I Want to be Stronger

Sasuke 18, Naruto 17,

Hello all, I've had this sitting in my computer for the longest! I just thought I'd dust it off and give it a go...

Chapter 1

I will become stronger.  Once I do I'll kick his ass! He thought as he continued to practice.  The blonde haired boy stayed at the training grounds until night fall.  He hadn't meant to stay so long it's just that he gets so into his training he loses all since of time.

Wiping the sweat from his tan brow he headed back toward the village.  Once through the gates he actually smiled because he had a great training session and now he was ready for some ramen!  The blonde was walking toward his favorite ramen stand when a rough hand was clapped over his mouth as he was dragged into a darkened alley.

His blue eyes widened in fear. There were a total of four men, all men that he knew from around the village.  All men that have done this before to him; But not this time, he vowed as he slammed his foot down on the man's foot that was holding him.  He let go of the him, cursing from the pain.

Naruto turned to face his attackers in his defensive stance. Even though Naruto was ninja he was not as tall and bulky. He knew that these men had a huge advantage, they were bigger then he was.

The taller of the men smirked, "so the little fox has some fire.  Finally, this'll be fun," he sneered as he ran toward the blonde blue-eyed nin.

~

Sakura sat at the Ramen stand waiting for Naruto.  She looked for the fourth time behind her to see if he was coming.  At that point she wanted to pound his idiot head in for making her wait!  She seethed as she mumbled, "idiot."  She stood and turned to step out into the streets.  As she was about to step a pair of orange clad legs appeared just outside the curtains.

"About time idiot!"  She yelled but stopped when the legs stumbled to the side then fell.

"NARUTO!"
~

Tsunade was angry, no she was furious she wanted to break something.  She ordered everyone gone before she hurt someone.  She called upon her healing power.  Her hand moved over Naruto's bruised and broken body trying to ease the pain.  She wondered why the fox demon was not healing him like he normally did.  

Naruto opened his one good eye and looked at her.  "Baa-chan, I fought them off . . . but, but," he turned his head away from her to hide the tears.

Her heart broke to see her little adoptive brother in so much pain.  "Naruto you have to tell me who these men are.  They have to be stopped."  She gently coaxed him.

There was no response.  Something was wrong!  His life force was draining, fast!

"Naruto!"  Tsunade yelled.  Sakura and Shizune rushed through the door to see the hokage struggle to save the blonde's life.

"Sakura, Shizune, I need you!"  

Both Medical Nins went to her side and lent there power to heal him.  "He was doing fine, but then..."  She didn't understand.

~

Sasuke went to the Ramen stand where he knew the blonde dobe was.  He stepped inside expecting to see him slurping down a bowl of Ramen, "hey old man, have you seen Naruto?"

The old ramen chef turned around, "no I haven't seen him since that night.  It was a terrible thing that happened to that boy."  Shaking his head he turned back around.

"What do you mean?  What happened?"

The waitress came forward when she saw that the dark shinobi was about the jump the counter.  "Naruto came by two weeks ago.  Some men had beaten him up very bad.  I've heard that he's been in a coma since."  All she saw was a dark blur as he ran from the stand.

As the raven ran toward the hospital, his thoughts were on his blonde friend. He was supposed to protect the dobe. He had been on a mission and just now gotten back. What the hell was going on? His chest was aching, it felt like he was hit with his own chidori attack. He wondered as he ran through the streets.

~
Shizune walked into the Hokage's office carrying another armful of papers that needed signing.  Just as she was about to close the door a white blur ran past her followed by a brown one.  

"Hokage-sama, Sasuke has returned," Kiba told Tsunade.

She sat straighter in her chair, "has anyone talked to him yet?"  She questioned as she rose from her chair.  She walked around the desk heading for the door.

Kiba and Akumaru followed.  "Not that I know of but you never know."

Sure enough they saw the Uchiha standing next to Naruto's hospital bed.  He was unmoving as he stared down at the blonde nin.  Tsunade stepped into the room and could have sworn the room felt ten degrees cooler.  As she neared the dark nin she could see that he was trembling from head to toe.  

She turned to the two standing at the door, "leave us."  She was alone with Sasuke Uchiha.  As she stood on the other side she looked up and could see, and feel his Sharkgun activate.

Tsunade had a feeling this was going to happen.  

Naruto didn’t know how much his presence holds a great influence over this dark nin. He doesn't realize how his face calms the Uchiha's mind.  Even though they bicker, even fight, there is a deep connection.

"You know who did this."  It wasn't a question.  

"We do," was all she said.

"Where are they."

"I will not tell you that."

Sasuke gently laid a pale hand on Naruto's tanned one.  

"He's fine."

"He almost died," the words were whispered.

"He's alive."

"They will pay." He growled.

Tsunda was about to respond when Naruto moved.