SPECIAL NOTES:

This chapter and the next to come will have a little of my supposed future of the original manga. I had read generally what is going on and I choose to tell some details (very slightly nothing very informational) that maybe could be see to others as Spoilers. I don't know but I'm telling you as a little warning. I always pictured this story to be set a little after the whole original plot. Maybe with time it will go in an alternate universe if the manga differs from my supposed ideas or people who will be death in the original and here not.

And for YOU (I would not say your nickname haha to see if you catch my point) I dedicate and wrote a line in Naruto's words after reading your review. If you know that I'm talking to YOU you will notice it immediately (I guess). I only hope that you're still interested and reading this.

Thanks to you all.

Chapter 7

Knowing

Everyone or almost everyone in Konoha knew about the incident between Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha. The only thing that surpassed it and made everyone to talk about other thing was his sudden and mysterious return to his homeland. Tsunade would have wanted to maintain all the matter in silence until some time had passed but now it was inevitable. The people who witnessed the whole scene between the two at the hospital's gardens discussed and murmured about it with the ones who didn't have a clue about the Uchiha boy's latest return.

When Sakura had turned pregnant and everyone eventually knew the gossip was there. Tsunade and Kakashi couldn't help but supported her even worrying about the father of the baby. They knew what it meant to someone young and in her situation, because of the non existent relationship between the two of them, and the big change that a baby would brought to her life. Gai and the other Sensei or even some Anbu talked about it and find quite strange and unusual of Sasuke to have down his defenses so low. Almost all of them thought that it could have been easier for him to have sex with some other and unknown girl. They didn't quite believe that he could have felt something strong for Sakura either.

Even if it sounded hard it was probably the truth. Sasuke never displayed any kind of special affection towards the pink haired girl who liked him since they were both little. If he could have picked any girl, why did he pick Sakura? Why to bother all the way to Konoha just to have sex with his former teammate? If he didn't like her particularly or much less didn't love her... then why he had chosen her above anyone else? It was because she always declared her feelings towards him and he took advantage of that? It was plainly obvious that he only wanted sex and nothing more. He even didn't care if the girl could get pregnant.

Well, being a male of sixteen it was natural to want to experience sex. But being Sasuke Uchiha that was not so natural. He never seemed attracted to think in other things besides his training and growing power and revenge against his brother.

To Kakashi the things seemed different. He didn't think that Sasuke just wanted a moment of sex. He didn't think he just had picked Sakura because she was a sure thing. Sasuke was the kind of man who wouldn't have a moment of intimacy, even if it was sex, without being completely sure about the meaning of the sharing. And if he just picked Sakura for having she as guarantee, why did he return again to her later? He knew as Tsunade and others and like others only guessed that they had shared another moment of intimacy that night when he called her to meet him in the forest near Konoha.

Some said that he chose her and returned to Konoha to become true his other purpose. One was fulfilled and Itachi was dead. The other was to bring back the Uchiha Clan and some thought that was the reason of being sexually involved with Sakura Haruno. But Kakashi as others like Tsunade think differently about this. If that was true then, why he didn't do it correctly? Marrying her and starting a stable marriage and family? Staying in Konoha building up his dream? He was too young and it was sudden to start a dream like that. He had acted the other way about it. Sakura had said some cruel and serious things when she had tried to make him go away from her and Miyu. And in those words, like she had said before, Sasuke didn't have any intention in proclaiming himself the father of the baby. He had said he didn't care a bit about it. If Sakura could get pregnant or not in their encounters he didn't care and didn't think in having children not even with her. That was what it seemed.

But now he was again here. And he had tried to get closer to Sakura and their daughter. Could the rumor be true then? He slept with Sakura thinking and using her just as a tool to have a child and eventually bring back his clan? Somehow Kakashi couldn't bring himself to believe in this and he didn't understand why.

Why Sasuke came again all the way long to only be with her? There was something in the middle of all that was bothering Kakashi. He didn't think sadly that Sasuke could possibly be in love with Sakura. Sasuke had left the part of his heart that could hold that feelings very far away in his dark path and it seemed he hadn't recovered it yet. In fact it was difficult to know how he felt about the persons around him. But he, who was his teacher for some time, knew that the Uchiha boy had once a heart and had once his feelings hiding and controlled behind his mask of coldness and indifference. Could he still think that of Sasuke?

"How is he?"

Iruka, Gai and Kurenai were there with serious and thoughtful faces.

"He's still unconscious and a little shaken up and bruised but he'll recover soon from it. The fall was hard and he hit his head badly enough to put him unconscious."

"Sakura really put all her force on it."

They all nodded at Gai's words. Kurenai spoke then concerned.

"How is she by the way?"

"Ino took her to her house. She was very shocked as you can imagine. She looked very affected. She was crying and crying almost traumatized."

"Gai and you were here when that happened but Kurenai and I weren't. Still the retelling is so specific that I can almost think I was here when it happened. I dated all the boys and girls early to explain to them about the situation, about his returning. They reacted like me at first. Very amazed and confused. Naruto was specially angry. He was the one who did everything in his power to bring him back before. Shikamaru told me that Naruto had left the reunion saying that he would come to the hospital to talk to him. He disappeared and the rest of them were very worried about him."

"So Naruto came to the hospital before Sakura?"

"That's right Kurenai."

Kakashi answered thoughtful.

Naruto was there first. He remembered the scene he had witnessed early in the morning before the incident with Sakura.

Kakashi had left Sasuke alone just for a moment. He had spent all night at his side, acting as his guardian and his mentor at the same time. Even after all that had happened, he was once his student. And he had to keep an eye on him being now a traitor and enemy still.

When he had returned to the room he had found the door barely open. Then he heard the voice of Naruto Uzumaki inside. He got closer to the door and peeped inside not doing any sound to disturb the one sided conversation the blond boy had with the dark haired boy who was lying still and quiet in the bed with his eyes open and fixed at the ceiling.

"Why Sasuke? Why do you have to return till now? Sakura needed you all the time, your baby girl needed you when she came to the world. The both needed you here and you left them alone... You left them alone without caring!"

"Naruto-Kun..."

So Hinata was there with him too. Kakashi just sighed worried letting Naruto to let out his feelings.

"You hurt Sakura deeply. She suffered a lot every time you left. I can barely help myself to not punch you for whatever you said to her the last time that broke her so bad. She loves you so much and you only hurt her. If you didn't love her at least you could let her go. But no, you came and went twice making her believing in something you didn't feel. It's ok if you didn't love her. You cannot make someone to love you. But you should have been more responsible for all. She was and knows how wrong she acted and the fault she shares with you. But I wished you to be here when she was pregnant and I wished you to see your daughter growing up inside of her and kicking her belly. Hinata and I felt your little girl's force in that fragile kick and you weren't here. You chose to go all emoish and left them!"

Naruto paused and sighed deeply. Kakashi could see the glistening in his blue eyes. Hinata must had been in a corner of the room in front of the bed because he couldn't get a glance at her.

" It took you long to return. It took you to make things that I would not wanted you to do. I thought that you would stay after everything ended, I thought you would stop after Itachi's death and everything else that happened. I thought that everything was going to be fine and you would be here with us. But you left again without a reason and without explaining... only left without saying goodbye. I looked for you again! I was so angry at your silence and going!"

He raised his fists in sign of his anger boiling up.

"I 'm so angry for so many things!"

Naruto started to cry sadly and frustrated. His body trembled and he didn't say anything more for some minutes. Later still with tears running through his cheeks he spoke again more composed.

"I'm angry at myself for not being strong enough or useful enough to have brought you back before. And I know it's not my fault but I still feel like it is. Why do you have to return like this? Being like this? It's not fair you know!"

The blond boy laughed jokingly still sobbing sadly.

"It's not fair. Not fair to me because I cannot bring myself to punch you or dare you to a fight or a discussion where I would end screaming my heart out. It's not fair and it saddens me to see you like this... it breaks my heart. Maybe you never thought it completely real but I considered you my friend, the brother I never had. And even after all... I am happy that you have returned and that you're alive. But that doesn't erase the confusion I feel still after you left when everything looked to be better for all of us!"

Hinata got closer to him and embraced him by the shoulders shyly. Kakashi just observed the pair with a sad and understanding look. Naruto calmed minutes later and drying his tears and smiling gratefully at his concerning companion got closer to the bed and contemplated his distant and former teammate with sad and caring eyes.

"Please get better. We have a lot to do still. You have a lot to do still and explain. I'll be waiting for you. I'm always waiting for you. You're my friend."

And Kakashi had to run for his life when he saw the couple walking to the door.

"So that happened..."

Kakashi nodded at Iruka. The four of them stayed quiet for a while.

"I don't know and nobody knows how Sasuke got up of the bed and walked till he met Sakura in that hall. We don't know why he got up. Maybe Naruto's words reached him."

Kakashi added thoughtfully and tired.

"Hinata told me that Naruto asked the others to enter alone to see him and talk to him. He couldn't say no to Hinata of course and she accompanied him."

"So they were leaving with the others when the incident happened, right?"

Gai asked Iruka after the explanation of the last one. He just nodded.

"Then it's true the information about his condition?"

"Unfortunately it is Kurenai."

"And… What is going to happen to him? What decision Tsunade will take regarding his situation?"

Kakashi sighed thoughtful.

"Well I don't know yet. Tsunade is still working on it. But the Council is going nuts with this. They don't trust in Sasuke anymore. I don't think they will anyway some day at least completely. He will be under surveillance and some Anbu will watch over him. It's true he hasn't done anything more against Konoha or anyone or anything in particular since all that but he's still dangerous and powerful or they think so. The worst thing is that Sasuke left after all that mess about the Uchiha Clan and Konoha and Akatsuki without solving anything. It's true that he stopped at the end and even helped out but he didn't have an agreement with the leadership of Konoha and they labeled him still as an enemy and a traitor."

Gai was very serious when he talked more to himself than to his other companions after Kakashi had ended his explanation.

"He did a pretty bad act against Konoha and some of us. He was a declared enemy and traitor and then an ally for a time of Orochimaru or Akatsuki or Madara. His deeds are big and like you said Kakashi, he just left again after everything ended leaving us without a clue about his intentions or plans. The Council and Tsunade were right in mistrust him then."

"Do we still consider him an enemy and traitor?"

"I don't think so Kurenai. If he was still I think he should had been doing something more instead of wandering around Konoha to left a pregnant girl behind. He was out of our sight for some time and we don't know where he was or what he was doing. But I really believe that even with all the doubts and ignorance from our part he isn't anymore an enemy and a traitor."

The three just listened at Iruka in silence. The only woman started to talk again thinking.

"I hope you're right. And I hope that his return doesn't bring more problems and danger especially to Sakura and Miyu. That little girl needs peace and a happy family."

Kakashi walked alone by the halls of the hospital still thinking hard about this matter named Sasuke Uchiha. He could comprehend Naruto's anger and frustration. After everything happened, those terrible and hurtful events, the blond boy had thought like everyone else that Sasuke had finally came to his senses and he would stay in Konoha again. The old and powerful and dangerous enemies were gone, their country was safe and everyone's life was calm and hopeful again. Even the life of Naruto. But the last Uchiha had acted differently than they had expected and hoped and he had left again without saying goodbye. Maybe he had thought that he would be put under arrest or judged by the government of the village, Kakashi believed, and that's was his reason for fleeing before any of this happened. But he thought that if Sasuke really had come to his senses like everyone thought he would do, he would have stayed to receive any punishment or judging being still the person he was or Kakashi thought he was.

So for that and other things Kakashi thought that the runaway of his former student was more complicated than everyone believed. Why Sasuke was running away again if everything had ended and he could restart a new life after the consequences of his choices and path could be mended if he made a deal and compromise?

Then the rumors about him reached the ears of Konoha. And the rumors were strangely enough mysterious to put him again in a cold path full of darkness. Sasuke had achieved his sole purpose already and had learned a lot and became a powerful ninja. Why he was still lurking in darkness and solace? Kakashi thought that it was probably that the boy was still immersed in the last waves of the life he had chosen and needed time to settle the feelings and thoughts and confusion inside his soul. But somehow he couldn't help to worry about his former student. He was like a complete stranger the last time he had been in Konoha.

Then when Sakura came and told him that she was pregnant he immediately knew who the father was. Who else had the heart of the girl since she was little? Only him. And Kakashi had the hope that this strange and unexpected act from Sasuke could meant something deeper and good to him but he again acted exactly the same and left. He did it twice. And in the last one he had mirrored the person he had become after leaving Konoha and had hurt Sakura and given zero caring or attention to his unborn baby. The shadow of the Sasuke Uchiha they had hoped to be disappeared was still there. And now they didn't have a clue of what was happening or what had happened inside and outside the cold and stoic boy.

But the worst part, even after all that running through his head, was the information Tsunade had gotten from her tests when they had brought the boy to the hospital from the Haruno's house last night. They had brought him because they saw he needed it anyway and it was a good place to analyze the situation. When he remembered the talk they had with the Hokage he felt more concerned about Sasuke Uchiha.

The next morning only a few knew about his return. Iruka was still very shocked with the sudden event and was instructed by Tsunade to pass the notice to the young ninjas that were before friends of him, especially Naruto. But Kakashi and Gai stayed the rest of the night outside the special room where they had left him to someone to attend his injuries caused by the father of Sakura. He wasn't very hurt by him but there was something strange in all. The fifth Hokage soon was there and attended personally the recuperation of the missing ninja of Konoha and instructed a lot of physical, mental and emotional tests. She felt the same sensation that the two men shared. Now she was reunited with them and the three were watching the boy intensely, like if they could figure out something only observing him in silence.

"What's wrong with him?"

Gai asked suddenly. The dark haired boy was just lying in bed with his gaze fixed at the ceiling without moving or saying anything.

"I don't exactly know. But this reminds me of some sort of Jutsu powerful enough to break his emotional self. But it's kind of different and strange and more effective by the way."

Gai continued asking while Kakashi just stared seriously at the boy.

"He was affected before by things like that. Even by his brother. He can do it to others. Why is different now?"

"Because this time it has affected his body in a physical way too. The preliminary tests showed some inexplicable sort of physical damage in his brain. It's not merely emotional or mental and that's the rare thing. To have ended like this it means something powerful enough attacked him. And we always knew that he was one of the best students and ninjas in Konoha. That's why I'm worried."

Tsunade sighed tiredly still watching the still figure of the boy. Kakashi finally spoke looking somehow sad.

"What are the consequences of this?"

The Hokage looked at him by the corner of her eye in silence before answering. Kakashi knew that the answer was going to be difficult to receive and give.

"We don't exactly know. We need to watch him and do more tests on him. But you can see them already, right? His stillness, his silence. The distant and lost look in his eyes. His expressionless face even more now than before. And there's one thing I'm still working out and it's very serious and concerning."

"What is it?"

Tsunade looked at Gai furrowing her brow.

"He can't show physical pain."

"WHAT?"

Gai almost shouted at her confession and Kakashi only seemed beyond surprised.

"He could be suffering a lot of pain in any part of his body and he can't express it. He could be screaming in pain at the top of his lungs and we wouldn't see any sign of it in him. Only if he collapses or faints by the pain we could have a clue of his inner and silent suffering. I don't know still how much this condition has affected his natural way of showing any kind of expression or emotion. I don't know still if he can cry anymore."

"That's… too sad."

Kakashi just nodded at Gai. He let his only uncovered eye to study the boy lying in bed. He couldn't help to feel an intense and overwhelming sadness washing over him. After all he was once his student and he had grown to care deeply about him like he had with Sakura and Naruto. Gai seemed shocked and concerned looking at the Uchiha boy almost not believing what he was hearing. Tsunade paused some seconds and started to talk again.

"He was dehydrated and starved. He showed a severe state of insomnia and extreme exhaustion and I presumed he walked a lot because his legs and especially his right foot show signs of it. In his condition he could have been barely strong enough to be standing in the rain without moving. But even if he was in a lot of pain and suffering he didn't care. I'm pretty sure he can feel pain but he's not able to express it. He has a slight fever and early signs of a cold caused by the rain. But we're taking care of him. Anyway I want to keep him under surveillance and guarded by some Anbu. But in my personal opinion he's not strong or available enough to try something big right now. He needs to rest and sleep. My principal concern now is how big the damage is in his brain and what could have affected. What functions? What chemical processes? We'll do more tests on him when he's better. Right now I only want to make him rest and sleep and eat something. Later I could try to talk to him but I have a bad feeling about that."

"You think he won't answer."

Tsunade nodded at Kakashi and before going back to her businesses as the Fifth Hokage she asked them another important matter related to their discussion.

"What about Sakura and Miyu? Did you find them?"

"Yes. Kakashi found them. They're at Ino's house. We didn't know if we should tell Sakura about him. But sooner or later she will find out."

Tsunade nodded thoughtfully. Kakashi stared at the Hokage worried.

"It seems she left her home after some kind of discussion with her parents. I don't think she wants to see them in some time. I know her. So I think you are the best option to tell her about it. She needs to know that he has returned."

"Alright. I will settle some things I have and then I will go and see and talk to her about it."

Before the three of them parted separate ways, Tsunade at her office and responsibilities, Gai at some personal business and Kakashi at the room in front of him, Gai asked something curious and seriously.

"Why did he return to Konoha anyway? He wants to see Sakura and Miyu?"

But no one of them could give a straight answer to that.

And they couldn't give it now either.

Well Sakura had known before talking to Tsunade and that was unexpected.

He had spent all night at his side watching him as a guardian specifically but deeper he was there too as an old mentor and friend. He understood Naruto's ambivalent feelings towards him. The blond boy felt angry and frustrated but happy and relieved too. How you must feel about a former teammate and friend and at the same time a supposed enemy and traitor? He couldn't say he understood Sakura's pain because it was a different situation. But he could try anyway. And maybe he could be lucky about it.

It took long hours and stronger medicines to put Sasuke to sleep. Kakashi noticed that it wasn't that he suffered of insomnia. It was Sasuke himself who didn't want to sleep. Being there with him, watching him in that awful and empty silence made him pretty sad. He feared that he was right in telling Tsunade that Sasuke probably would not answer at her questions.

He wondered if Sasuke was fully conscious of his situation and reality. Did he know where he was? Did he go looking for Sakura and his baby? Did he know that Kakashi was there watching over him?

The only straight and positive answer to that last question was a brief moment before sunrise when Sasuke had opened his eyes and looked at the ceiling again barely blinking. Then he slowly had turned his blurry gaze at Kakashi who was sitting besides his bed reading his novel and stayed still and quiet looking at his former master with his almost same deep intensity in his black eyes. Kakashi had left his reading and just confront his glaring calmly. He had hoped to Sasuke to react as he knew him and start talking in his cold and serious tone.

But he knew he was expecting too much.

The boy just looked at him for some seconds and then he had closed his eyes again and went on sleeping mostly by the effects of the medicines. That had happened the night before. And now Kakashi was again sitting at a side of his bed watching him sleeping with his head bandaged and new clothes.

And he knew again that he was expecting too much from him in that state.