled, although he wasn't entirely sure why. This was all going over his head. "Through your brother. I… I thought…"

Just then Itachi looked towards him. Formerly soft face carried tremendous hostility, and he knew he'd said something wrong. "Sasuke can't possibly have told you anything", the raven stated in a tone that carried half a dozen emotions. "He… He died, years ago."

He felt a slight tremor of shock and sadness. So both of the brothers had been fed with the same lie. "He's not dead", he stated in a somewhat soft tone as soon as he managed to speak. "He's still very much alive in Tengoku. And he misses you."

Although he couldn't see Itachi's eyes, he saw how the rest of the raven's body reacted while trying to digest his words. The last of the little color there'd been on the Uchiha's face became stolen, and he could've sworn he saw trembling. "They've told me…", the raven murmured, much more to himself than him. "They've said that…"

Just then the same black-haired girl he'd seen with Itachi the last time they'd met appeared, with a chilling look on her face. "So here you are." She grabbed the raven's hand roughly. "The children are waiting for you."

Appearing uncertain, Itachi nodded slowly. And before he managed to make a sound the Uchiha had been taken away, leaving him stood there feeling dizzy.

-

As soon as she'd left Itachi with the children, Kin took her cell-phone and dialed numbers. "Orochimaru-sama? It looks like we have a problem."

Some hours later, Tsunade was just leaving Sasuke's room when she found Kabuto waiting for her in the hallway. The young man's expression was such that chilled her. "I heard you wanted to have a talk."

Her eyes hardened, although chills of dread ran through her. "Yes." She grit her teeth. "Kabuto… You were seen leaving Sasuke's room with Orochimaru, a wanted criminal. I just went through the tapes of the security camera, and discovered that you two have visited him several times. Could you tell me what the hell is going on?"

Kabuto's eyes flashed. And instead of offering explanations the young male took a step closer. "Oh well, I was sick of playing around already, anyway."

She didn't even know what hit her before everything turned black.

-

Sasuke's eyes flew open when the room's door opened. When he saw Kabuto alone, he knew immediately that something was badly wrong.

His eyes flashed when he jumped out of the bed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"From the beginning I told Orochimaru it was too dangerous to keep you alive." The boy's voice was dark and hollow. "Now it's time to fix that mistake."

His eyes narrowed. "Leave me the fuck alone."

Kabuto's teeth flashed in the darkness when the man walked up to him before he could stop it, and for a moment he could've sworn he felt something sharp on his neck. "Just hold still, will you? I promise this won't hurt – I'll make this quick."

And at that moment he did the only thing he could think of, the only thing his chaotic, overdriven mind managed to come up with.

Faster than any lighting could strike, he'd snatched the blade from Kabuto's hands. Steel flashed like silver in the night's shadow, and made a strange, whisper-like sound when it was put to use. Kabuto's jacket gave a sigh while the silver-haired fell with a surprised expression.

The reek that followed was too much for Sasuke.

He staggared – almost falling to his knees – and threw up loudly, something warm spilling to his cheeks. He was shaking so badly that his teeth made a hollow sound when clattering together from time to time, but he noticed none of that. All he could pay attention to was the screaming mess inside his head.

He needed to get away.

He needed to run.

He needed to escape.

He needed to…

With that half of a thought he was already moving first the best as he could, then with the speed of sheer desperation. The keys Kabuto had dropped guided him to freedom.

He disappeared into the shadows.

TBC, un.

1) To those wondering... Yup, the shadow was Itachi. (grins)

A/N: Okay… (winces) You guys are going to kill me now, aren't you?

Once again, it's waaaaay too late, so I've gotta start tuning out. PLEASE, please, do leave review before going, too – you know how happy hearing from you would make me! (gives puppy's eyes)

IN THE NEXT ONE: Naruto gets a huge surprise, and Sasuke's possibly even more unstable than ever. It's now Orochimaru decides that it's time for him to move.

ONLY THREE MORE TO GO, FOLKS! (sniffs) Man, it's gonna suck to let this one go.

Until next time – I really hope I'll see all of ya around then!

Peace out!

Naruto: Let's hope Naruto manages to put things together and remember before it's too late, ne? (crosses fingers)

Gigantic thank yous for the review!

'Hope I'll see ya next time.

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kai: It's such a good thing Juugo saw that – now if only he tells Tsunade, too!

And Itachi's alive. Yosh! (grins)

Naruto's indeed been put through a little bit too much, ne? I bet Sasuke pushing him away was the last straw. It sucks, but I guess he can't really be blamed for giving up, ne? (winces)

Mega-sized thank yous for the review!

Until laters, no?

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ZakuKura: Awww, I'm super happy to hear you enjoyed it so much! (beam)

Thank yous so much for reading and reviewing, especially seeing as how busy you were!

Until next time, I hope.