Disclaimers: Naruto is someone else's, this is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.
Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, angst, and (of course) beautiful yaoi love.
A Death to Escape
Chapter 16: Fearing- For His Safety
"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love."
-John Lennon
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Gaara dragged Sasuke after him, out of the academic building and into the fading sun. He decided that getting the Uchiha's car from the dormitory would take too long, so instead he pulled him through the quad and towards the hospital.
He glanced over his shoulder at the raven, noting his even paler complexion and pained expression. At this rate he's going to need to stay at the hospital himself..
Sasuke met his gaze and clenched his jaw tight. "I don't need your pity, Gaara."
"Heh. Like you'd even get it. I told you, Uchiha. Naruto is the only one I care about. You can drop dead for all I care."
Sasuke looked away and said nothing. What's the point. I know how he feels about Naruto.. I'm nothing but a hindrance to him.
Sasuke pushed down the thought.
It doesn't matter. Naruto needs my help, and unfortunately I'll need Gaara's help to find him.
The raven stumbled after him as Gaara kept a firm grip wrapped around his wrist, pulling him forward. After what felt like a lifetime, the two made it to the hospital entrance. They rushed up the steps and stormed through the doors, panic and anger coloring their faces and curling their lips.
The front attendant stared up at them with growing horror as the two approached. Gaara slammed his hand down on the counter and leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Where is Naruto?" he growled. "Naruto-" he gritted his teeth, "..Uchiha."
"I... I can't release a-any patient information", the woman stuttered, leaning back from the fuming redhead.
Sasuke pushed his way forward, dark eyes burning. "Speak. Now. Or I will make sure you can't."
The woman swallowed and quickly moved over to her computer. Her fingers shook as she clicked through multiple files until she found the right one. "Na-Naruto Uchiha has already been released.."
"When?!" Sasuke shouted. "To who?!"
The woman flinched. "Three men brought him in" she said hurriedly. "He was released back into their care. Our hospital provided transportation to move the patient safely."
Sasuke gripped the counter hard, forcing his anger under control. "Where did they take him?" he ground out.
She looked between the two enraged faces and swallowed before glancing back at the screen. "He has been assigned to inpatient treatment at a facility in Konoha. It is some ways away," she continued, "but they offer a short-term program that we believe will-"
"GODDAMNIT!!" Sasuke screamed. "Who the fuck authorized this?!"
"I did."
The three turned and watched as the doctor approached. The woman sighed with relief as Sasuke and Gaara rushed to meet him head on.
"What gives you the right to send him away?" Gaara hissed.
"Do you have ANY idea what you've done?!" Sasuke snapped, his voice razor sharp.
The doctor eyed the two for a moment, before calmly pushing up his spectacles. He turned and moved towards a door to the side of the hall. "Please follow me" he said over his shoulder. "We can discuss this in private."
"I don't have time for this!" Sasuke shouted, slamming the side of his fist against the wall.
The doctor turned and looked over at him in surprise. "Mr. Uchiha- I ask you not to make a scene in my lobby. I will not discuss a patient here. If you wish to know more you will need to step into my office first."
The Uchiha growled, but chose to follow the man, Gaara following his lead.
I need to get to Naruto fast, Sasuke thought, but I need to know what happened to him first. And this might be the best way to get him out of the institution.
The man gestured to the seats across from his desk. After a moment of hesitation, Sasuke and Gaara reluctantly took a seat. They watched as the doctor dug through his cabinets before dragging a chair over with a handful of supplies. He sat across from Sasuke and tended to his wounds as he spoke.
"Mr. Uchiha, your cousin attempted to commit suicide today."
Sasuke opened his mouth to interrupt, but the doctor quickly continued before he could utter a word. "This is the third time he has been admitted to this hospital for this."
Sasuke winced as the man dabbed some solution on the gash on top of his head as he spoke.
"I could not, in good conscience, send him on his way in his condition. The only other choice I had was to have him admitted, where he will no longer be able harm to himself."
The doctor met his eyes. "This is the best option for Naruto."
"What "condition" was he in?" Sasuke growled.
"Mr. Uchiha had attempted to hang himself."
Sasuke's throat clicked, and all he could do was stare in horror.
"What?" Gaara breathed, green eyes widening in absolute shock. "What are you talking about..?"
Finished treating the raven's wounds, the man deposited the rest of the medical supplies on his desk and leaned back in his chair, meeting the redhead's gaze. "There were deep ligature marks on Naruto's neck, and he was unconscious." He turned to face the raven. "Luckily your cousins were able to save him in time."
He narrowed his eyes. "This was a close call, Mr. Uchiha. I was able to stabilize him, but-"
"My cousins?" Sasuke cut in. "What are you talking about? What cousins?"
It was the doctor's turn to look surprised. "The other men in your family. The triplets- or at least that's what I presumed. All three looked so much alike.."
Sasuke shot up, all color draining from his face as terror seized in his chest. "Those are not my cousins!!" he shouted. "You sent Naruto off to die, you fucking moron!!"
The doctor rose to his feet and put his hands up in surrender. "Now, now, let's just calm down and-"
"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!! They are the ones who attacked Naruto in the first place!! They tricked you into sending him to that place and you fucking fell for it!!"
Sasuke took a threatening step towards him, eyes wild with rage. "How could you do this to him?! How could you just buy into their lies?!"
The doctor nervously stepped back, but Sasuke grabbed a fistful of his lab coat and yanked him forward. "He's going to KILL him! You have to stop this- NOW!"
Gaara reached out and grabbed the Uchiha's wrist, forcing him to ease his grip. "Sasuke, this isn't helping."
Sasuke glanced over at the redhead, then back at the wide-eyed doctor in his grasp. Finally seeing reason, he let go and took a step back.
"I'm sorry" he said, "but I don't have time. Naruto's life is in danger."
The doctor looked at him skeptically as he smoothed his collar, struggling to regain his composure. "If you want my assistance, you will have to explain further. But I warn you- I do not respond well to threats. That kind of behavior will not be tolerated in this office again."
Sasuke sighed heavily. "You're not listening to me. Naruto is in danger!"
"It was very clear that his life was in danger" the doctor replied, "which was why I had him sent to that institute in the first place."
Sasuke roughly ran his hands through his hair as he struggled to keep his anger in check. "My brother Itachi is in that asylum" he snapped. "He was sent there after he killed our parents!"
Gaara's head whipped to the side, eyes wide as he stared at the raven. I knew his brother did something to his family, but this..
"Itachi already threatened Naruto. He's his next target, and you just sent him straight to him!! Do you understand now?! If we don't stop this, he will kill Naruto!"
Sasuke met the doctor's eyes. "If you don't fucking believe me, look it up."
The man considered him for a moment, then pulled his chair back around his desk and logged into his computer. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, broken only by the heavy tapping on the keyboard and infuriating clicking of the mouse, the doctor looked up.
"I see.."
Sasuke grabbed the desk in front of him. "Call them. Call the asylum. You have to stop this!"
The doctor looked up, his jaw tightening at the look of utter grief and desperation in the Uchiha's eyes. Guilt began seeping in as he processed everything the anxious teen was throwing at him.
Did I really just send that boy to face this.. he glanced back at the screen, at the picture of the cold raven-haired child smiling back at him.. this monster? Was I so quick to write his concerns off as merely delusions that I actually sentenced him to a gruesome death?
Have I made a horrible mistake..?
"Please!!" Sasuke begged, interrupting his thoughts. "Before it's too late!"
He studied their anxious faces for a brief moment, then slowly nodded. "I will contact the institute" he finally agreed. "But, I must warn you. If he has already been admitted it may take some time to get him released. He may have to undergo their evaluations as well."
Sasuke's deep obsidian eyes glared daggers, piercing straight through the incompetent doctor. "If anything happens to Naruto, it is your fault. Next time, I won't let you off so easy."
With that the Uchiha stormed out of the man's office, past the nervous attendant, and through the main doors, an equally furious redhead marching beside him.
Sasuke stumbled as they walked, his body still weakened by the attack he faced earlier, and Gaara's hand quickly shot out to steady him.
Hazy green eyes hardened, and the redhead's grip tightened, as he pulled the Uchiha towards their dormitory.
"Come on, Uchiha" he ground out. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he pressed onward, his mind churning with deadly thoughts, eyes burning with barely contained rage.
"Let's go get our Naruto back."
Author Note:
Sorry for the long wait everyone! I know, I know- I'm the worst. Especially after that cliffhanger! Tsk, tsk, what a monster I've become. ;) And after all that time I still leave you wondering about our poor tortured Naru.
But, you will be (hopefully) happy to hear that I am back and I won't make you wait that long for an update again. As it turns out, my cruelty does have a limit!
Mr. Snoopy- Thank you so much for the comment! It seriously made my day to see that you're enjoying my stories! You are so sweet to say that, and I hope that this one doesn't disappoint!
Bearlikespie- I love how much that chapter freaked you out!! Those are my favorite ones to write! Ahhhh- the SUSPENSE!!
And I totally feel your pain! I reread my stories all the time because I absolutely hate when I make grammar errors too- though it definitely still happens.
Alright~ time to check-in on how our favorite little blonde is doing. ;)
