Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Road to Recovery ❯ Chapter 13

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

“Can’t give up Sasuke…” Naruto whimpered in his sleep.

As the blonde explained what had happened the night before, Sasuke clenched his fists tighter and tighter.

“I-I don’t know what to do,” Naruto stuttered, staring at his own feet with a dejected expression on his face. “I’ve seen what the Akatsuki are capable of, and the village can’t handle any more destruction.”“So you’re obviously thinking right now that I am more dispensable than the village,” Sasuke said in a low voice. “Out of all the people I’ve known, you’re the one I’d least expect to do this.”

“Sasuke-”“The Naruto I knew would’ve stood up to the Akatsuki and fight them. I am such an idiot for believing I could be able to live in Konoha again.”

“Wait-”“Piss off and leave me alone!” The raven hissed, getting up from the couch and slamming the front door behind him.

A hot surge of anger flared within Naruto as he watched Sasuke leave. Without knowing exactly what he was doing, Naruto followed the furious Uchiha.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Naruto yelled down the stairs.

Sasuke ignored him and continued to make his way down the numerous staircases.

Not even bothering to lock the door behind him, Naruto stomped down the stairs while muttering a string of curses.

“Look, Sasuke-”

Naruto was interrupted as Sasuke’s fist connected to his jaw. Stunned, he landed on his side and stared at Sasuke with a blank look in his eyes.

With a low hiss, blue lightning bolts began to run along from Sasuke’s palm to his shoulder.

“Sasuke!”Ignoring Naruto, the raven smashed through the wall and disappeared from sight.

“I’ll never let them take you away…” Naruto mumbled with a frown.

“Naruto?”The blonde snapped his eyes wide open and nearly gave a scream of horror. Madara’s orange mask appeared a few inches from his face.

“What’s wrong?”The two menacing Sharingan eyes from before were replaced with the masked face of Kakashi. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Sakura, Sai, and Sasuke staring worriedly back at him.

I can’t hide this from them, even as much as I’d like to…

Naruto refused to make eye contact with Sasuke as he explained what Madara had told him. Instead, he kept his eyes down to his hands.

“What should I do?”Naruto’s timidity grew as his roommates continued to stay silent. With a small sigh, he slowly brought his gaze to Sasuke’s. His heart gave a painful lurch, and the blonde buried his face into his hands. The raven’s unexpectedly hurt and angry glare etched itself into the insides of Naruto’s eyelids.

“The most logical option in this situation would be for you to give me up to the Akatsuki. Wouldn’t you agree, Naruto?” Sasuke suggested coldly.

“No!” Sakura shouted. “Can’t we fight them off instead?”

“I don’t think we could manage this alone…” Sai replied quietly.

“Forget it. Madara and the others are too powerful,” Sasuke said. “I’ve caused enough trouble as it is, so I’ll be leaving now. I know where their main base is.”

“Don’t leave, Sasuke!” Naruto pleaded. “There has to be another way.”“There isn’t another way, dobe!”“Now wait a minute-” Kakashi was interrupted as Sasuke shoved by him and stormed out of the room.

“Wait!”Naruto pushed the sheets aside and followed after Sasuke. Before the raven could reach the door, Naruto lunged through and stood in the way with his arms spread apart.

“We haven’t even discussed the other options!”“There are no other options, you moronic dolt. Madara will kill Neji and the others if I don’t go. Now get out of the way.”

“Make me.”To Naruto’s surprise, Sasuke grabbed the blonde’s shirt with both fists and threw him to the ground. By the time he left, Kakashi and Sai had already begun to chase him down.

“Take my hand.” Sakura ordered, crouching down beside Naruto.

Still speechless, Naruto took her hand and slowly stood up.

“Why…?”

“You can’t give up now, Naruto. Come on, and let’s go stop Sasuke from doing anything else stupid.”

“Right.”

Naruto ran past Sakura and made his way down the stairs.

Please don’t leave, please don’t leave, please don’t leave…

A loud explosion shook the ground, forcing him to hold on to the railing. A chorus of screams from both inside and outside pierced through Naruto’s ears.

As soon as the shaking stopped, Naruto continued to stomp down the stairs.

No, no, no, no, no!

Finally reaching the bottom, Naruto slammed against the door and tried to take in the scene before him.

Thousands of rock and concrete fragments covered the immediate ground. To his left, he saw a large group of villagers gathering around something.

“Get out of the way!” Naruto yelled, shouldering past by the horrified villagers.

A wide crater appeared before him, and there laid the unconscious figure of Kakashi, resting in Sai’s arms.

“Somebody get Sakura!” Sai shouted, pressing two fingers against the grey-haired ninja’s neck.

“Sai, I’ll go get her!”Naruto turned around and struggled through the growing crowd.

Why would Sasuke do something like this? He wondered, fading into deep thought.

The blonde gave an “oomph!” as he accidentally ran into someone.

“Sorry-wait, Sakura!”“What happened?”“I don’t know, but you have to hurry! Kakashi is hurt.”As Sakura went to inspect Kakashi, Sai escaped from the crowd and grabbed Naruto by the shoulders.

“Naruto, we must look for Yamato and Shikamaru immediately! After Sasuke was finished here, those two began to run after him.”
“Fine, but we’ve gotta hurry!”As the two ninjas ran swiftly through the village, Naruto questioned Sai about where they were going.

“I think they were heading towards the gate.”

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief once they reached the gates of Konoha. Sasuke stopped struggling against Yamato’s steel grip and gave Naruto a piercing glare.

“What the hell were you doing back there?” Naruto questioned with his arms crossed.

“Christ, Uzumaki! Are you incapable of getting a clue?”“What is that supposed to mean?”“I-never mind. Why don’t you just let me go?”

“Nobody is going to leave this village until I get some answers out of you. Yamato, take him to my apartment building. Shikamaru, you may leave. Thank you for your help.”

“Yes, Naruto-sama.”
“You’re welcome.”

Millions of questions buzzed through Naruto’s mind as they made their way to the village. First and foremost, what had gotten into Sasuke? Why did he injure Kakashi? Why was he so desperate to leave Konoha?

Maybe he changed his mind and wanted to become a part of the Akatsuki again? A voice suggested.

What? Why would he do that?

I hate to agree with him, but he’s probably right. Why else would he attack Kakashi? Another voice added.

No. There has to be a different reason!

Don’t get your hopes up, Naruto, the first voice warned. Sasuke is much more secretive and clever than you would wish for him to be.

Unfortunately for Naruto, he was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he had forgotten about the villagers gathered in front of his apartment.

“Look, there’s Sasuke!”

“Let’s kill the traitorous punk!”

“Yeah!”

“Listen to me and listen to me clearly!”

The angry villagers quieted down and waited for his explanation. The blonde gave a nervous gulp as he tried to think of what to say.

You might as well tell them the truth, a voice said.

No, I would have to give up Sasuke if I did that!

Listen Naruto, the voice replied impatiently. It’s either Sasuke or Neji, Hinata, Lee, Shino, Kiba, Tenten, and Gai. Even then, the Akatsuki would murder everyone if you kept Sasuke.

Naruto quickly wiped away a tear with his sleeve as he finally realized the full impact this decision would have on the village. This was possibly the most difficult and important decision he would have to face as Hokage. Would he step up as the leader of Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and sacrifice the safety of one for the safety of all? Or would he sacrifice the entire village for his love and best friend, Uchiha Sasuke?

Heh, so this is how it ends between us. I finally realize that I love Sasuke, and shortly afterwards, give him up to the Akatsuki?

In the steadiest voice possible, Naruto began.

“Last night, a member of the Akatsuki visited me. They are holding Neji, Hinata, Kiba, Tenten, Lee, Shino, and Gai hostage. They will trade them to us for Sasuke this afternoon.”

“Then we will give up Sasuke once and for all!”“Yeah!”“If we are all in agreement, then we will be seeing those seven soon enough. Now please go back to your apartments.”

While the villagers began to scatter, Naruto turned around to speak with Sai.

“Is it almost afternoon?”“Yes, I believe so.”“Then we’ll return to the gates and wait for the Akatsuki to arrive.”

“Wait, Naruto. Are you sure about this?”“Yes, it’s the only thing I can do now. The village would never be willing to accept him ever again.”“But don’t you accept him already?”“What I think will not keep Konoha safe.”“But-”“Sai, please! I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

They soon headed off to the gate. In order to keep himself together, Naruto thought about his father. How did he feel knowing he had to seal a demon into his own son for the safety of Konoha? How much strength did it take for him to do such a thing?

My father did it out of love, so what am I doing this for?

Was he even doing this for his village? For honor? Or perhaps to satisfy the guilt he had for seriously considering keeping Sasuke and leaving the rest to chance…?

Still, why was Sasuke doing this? After all they had been through, why was he allowing himself to be given up to the Akatsuki?
Was he going through this for…Naruto‘s sake? Or was he doing this so he could easily join up with the Akatsuki once more?

But I thought Sasuke had given up on the wrongs of his past.

Sasuke is a complex human being, a voice replied. Just give up on him. Don’t make this harder on yourself than it already is.

The entire group stayed silent as they waited for the arrival of the Akatsuki and the seven Konoha ninjas. It was obvious from the pained look on Naruto’s face that he was not in the mood to talk.

“Naruto.” Sai said.

“Hm?” Naruto replied, still in deep thought.

“They’re here.”Looking up, he saw a single, cloaked figure with a peculiar hat on approach them.

“It is a pleasure to see you again, Sasuke,” Madara took his hat off and turned to Naruto with an outstretched hand. “Uzumaki Naruto.”

The blonde shook his hand stiffly and looked around.

“Where are my seven ninjas?”“I will give them to you once you give me Sasuke.”

“Yamato.”

Naruto kept his eyes on Madara as Yamato let Sasuke go. Once the raven went to stand by Madara, the leader snapped his fingers.

“Kisame, release the hostages.”

The seven shaken, but thankfully unharmed, ninjas silently entered Konoha for the first time in weeks.

“Goodbye, Uzumaki Naruto. It was pleasant doing business with you.”As the three began to walk away, Naruto savored his last moments of seeing Sasuke. He didn’t even notice Hinata hugging him.

“I-I didn’t think I would ever see you again, Naruto-kun!”“Welcome back, Hinata-chan.” Naruto greeted with a weak smile.