Disclaimers: Naruto is not mine, sadly. This is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.

Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, sexual assault, torture, sexual content (yaoi), & angst. .

It's All In Your Head

Chapter 19: Struggle

--

Sasuke watched as the stone wall slowly pulled apart. He couldn't help but wince at the loud scrapping sound it made as it opened. There's no way they didn't hear that..

"So much for a surprise attack" Kakashi murmured.

"Doesn't matter" Sasuke said, moving over to the entrance. "Naruto's in there."

He didn't need to say more. Kakashi was on the same page. Once again, Sasuke was relieved that he had found a villager who actually gives a fuck about the blonde. Not many do.

He was lucky to have Kakashi by his side.

The jonin gave him a look. "Alright. Let's move."

--

When Itachi and Kisame left, they locked the cell door behind them, leaving the blonde bound in chains in the barren, dimly-lit cell. Naruto looked around, trying to see if he could use anything as a weapon, or maybe a means of breaking open the shackles on his wrists, but there was absolutely nothing.

Naruto looked down at the chains. They didn't look new. Maybe they're weaker than they realized.

He awkwardly got to his feet and wrapped the long chain around his wrist. He pulled it taut, took a step back, and yanked as hard as he could.

"Nnnnnnn!! Come on!" He dug his bare feet into the ground and clenched his jaw tight.

"Dammit, come on!"

Naruto threw his weight into it, straining the chains as far as they would go, and his feet slid out from under him. He gasped, eyes wide as he fell back. His head hit the ground first- slamming into the concrete with a sickening crack. Naruto laid there stunned, waiting for the dark splotches in his vision to clear and the waves of nausea to pass. He swallowed back the tears and bile rising in the back of his throat, forcing himself to take deep breaths.

Fuck, I hope I didn't break anything.

He released his hold on the chain and slowly lifted his arms, over his shoulder to feel the back of his head. His fingers came away damp.

Blood.

"Ok" he muttered to himself. "Ok, just take it slow."

He carefully sat up, not sure how much damage he had caused. He likely had a concussion, and he could definitely feel blood matted in his hair, but it didn't seem too bad. Or so he hoped.

He took an unsteady breath.

"It's ok" he told himself, forcing down the panic, "you're ok.

You're ok."

--

Naruto tried a few other variations of the same thing, but nothing worked. The chain, the shackles, the bolt- they were all solid. He growled in frustration and rose to his feet once more to pace his cell- as far as the chains would let him, that is. He stumbled as darkness clouded his vision again, but it passed and he was able to continue his frantic pacing.

Now what the fuck do I do, he thought helplessly.

Naruto?!

The blonde froze. Sasuke..?

He could hear footsteps- the sound of people descending the stairs and moving into the chamber he was being held in. Naruto ran over to the bars of his cell, gripping them tightly as he leaned in close, trying to peer around the corner.

Sasuke? Is that you? I'm in the last cell.

The Uchiha raced over to him and reached through the bars to hold his face in warm gentle hands. "Naruto.." he breathed, his voice heavy with words unsaid. "Are you ok?"

Naruto could feel a lump forming in the back of his throat under the weight of Sasuke's gaze. "I- I'm ok."

Sasuke's eyes scanned over his body, clearly not believing him. They narrowed on the bruise darkening on the side of his split lip, then slipped down to his hands, still gripping the bars between them. He grabbed one and turned it up, revealing a thick crimson smear across his palm.

"Naruto, what is this from?"

"It's nothing" he replied, "just my head- I fell."

Sasuke reached through the bars and gently ran his fingers through the blonde's hair, looking for his injury. Naruto winced when his fingers found the wide gash in the back of his head. Sasuke's hand came away damp with fresh blood.

The Uchiha's eyes flashed with anger. "I'm getting you out of here. Now."

"Allow me." Kakashi pulled a kunai free and jammed it into the lock. He gave it a sharp twist, easily breaking it. Naruto raised an eyebrow. Kakashi grinned. "What can I say? Teachers are often full of surprises."

"I feel like you might not be the best role model" Naruto said, a small smile tugging at his face.

Sasuke pulled the door open, and Kakashi stepped inside to do the same trick to Naruto's shackles. In seconds they were clattering to the floor. Naruto looked over at the jonin with the utmost gratitude. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

"Save your thanks for when we're out of this place."

Sasuke grabbed the blonde and pulled him from the cell and into his arms. "We need to move fast. I can carry you if-"

Naruto shook his head but had to stop when another rush of nausea slammed into him. "No.. no I'm fine. Let's just go."

Kakashi led the way and the two followed close behind him. Sasuke kept a firm grip on the blonde as they raced up the stairs and through the corridors.

He wouldn't lose him again.

They managed to find the hallway that led back to the hidden entrance and were halfway to their destination, when Itachi and Kisame stepped in front of them, barring their way out.

The shark's eyes gleamed as they fell on the silver-haired jonin. "Oh good. I was hoping we'd be able to have another go."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "I didn't take you for a sore loser, Kisame."

All humor fled from the man's face. His expression darkened. "You're still no match for my Samehada, Copycat Ninja. You got a few lucky hits before-" he yanked his massive sword over his shoulder and dropped it down in front of him.

"It won't happen again."

Kakashi glanced over his shoulder at his students. "You two- I'll distract them. Find a way through and run. Don't stop until you're back in Konoha."

Sasuke glared back. "I'm not letting Itachi slip through my fingers."

"Sasuke!" Kakashi snapped, sharingan spinning, "getting Naruto out of here is our number one priority. Your fight with Itachi can wait."

Shame spilled into the raven's crimson gaze. He glanced over at his blonde, noticing how his eyes were starting to cloud over, his body sway.

"I'm.. f-fine.." Naruto said slowly, his voice slowly fading.

Sasuke fought the urge to look over at the man he despised most, and instead looked back up at Kakashi. "Ok. Black ops should be here soon. Just.. stay alive."

"I'll do my best."

Kakashi turned back in time to block Kisame's sudden attack. He pushed him back and moved his hands fast. "Sasuke- go!"

"Oh, I don't think so." Itachi took a step forward. "Your timing is too perfect, little brother." His eyes flashed. "Let's see if Nine Tails responds now."

Naruto's head jerked up. "No!"

Itachi shifted out of view and Naruto leapt in front of Sasuke, shoving him behind him. Before either of them could stop him, Itachi reappeared directly in front of them. He stabbed his kunai forward, expecting to hit his brother, but instead it lodged deep in Naruto's stomach.

"Nnnnn!" The blonde gasped in pain and dropped to his knees.

"No! Naruto!!" Sasuke reached down for him, then froze and seemed to change his mind. He straightened and glared over at his brother.

"This ends now."

He lunged forward and slammed his fist into Itachi's face. The Uchiha stumbled back, but he seemed unharmed. His eyes were cold, his face expressionless, like nothing Sasuke did had any effect on him.

Sasuke stepped around the bleeding blonde and moved towards his brother once more. He stepped past the adjacent hallway where Kakashi was battling with Kisame and continued to move forward.

His hands moved fast, and he threw them down to the ground. "Chidori!" Harsh purple lightning filled his palm and danced in the deep pools of his eyes, the sharp sound filling the space between them. He clenched his jaw tight and rushed forward.

"I will fucking KILL YOU!!"

He threw his arm forward, but Itachi easily dodged his attack. He grabbed his wrist and wrenched it straight up, forcing Sasuke to hang from it. He punched his side hard and flung him down the hall. Sasuke crashed to the floor in a heap of bruised limbs, gasping, fighting to fill his battered lungs with air. He pushed himself to his hands and knees and Itachi slammed his foot down on his back knocking him down.

"Nnnnn.." Sasuke groaned. Itachi leaned down and grabbed a fistful of raven strands, yanking his brother's head up.

Ignoring his pained gasps, Itachi dragged him down the hall. Sasuke grabbed his wrists tight, trying to loosen his grip, but his fist only tightened. Itachi pulled him over to face Naruto and forced him to his knees. He leaned down, bringing his mouth close to his ear. "Aren't you forgetting something, little brother?" he said smoothly. "I thought you wanted to rescue your little pet."

Sasuke flinched.

"My- how quickly you forgot all about him when you saw me."

Itachi turned his attention to the blonde. He was struggling to slide towards them, but his movements were slow, his breathing labored. Blood oozed from between his fingers as he held them tight to his stomach, trying to stave off the bleeding. The kunai was still buried deep inside of him, likely doing the same. He tried to speak, but his words drowned in the pool of blood filling his mouth.

Sasuke stared over at him, horrified.

"But that doesn't surprise you, does it Naruto? After all, he's seen the monster you really are. Can you really blame him for leaving you behind?"

Sasuke saw something in those cloudy blue eyes break, and he could feel those jagged shards pierce straight through his heart. "No! That's ahhh- that's not true. Nnnn.. Naruto, d-don't listen to him."

It's ok.. Sa-Sasuke. I.. I understand.

No! Naruto! Itachi is just trying to get in your head. It's not true. I swear to you.

"Ahhh!" Sasuke cried out as Itachi jerked his head back, ripping him from his thoughts.

"Enough. You can think all about this from a cell." He jerked Sasuke forward and grabbed Naruto's arm, yanking him to his feet.

Itachi pulled Naruto closer, but he didn't get very far. Those heavy blue eyes rolled back, and Naruto collapsed to the ground.

"Naruto!!" Sasuke fought to break free, when a sharp sound behind them made both Uchihas freeze.

Itachi glanced back, then sighed. "Black ops, huh." He returned his attention to his little brother and the unconscious jinchurki at his feet. "I suppose I'll just have to come back for my prize later."

He suddenly spun Sasuke around, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him against the wall. Sasuke tried to do a jutsu, but Itachi grabbed his wrist and forced it above his head. "Just remember this, little brother. You weren't strong enough to stop me before, and you're not strong enough to stop me now."

He leaned close, dropping his voice to a harsh whisper. "You let our parents die, and you almost did the same to Naruto. If you don't get stronger, you will lose everything."

Then he threw him to the ground and, just as he had all those years ago, disappeared.