The two set off for the direction of the Hokage tower while Sasuke and team 7 continued to head for the hospital with the overly exhausted blond.

"Gah...ha...ha..."

Sasuke looked down at the bundle in his arms. "Oi, what is it?"

Naruto shook his head. "No...nothing...uff..."

"You better not be lying."

The blond closed his eyes and clenched his hands together into fists. Damn, you can't hide anything with this guy... I better keep my mouth shut until we get there...

"Sai." Sakura called. "Go ahead and tell the hospital we have an emergency. "

"Right." The teen hurried to the building.

"Naruto, just a little longer..." Kakashi smiled, only visible through his upturned eye, down at the whiskered teen.

Emergency...? But, I'm not that bad, am I? No...right? I can wait like everyone else...

A sharp pain rippled through his stomach and he gnashed his teeth together.

Fuck, who am I kidding?! And will Sasuke just STOP staring at me like that?! Hell, he's creeping me out!

Sasuke sensed the blond's shifting gaze from his own and decided to look at the road he was heading on. Why does Naruto feel awkward around me? We're exactly like brother's aren't we?

Finally, the hospital fell into view and the group hurried inside, nearly knocking over waiting patients.

"Careful there-" The man Sakura had crashed into looked at the trio in shock until his eyes rested on the bleeding Naruto and his expression turned to that of fear and the painful look of a hurting father. "Wh...what the hell happened to him? Wasn't he already-"

Kakashi cut him off when other patients turned their heads to see the blond along with Sasuke and others. They were beginning to get worried and horrified looks. "Iruka, I'll explain everything to you later. Right now, he needs medical attention."

They ignored Iruka's pressing questions and went for a nurse who had been waiting for them.

"Here, bring Naruto-kun and follow me." She stopped Kakashi and Sakura with a hand. "I need you two to wait. Sakura-san, I'll get you if Tsunade needs any more assistance."

They both nodded and leaned against a wall.

"Over here, please."

Sasuke followed the woman to a double door where she held it open for him. He walked inside and was nearly stomped over by the rushing Tsunade.

"What the hell took you so long?!" She placed her hand against Naruto's face and received a pained grimace from the boy. She silently beat herself for allowing him to be caught twice and tortured in who-knows how many ways. "Bring him to the table."

Naruto looked at the room with sad, azure eyes and found himself on the brink of collapsing. He was in so much pain it was difficult to comprehend what was being said.

"Naruto, did you hear me?" Asked tthe Hokage.

He turned his gaze toward her when he had been placed into a sitting position atop the table. "W-what?"

"Did you hear what I asked you?"

He stared at her in silence.

Tsunade sighed. "Are you in any immediate pain?"

"No..." He lied.

She continued to glare at him until Sasuke spoke.

"Dobe, all I know is that you had better not be lying. I'm going now, Tsunade."

"If you see Sakura please tell her that I may be needing of her assistance. "

"Hn." And he walked out of the room.

"Alright, Gaki."

Naruto shuddered at her sudden cold voice and looked up at her own green eyes; she had her arms crossed along her large bust.

"Why the hell did you lie to me?"

Damn, she saw right through my lie.

He hung his head and clenched his teeth and fists together.

"Naruto." She placed her hand at his chin and he, out of habit, fliched at the touch. She noticed his paranoia.

Shit, what the hell did those bastards do to him?!

She moved her hand from its previous position and sighed. "Look, I know you're hiding it, alright?"

He shook his head in denial. "I'm not...honest."

"Fine. Then, this shouldn't hurt."

What shouldn't-

He felt a sharp prod with a finger at his stomach and cried out in pain, pulling himself off the table in which Tsunade only set him back down and he struggled in her grasp.

"Why'd you lie like that?"

He closed his eyes and shut his mouth.

Tsunade finally sighed when she realized the reason. "Look, Naruto, you're the only one around here that has the right to complain about pain."

"But-"

"And don't give me that "but, I don't want them to worry" crap. Kid, you were captured by Uchiha Madara and Yakushi Kabuto TWICE. As much as I hate to bring up bad memories we're going to have to talk about it no matter what so I suggest you get your shit together and stop hiding things. Okay?"

Naruto was shocked by what she said and his eyes almost immediately filled with tears.

What she said...what granny said...SHE wasn't lying. I can tell that much. She really does care about me.

Water poured down his cheeks and stained his pants with dirt along with the dried blood already there. It wasn't the fact that he was in pain but it was mostly because he had gone forward and back with the most lying and sadistic men he had ever met, he had been beaten an inch from his life multiple times not just when he was captured but even as a child, he had been betrayed, accused, hated, used, broken, beaten, tore through mind and body and it had been a while since he had been shown TRUE honesty. That was why he had cried. That was why he had begun to remember and recall such times he wished he could have completely erased from his very soul.

He raised his head and grinned the best he could. It wasn't as sincere and happy as before but it was a start.

Tsunade snapped her fingers and smiled back. "There's the number 1 hyperactive knucklehead ninja I know."

The sound of a door closing sounded from behind and the blond's smile disappeared and his body stiffened.

"Naruto, it's only Sakura," Tsunade reassured.

He nodded.

"Tsunade-sama, Sasuke-kun said you called for me." She stepped over to the blond and smiled softly before rubbing his sunny hair with a gentle fist.

"Let me examine him, first." The Hokage placed her hands over him and they glowed green for a few moments before she concluded the situation. She exhaled. "It seems he has several torn muscles along his arms with fractured and broken bones, cracked wrists, damage to his left lung, three broken ribs, legs in the same condition as his arms, twisted ankle, bruising in his neck and face, and a massive stab wound along his thigh and abdomen, and his right shoulder has been removed from its socket along with another stab wound..."

Sakura clenched her fist in anger and looked at the ground.

Tsunade turned to the blond. "Kid, is Kyuubi helping you?"

Naruto thought for a moment before answering and shook his head. He received an angry glare from the woman and quickly explained. "Kurama...he had a ton of chakra taken from him...I can feel him trying to help stop bleeding...but anything else would kill him..."

"Is-"

"Tsunade-sama, I think it would be best if we asked questions later. Right now, he needs medical treatment."

"Right." She lay Naruto onto his back. "I'm going to sedate you."

At the word 'sedate' he slightly panicked.

"Believe me, you wouldn't like to be conscious."

He finally nodded and a breathing mask had been placed on him. He felt the Hokage entwine her fingers with his and he almost immediately felt the world spin around before his eyes started to fall.

Inhale...

Sakura looks pretty funny.

Exhale...

Inhale...

Wow, I feel like I'm flying.

Exhale...

Inhale...

Oh, crap, I forgot to tell her...

Exhale...

"Arigato, obaa-chan...Sakura...chan..."

remember to please leave a review. Tell me how this is going, my loyal subjects.

Arigato!