All the Small Things

Disclaimer: Not ours. Bummer.
Summary: Life in the ER is hectic. Lives hang in the balance, tempers rise and emotions abound. Dr. Uchiha and Dr. Uzumaki deal with the tensions at work every day. And then they go home and deal with their own relationship. SasuNaru
Written by: Phantomsnow and michelerene (ff)/ lexjamandme (aff)

Author’s Note: Hello there, my little monkeys. Phantomsnow here, just dropping by to say hello. Anyways, we are almost done with this story, it’s so sad, I know, but good things must come to an end. I’m very happy that so many of you have review… for those who didn’t review… well, let’s just say that if it wasn’t for Brain (aka Michelerene) I would have made the hospital explode with all of them in it. But enough about my wicked ways and bipolar problems, I just wanted to thank my best friend Michele for putting up with me. Enjoy the chapter, review or something evil this way may come. It’s not a threat… more of a promise..hahaha! Ciao.

Michele’s Corner: God, I miss lemons. They were so pleasant and they made me smile… Stupid, dumbass, complicated deadly manmade viruses from hell… Perhaps blowing up the hospital has merit. Hmmm…

All the Small Things
Chapter 11

His work was done. He threw back his head and laughed, rewinding the scene that had taken place in trauma room six. Oh god, he loved how they were suffering and how now he could sit back and watch as his hated enemies and their loved ones suffered… because of him. Kimimaro had been a dying man, a dying man who had been his lover. Orochimaru licked his lips, smacking them in remembrance of the young taut body that he had fucked at the tender age of fifteen. He could have saved him, having found the cure to his illness almost the same week he and Kabuto created the virus, but Kimimaro had volunteered for the job of infecting his enemies. So the cure was kept from the dear child and he was used as an infecting agent. How lovely, he would always remember Kimimaro with fondness.

“Isn’t it wonderful, Kabuto, how we can watch the show thanks to this wonderful young man,” he politely nodded to the man he had hired to hack into the KCH’s security cameras. Kabuto nodded his eyes glued to the screen.

Orochimaru pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number quickly, smiling as he waited for the caller to pick up.

“Fugaku-kun, it’s been a long time hasn’t it?” he said. A fine dark eyebrow rose as the man on the other line promptly dismissed him and was about to hang up.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Uchiha!” Orochimaru’s eerie yellow eyes flashed with anger.

“Or don’t you want to see your dear, precious Sasuke survive his latest adventure. You really should call the hospital and check on your little, lost lamb,” The silence on the other end was long and full of tension before the speaker began speaking.

“Now, now, Uchiha, no need for threats. I got you were I want you,” Orochimaru cackled like a mad man.

“The apple does not fall far from the tree, does it? You and your sons… so similar. They insult me in just that tone of voice… I can’t say I’m partial to it,” he said looking over at the screen where Kakashi was holding another Uchiha tightly in his arms.

“Oh, my and it must be my lucky day, two Uchihas for the price of one,” he said cringing as the man on the line finally lost his cool and shouted.

“They are all going to die, soon all of your sons and their love ones will be rotting flesh,” He flipped the phone closed but not before hearing Fugaku’s panic voice. Ahh, so the man does love his children, Orochimaru thought making himself comfortable on a chair like a man on a pleasant evening out to the opera.

“Kabuto,” he hissed, “Get me a glass of wine. I want to enjoy this.”

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The body was festering, Sasuke thought wrinkling his nose. It was giving off a rancid odor that was making him gag and he noticed that he wasn’t the only one. Sakura had covered her mouth and nose and was searching desperately for masks. She found them and passed them out to the room’s occupants who were all looking green around the gills.

Kakashi was holding onto Obito tightly muttering into his neck the same words over and over again. Sasuke looked away. If there was something that he could sympathize with Kakashi over, it was this. He wasn’t afraid of death, at least not when it concerned himself. What scared him and he knew Kakashi would understand was to have his most precious person die. Obito was dead, just like the rest of them, and from the look of the white haired male on the gurney, it wouldn’t be a painless death. Orochimaru was a cruel, sadistic person with a genius mind.

He stared at the peering faces through the windows of the trauma room and closed his eyes when he saw the pity clouding their eyes. No one knew what type of virus they were dealing with and he knew soon the CDC would quarantine the hospital or at least the ER. He was so fucking glad that Naruto and the children were safe at home. Turning swiftly away from the window, he walked up to the corpse. He looked down at the dead man with hard, furious eyes.

“What is that snake planning?” he muttered in a low voice. “What is he planning?” Sasuke wanted to grab onto the dead man and shake him. It was irrational and insane but the sudden thought that Orochimaru wouldn’t stop until everyone involved in his termination paid made the blood in Sasuke’s veins run cold. His dobe and his children! Dear Lord, he had to find a way to protect them. Anger surged through him and he grabbed the IV pole and threw it against the wall, the metallic clattering startling everyone.

Sakura screamed while Iruka choked back a sob. Kakashi’s hold tightened around Obito almost like he wanted to absorb the man into him. Sasuke was losing it, not because of their situation but more because he would not be able to protect his family from the threat when he was in here, dying. It wasn’t fair and he wanted to kill someone.

It was Konohamaru who walked over to the raging Sasuke, who placed his hand on the taller male’s shoulder and drew the tormented man’s attention. The young intern, whose personality and heart was so like Naruto, gently smiled at him.

“Don’t worry. Everything is going to be alright, you’ll see,” Konohamaru was shocked when Sasuke looked at him with eyes slightly wet and a warm half-smile. Sasuke would give anything if he could believe that. Sasuke didn’t say anything cruel or sadistic, which would be his normal response, just nodded and reached a hand up to squeeze the intern’s shoulder in returned comfort.

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Mikoto stared curiously at her husband as she walked into the study, he looked pale and had both hands wrapped around the cordless phone tightly, so tight, in fact, that his hands were turning blue from the lack of oxygen. Her heart started pounding wildly in her chest, she had only seen him this way a couple of times and they had all involved their children.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, afraid to know the truth and just as afraid not too. Her husband seemed to lose that cool composure they were both so famous for. He let go of the phone and she watched, as if in slow motion, as it fell to the floor. Mikoto was mortified when the man she had married for his strength and convictions dropped to his knees alongside it. She walked up to him with trembling legs and looked down at him.

“I just called the hospital,” he began, swallowing the emotion that threatened to choke him. Mikoto felt her heart stop, there were tears in his eyes. In all their years of marriage, she had seen Fugaku like this twice… at the birth of their sons. Fugaku took a deep breath, almost like he was gathering strength. “The ER has been locked down. It appears there is an outbreak of some unknown manmade virus,” Mikoto stared blankly at her husband. Her mouth and lips suddenly unbearably dry.

“Sasuke?” she asked and when her husband’s face twisted into an anguished expression, she moaned and clutch her shirt right over her heart.

“No…” Mikoto breathed out her voice full of pain. Her husband hugged her, soothing her by rubbing her back gently.

“I’m heading over there. I need you to contact Naruto to let him know if he doesn’t already,” he took a deep breath. “And I need to locate Itachi.”

Mikoto stiffened. “What do you mean?” she asked, tears shimmering in her eyes. “Itachi is infected?” She hoped to god that her oldest son was spared, even if she didn’t know what kind of virus it was, manmade viruses are nearly always deadly… but not incurable she told herself.

Fugaku shook his head holding her away from him, “Orochimaru Sannin is involved in this and he is after the entire Uchiha family.”

Mikoto sobbed wrenching away from her husband. “That man! That egotistical, evil, sadistic man is going to die!” she yelled. Fugaku looked up at the woman he married and couldn’t be more proud.

“Obito is infected as well. Locked down in quarantine with a handful of others. I need to tell my brother,” he shook head. “I don’t know how to tell him that his baby boy is…”

Mikoto placed a gentle hand on his arm, “Uchihas was strong. Together, with all the resources available to us, we will be unstoppable.”

Fugaku nodded and picked up the phone once more, “Fukashi… yes, brother… Obito and Sasuke are in trouble. I need your help.”

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Itachi was enjoying being pampered by Hinata. She looked so good in the sheer nightgown as she tugged him onto their bed. He propped himself on his elbow, looking at her with a soft smile and she giggled. She knew that look and shook her head, her hair falling over her face as she leaned forward to give Itachi a quick kiss when her lover growled in frustration.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk you know Dr. Uzumaki said no sex,” she waggled a slender finger at him. Itachi playfully kiss the tip of her finger and then licked it sensually. “Let’s not include Blondie and the word ‘sex’ in the same sentence, shall we?” Smirking, Itachi leaned in to hopefully distract Hinata into other more pleasurable things when they were interrupted by the ring of the doorbell and the phone at the same time.

Itachi growled. Hinata slowly stepped back as Itachi got up the bed, thankful that painkillers were working.

“Do you want me to answer the phone?” she asked. Itachi turned back to look at her and shook his head. “No, let it ring. If it is important, they will call back.”

Hinata nodded wondering for the hundredth time, since their relationship began, if Itachi was ashamed of her. He never invited her to meet his parents or even talked to her about them, although, to be fair, he had included her with Naruto and Sasuke but what if the twins hadn’t been involved? She felt like a secret… a dirty secret. He never really said that he loved her, only in passing or as a joke, but she needed to hear those words said in love. The phone had stopped ringing, being picked up by the machine and there was a click as the person calling hang up.

She wasn’t prepared to have Itachi run back into the room followed by several ominous looking men dressed in black and holding weapons in plain sight. They were illegal in Japan, but they were obscured by Itachi’s body as he took her into his arms. He was trembling.

“What’s wrong?” she asked Itachi when he finally let her go. The dark haired man was pale, his eyes were no longer warm and full of lust, instead there was an inexplicable emotion in them. She was nervous about standing in front of these men in just her nightgown.

“Cousin, we can’t wait. We still need to get dickless and the children.”

Hinata looked around Itachi to stare at a short male with black hair and the signature dark eyes of the Uchiha clan. There was an obviously fake smile crossing his face.

“Itachi, what is going on?” she asked more than a little nervous and afraid.

Itachi shook his head, “I’ll explain on the way but we need to leave now.” There was pleading quality to his voice that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Hinata nodded and picked up her clothes that were folded neatly on the dresser and headed towards the bathroom. As she did, she heard Itachi cell phone ring and his voice as he answered.

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Naruto was reading the twins a bed time story, having fed them from the local diner as the bastard had suggested and giving them a bath. The twins giggled when Naruto would change his voice for every part of the story. He smiled down at the two little faces peeking out from underneath their covers. He was so grateful for these moments but the nagging feeling that he had gotten early in the day was still pulling at his heart strings.

“… the better to eat you with, my dear,” Naruto growled in a deep menacing voice making his twins squealed with excitement.

The doorbell rang in the middle of their story and Naruto fell silent, the feeling of dread nearly stopping his heart. He was sitting on a chair in between the two beds and leaned to kiss Yuri and then turned to give Yoshi a kiss. “Goodnight, little ones. We will finish the story tomorrow night,” he chuckle softly at the tired protest of his children and smile consolingly before he went to answer the door.

He was half there when the feeling of something being fundamentally wrong nearly brought him to the knees. He hesitated and the feeling was justified by the rapid and loud bullets that came through the thick wood of the door. Naruto jumped away from the door, one of the bullets grazing him on his thigh and crawled his way to the twins’ room. They were screaming and crying for Naruto. Yoshi had jumped into his sister’s bed and Yuri was holding him tight. Naruto locked the room behind him, pushed one of the dressers against the door and gathered his children in his arms. Both children buried their noses in the nook between Naruto’s shoulder and neck. They were whimpered and trembled in fear.

Naruto knew that it wouldn’t take those man long to break into the room. Terror choked him while he tried to force his chaotic, fear muddled mind to make sense of what was happening.

The dresser fell over as the door was kicked opened and promptly shoved out of the way. Two men holding assault rifles came into the room. There was nothing Naruto could do as the men smirked and pointed the guns to the shaking figures on the bed. Naruto pulled the twins closer, closing his eyes and whispering calming tones into little ears. Oh god… Sasuke… where are you? I love…

Gunshots rang throughout the apartment and the twins screamed. Naruto’s eyes quickly flew opened when he heard two bodies falling onto the floor with muffled thuds.

A man that looked very much like Sasuke and Itachi stood behind the two intruders holding a smoking 9mm in his hand. He gave Naruto a fake smile, which for an instant reminded him of Sasuke’s own fake smiles way back when he had first met him.

Naruto nodded slowly, “Hello, Sai.”

The fakeness of the smile increased a notch, “Dickless.”

Itachi and Hinata rushed into the room. Their bodies relaxed in relief upon seeing the small family unharmed, but Naruto immediately noticed how both of them avoided his eyes.

Standing Naruto approached the two Uchihas. “I want to know what is going on and I want to know now.” Naruto demanded his voice soft not wanting to frighten the twins anymore. When he was greeted by silence and tearful eyes from Hinata. he almost collapsed. The only thing holding him up at that point was the two crying children in his arms.

“Oh no… Sasuke. No, he is not dead.” His voice held a certainty, but tears still gathered in Naruto’s blue eyes.

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They left the condo in a hurry after Sai made calls to have someone handle the ruined door. Itachi took the children from Naruto who was, quite honestly, pissed to the point of hysteria. He had stopped crying and tried to smile for the twins who had sobbed when Naruto had mentioned their daddy and death. No amount of reassurance from Itachi and Hinata about Sasuke had made him feel relieved, in fact, he was looking at them with resentment. The hurt, dark blue eyes made Itachi wanted to hurt someone, kill the person or persons responsible for it.

“I want to know where we are going,” Naruto said suddenly eying the two men sitting in front of them in the Hummer. It had been a long time since he had seen Sai… Sasuke’s copy. He’d actually mistaken the man in the crowded hall… until the asshole called him ‘dickless’.

“To my uncle’s house. It’s our base of operations and where you and your kids will be safest,” Sai answered and watched Naruto in the rearview mirror.

“Is Sasuke there?” he asked. The tension in the Hummer increased tenfold and Naruto narrowed his eyes.

“You are going to tell me where he is and what is going on as soon as we get to the house,” he muttered in a low voice turning to stare at Itachi who had a sleeping Yuri in his lap. Yoshi was lying on Hinata’s lap and he reached over Itachi and ruffled the sleeping boy’s hair. Yoshi had taken Naruto words to the heart crying hysterically about his daddy and about the bad men with the guns. Itachi had taken care of the small scratch on his right thigh and Yuri had stood next to him with trembling lips as her uncle dressed his wound in a hurry.

Itachi nodded as he petted the sleeping little girl’s hair absently, his thoughts on the possibility that Sasuke was already dead.

“He’s not, so don’t go thinking that,” Hinata whispered in his ear. He relaxed feeling some of the tension leave him. He was glad that he found Hinata and that she, Naruto and the twins were safe. They would stay that way. For Sasuke’s sake and his own.

The mansion came into view and Sai pulled into the driveway. Soon, the black hummer was surrounded by men wearing all black and holding guns. Naruto got out and held his hands out for Yuri so Itachi could get out. He waited while Itachi took Yoshi from Hinata before turning towards the big, impending doom that the double oak doors of the Uchiha mansion represented. He knew he wasn’t going to like what all these damn Uchihas had to say to him.

“Nice guards, who are they? The Yakuza?” he joked lamely, eyes overly bright with suppressed tears. Itachi looked grim but he nodded. Well, isn’t this a surprising turn of events, Naruto thought looking at the stone faces of their guards that were in walking on either side of their little group. But then again, it didn’t surprise him at all. He had always thought that Fugaku had the look, not to mention the Fearsome Five but Sai was a different flavor of Uchiha. Obviously Sasuke hadn’t been joking when he said the young artist lead a double life.

It was a quiet party of five that entered the mansion. Sai led them to the study where Fugaku, Mikoto, Fukashi and several armed men waited for them.

“Please sit,” Fugaku nodded stiffly to them. Mikoto eyes looked red from crying, Fukashi who was more lay back than his older brother looked as unresponsive as Fugaku.

“Mikoto, perhaps you and Itachi’s young lady can take the children upstairs,” Fugaku suggested. He looked at Naruto for approval but the blond seemed to be seething. Hinata stood up waiting for Naruto to hand over Yuri to his mother-in-law. Mikoto, he noticed, drew in a breath when she saw Yuri’s face, a small soft smile appearing on her face and two tears trailed down her cheeks.

“I don’t want you anywhere near our children,” Naruto said refusing to hand over the twins. “You never wanted them before! You don’t deserve to even touch them or look at them,” he said in a low angry voice. The room was silent, Mikoto’s softened expression became the hard mask that he was use to seeing, but for a moment he would have sworn he saw regret in black pools. She stepped back and gave Naruto room.

Naruto nodded his head to Hinata, “We’ll take them to Sasuke’s old room, but when I get back someone is going to tell me what the hell is going on.”

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The CDC was exceptional in its response. Trauma room six was suddenly invaded by many men and women in what looked like space suits. Sasuke knew that soon they would be sealed in the room. They quickly removed began the process of sealing the room tightly to ensure that the virus would not get out. In less than an hour, since the call to Tsunade, the hospital has been placed in quarantine, until it was determine that the virus had not affected anyone else. The space wearing workers brought equipment that they would be using in monitoring their health. Several workers approached the body, preparing to move it. All the doctors could do was wait, but Sasuke, a man who never waited for anything in his life, stopped one of the space men. The man looked scared as Sasuke clutched his arm.

“I want to know who is in charge out there,” he demanded. He looked down at his name tag that was on the outside of his suit. “Dr. Namtaki, tell me who is in charge. Let them know that we all expect to be included in the research and development for a cure.”

The doctor shook his head, jerking his arm away as he left hurriedly out the door. Three others came into the room, through the door that was locked down from the outside and the six of them could see a long tunnel connected to the door and another door beyond that.

“Hello, my name is Dr. Morishita. I am the lead researcher and therefore in charge of this operation and we will need your full cooperation to get through this,” His voice was syrupy sweet and Kakashi and Sasuke held in the urge to gag. He nodded at the two men in the space suit next to them and they came forward. They there to take samples of blood and perform a basic physical on the six people who were in contact with the infected body.

Dr. Morishita looked like he was going to ask more question but Sasuke walked towards him.

“We should be involved in the process. I will not be treated like an invalid child,” he said, ignoring the looks from the others in the room. Kakashi was thinking the same thing, he wanted to move forward and offer his help but Obito restrained him. Obito looked lost, shaken to the core and he did not want to let Kakashi go.

Iruka silently took in the scene playing in front of him as one of the men took his blood. He wanted to help too and opened his mouth to offer his help, hoping that Sasuke’s arrogant and demanding attitude had not put Dr. Morishita off.

“No, I’m sorry but this is CDC business and I do not believe that possibly infected people should be involved,” He shook his head when Sasuke looked angry and about to protest.

“Let us do our job so that we can get you out of here and with your love ones soon,” he turned away from the six twisting the doorknob.

Sasuke stepped forward, grabbing the retreating doctor’s arm and turned him around. The doctor gave an indignant squawk, drawing the attention of everyone in the room… save one. “We are not done yet, Dr. Morishita. You cannot leave us out of the loop!”
“You have no say in the matter, Doctor,” Morishita said shrugging off the hold and glaring at the enraged Uchiha.

“We deserve a say in our lives, Morishita!” Saying nothing, the man turned and left, the remaining doctors and Kimimaro’s body following him.

Sasuke punched the door as it closed on them.

“FUCK!” He yelled at their retreating backs but immediately turned to met smiling brown eyes and a subtle nod.

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Hinata watched as Naruto tucked in the twins, shushing their whimpers and humming wordless lullabies. She looked around the room and took in how sterile it looked. Dark wood and colors adorned the room. There were few pictures on any of the walls, instead different awards and diplomas were showcased. Next to the bed was one lone picture on the nightstand. Walking quietly towards it, Hinata picked it up to see three men smiling at the camera. Itachi stood in the back, his arm around Sasuke’s shoulder while Sasuke had his arms wrapped around a laughing Naruto, the blonde held securely against his chest.

“It’s the day we graduated from med school,” Naruto whispered quietly and Hinata still jumped, nearly dropping the frame. Naruto reached up and took it from her, running his finger over their happy faces. “Right after this picture, their parents came up to us and were condescending to Itachi and cool to Sasuke, even though he had fulfilled their dream,” Naruto shook his head and placed the picture delicately on the nightstand, “I don’t understand them. I might never understand them.”

Hinata offered Naruto her hand and pulled him into a quick hug. Naruto leaned into it for the briefest of moments before pulling back and running a hand through his disheveled spikes.

“I need to go.”

The black haired woman nodded and sat carefully on the edge of the bed, cementing her position as protector of Naruto and Sasuke’s precious babies.

Naruto nodded, “Thank you.”

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The blinds had been opened and Obito looked out of the room to see that the side of the ER that they accompanied had turned into a wonderland of thick plastic, yellow and black warning signs and what seemed to be a colony of spacemen. A pale hand, that Obito refused to admit might be trembling, reached up to loosen his tie.

He felt Kakashi behind him and knew that his eyes were on Sasuke, Iruka and Konohamaru who had convened in the corner of the room, backs turned to the window. They muttered quietly to one another and occasionally one of them would turn and look to see who might be watching them… like animals in a cage.

“You should go,” Obito said calmly, pushing out of Kakashi’s arms, but remaining in the man’s space.

“Do you think?” Kakashi said blankly, “I could certainly do with a beer. Do you think they would mind if I left?”

“Asshole,” Obito hissed and stood, pleasantly surprised when his legs didn’t collapse beneath him, “I meant, you should go and see what my cousin and his bunny are doing. I’m told you are all fucking geniuses… three heads have to be better than two.”

Kakashi watched Obito’s face closely, watching while fear swirled in black eyes before his Uchiha mask slammed down, sealing it away. “Obito…”

“Hatake,” Obito said coldly, “I came back to get your keys and now I find myself in a fucking bubble, people taking my blood and no possible way to argue myself out of whatever the hell this is. I don’t need to tell you that I’m scared. We are all scared. What I need is for you to do your job and get us out of this. I can’t… I won’t sit here and wait to die, even in your arms, when I know that you could be working to fix this.”

Kakashi stepped forward and pushed his forehead against Obito’s, “I wish you were anywhere but here.”

Obito laughed and both of them heard the underlying sob however minute it might be, “Me too, asshole. But, at the same time… I could die happy with you.”

“Don’t say that, Uchiha,” Kakashi growled and captured Obito’s lips with his own. The kiss was anything but gentle and both men sighed into the pain, welcoming the feeling over the fear that hung ominously around them.

Obito pushed the silver haired man away and stepped back several feet, “Get going. If we don’t get out of here alive, you are on the couch…” Obito gave a forced smile, “regardless of where we end up.”

Kakashi nodded before turning and making his way to the corner.

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Naruto entered the living room quietly, pausing in the doorway, unnoticed for a moment. There were Uchihas everywhere and Naruto could help but think how out of place his blonde mop would be when he entered the room. God, he sighed, alerting the room to his presence, who cares about my damn hair, he thought.

“Okay,” Naruto forced himself to walk into the room, submerging himself into a sea of black haired men with grim expressions and automatic hand guns. “Tell me what I need to know.”

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Itachi stood next to the window watching the wind pick up leaves before twirling them around in a dance only Mother Nature could choreograph. He knew so much and so little about what was going on. Orochimaru had created a deadly virus that now had Sasuke, Obito and several others under quarantine. How did this happen? Why? His black head turned sharply at the soft exhale of breath and his black eyes took in Naruto as he walked into the study. His blue eyes, normally so expressive, seem hollow and Itachi didn’t want to think what would happen when the bright young man was informed of the whole story. Suddenly, blue eyes sharpened and the blonde held his head high.

“Okay, tell me what I need to know.”

And Itachi smirked. How many times had he entered the ER to hear Naruto say those exact words before he took control of the situation?

“Sit.” Fugaku said and Naruto’s eyes narrowed even more.

“Speak.” Naruto snapped back.

The older man held Naruto’s eyes, both parties reliving their past confrontations before Fukashi stepped forward, “Fugaku, we do not have time for this.”

Naruto nodded his head in agreement and as a show of ‘compromise’ took the vacant chair across from Sasuke’s father.

“Orochimaru has developed a man-made virus and released it at KCGH,” Fugaku began and Naruto remained silent waiting for the man to continue, “He sent in a dying man and manipulated several doctors into a position where they were exposed to the virus.”

“Sasuke…” Naruto breathed and then he stopped breathing for what felt like an eternity, his heart beating wildly while his lungs burned in his chest, nearly bringing tears to his eyes. And then, as quickly as it began, Naruto took several deep breaths, “Who else?”

“Obito, Iruka Umino, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake and Konohamaru Sarutobi.”

Naruto nodded while his mind tried to reconcile this information… everyone… everyone important to him, “What do you know about the disease?”

“At this point, nothing more than what Orochimaru told me and that wasn’t anything more than what I just told you.” Fugaku leaned back into his chair and watched his son’s boyfriend carefully. Blue eyes locked with his own.

“How did you talk to Orochimaru?” Naruto asked suspiciously, “Why would he contact you?”

“Orochimaru has had a grudge against the Uchihas for many years. Mikoto and I played pivotal roles in his past. Having him suspended and then fired early in his career for unethical practices. I didn’t realize that he still harbored such a…”

Naruto stood, “Did Sasuke and Itachi know this?” His hands fisted at his sides as reasons for the snake bastard’s actions swirled in Naruto’s head. Why he targeted Sasuke… it had nothing to do with Sasuke and everything to do with this coldhearted bastard in front of him. If Sasuke had known that his parents had dealt with Sannin, would his actions and secrecy have changed?

“No, of course not. It didn’t seem important.” Fugaku said dismissively. “We had handled it. Why would it even affect them?”

Naruto was in front of the older man in a heartbeat, his fists wrapping around the collar of Fugaku’s shirt and yanking him up from the chair, “You have no idea… no fucking idea…” Naruto trembled with the need to hurt this man. Sasuke’s father… what a joke. “Does it seem important now?”

“Naruto,” Itachi said and Naruto turned when he felt the hand on his shoulder, “Stop.”

Naruto clinched his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut before thrusting the man back into his chair.

“Please forgive me,” Naruto breathed and everyone knew that he was addressing Itachi alone. Taking several steps backward, Naruto sat once more and dropped his head into his hands, “Tell me about the virus and why the hell someone tried to gun down my family and why the fuck so many of you bastards have automatic weapons.”

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Kakashi sided up to Iruka, “Okay, Secret Sallys, what do you guys have?”

Sasuke turned and looked at the silver haired man his dark eyes running up and down before locking with gray. He didn’t know how Kakashi was doing it… his eyes shifted to Obito momentarily. If it had been Naruto…

“He told me to fix it,” Kakashi said with a shrug, seemingly able to read Sasuke’s thoughts like a bulletin board, “So let’s fix it.”

Sasuke nodded and stepped aside. Kakashi took in the contents of the counter and then looked at the three men around him. He saw a copy of the chart notes he was sure he saw the men in orange whisk away as well as blood and tissue samples… how the hell did they get those?

When he asked as much, Konohamaru smiled like a Cheshire cat, “Please… you didn’t honestly believe Sasuke’s little fit was for real.”

Kakashi’s blank look stated that, why yes, yes he did.

The young intern rocked back on his heels, “While Sasuke was crawling down Dr. Morishita’s throat about keeping us in the loop and I was making sure we stayed there.”

“So all that yelling was…” Kakashi said looking at Sasuke his eyes wide.

Sasuke stared blank faced back, “We are getting out of this, Hatake. There are no other options. I will not stand by and do nothing. Someone had to draw their attention.”

Konohamaru snorted, “And who would think Sasuke Uchiha would lose it so early in the game. It worked perfectly.”

Kakashi ran a hand through his silver hair before turning to look at Iruka who simply shrugged, “I just work here.”

“So, what have you found?” Kakashi asked once more.

“Sadly, not much,” Sasuke said, “The microscope here isn’t anything spectacular, but whatever the virus is attaches itself to the cells and doesn’t break them down as much as,” Sasuke sighed, “merges with the normal cells.”

“What do we know about the symptoms and time frame we are looking at?”

“Well,” Iruka began but was interrupted by Konohamaru, “We know jack shit.”

Sasuke turned his head, one regal eyebrow arching. “Is that your professional medical opinion, pest?”

“Right now… infected by some crazy ‘merging’ disease from hell that will turn my tongue and salvia black… yeah, that’s pretty much it.”

So similar to… Sasuke felt the corner of his mouth twitch up and his heart beat just a little more painfully in his chest before shoving the feeling down and turning back to the rest of the doctors, “For lack of a more technical term,” he smirked, “we know jack shit.”

Iruka cleared his throat, “Doctors…” Three seats of eyes turned toward the brown haired doctor. “I believe I have symptom number one.”

Iruka held up his hand and it was trembling slightly.

Obito came up behind Kakashi, “Guys, my hands are shaking and look…” He held up his hands and the nail pads were turning a light blue. Looking closer they could see Iruka’s coloring as well.

“And there’s symptom number two.”

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Before anyone could answer Naruto’s question the double doors of the study burst open once more and Obito’s brothers entered the room. Naruto nodded at them but his face remained blank. Kinye couldn’t help but think that had any part of his mind been harboring any disbelief at the circumstances, Naruto’s face, devoid of its normal smile, would have driven the point home.

“I trust you have something to add,” Naruto said talking over Fugaku and ignoring the glare or the shocked… well, only Naruto could tell… looks on the other Uchihas in attendance.

“Yes, cousin,” Kinye said and bowed quickly to his father before addressing Naruto, “We broke into the snake bastard’s apartment. He wasn’t there but surprisingly he hadn’t cleared out the apartment.”

Naruto’s heart rate increased, “Please tell me that you wore something besides your mafia duds because if you are infected…”

Sharps intakes of breath were heard before Kinye waved his hand dismissively, “We are Uchihas, cousin, and with that comes superior genius.”

Naruto eyed the five men and any other time would have mentioned all the times Naruto had seen them behave in a less that genius-like manner but instead nodded, “Tell me what you found.”

Eeichi stepped forward and presented a briefcase, “Everything has been decontaminated for safety.”

Naruto popped the locks and shifted through the contents. Disks, papers, graphs, something that resembled a daily journal. He sighed running a hand through his hair, “Okay,” He turned toward Fugaku and met the man’s eyes before continuing, “You are Fugaku Uchiha… the world’s biggest bastard and the number one worst father for thirty years running. You are also Fugaku Uchiha, the foremost specialist on contagious diseases in Japan and arguably the world’s medical community. As loathe as I am to say this… I need you. Whether you chose to believe this or not, I do know what I am doing and I am a damn fine doctor. Will you help me to save Sasuke and Obito and lord knows how many others if Orochimaru gets feisty?”

Fugaku held those intense blue eyes before he stood, straightening his suit jacket, “I know how good you are, Uzumaki. I have followed you since Sasuke mentioned your name for the first time ten years ago.” Blue eyes widened and then nearly fell from his head when a pale hand so like his teme’s extended toward him, “Yes, I will help you.”

Naruto took the hand, shaking it quickly before he turned toward the ‘heavies’ in the room. “Okay, Dr. Uchiha and I are going to head to the hospital. By this time Sasuke should already have something and whoever is in charge should be considering ways to kill him. The rest of your ‘talents’ might be served better by locating Orochimaru and,” the blonde paused his eyes meeting the Fearsome Five and stopping on Itachi, “… dealing with the problem.”

The room was still for a moment before Fugaku walked around his desk and started pulling out items from the briefcase.

“Doctor,” Naruto said, “We’ll do that in the car.”

Fugaku snapped the black case shut before he walked toward his wife and nodded. Mikoto bit her bottom lip before pulling his husband’s head down and kissing him softly, “Please be careful… and please… Sasuke…”

“Hn.” And then he was out the door.

Naruto approached Sasuke’s mother and stood before her. He seemed to be on the edge of some decision when he finally met her eyes, “Tell them you are their Daddy’s mommy…” Mikoto barely held in the startled breath, “They know how important that role is.”

The blonde doctor turned and as the rest of the room pulled together to make their own plans, Mikoto watched Naruto disappear through the doors and knew that she would protect those children with her life… not because they were defenseless children… but because they were Sasuke and Naruto’s children… her grandchildren.

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The Uchihas left in the room, stared silently at each other, the Fearsome Five were a little apprehensive of their cousin Itachi, remembering the many times the man had threaten bodily harm while they were growing up together.

“You heard the blonde, let’s get to work,” Itachi raised a cool eyebrow at them. Kinye was seriously jealous of his cousin’s ability to remain so cool in the face of the circumstances and he admitted to himself that he childishly envied Itachi’s ability to raise one eyebrow like that. Of course, being an Uchiha, he didn’t show any of his thoughts and his face remained stony as he nodded.

“What do you got on him so far?” Itachi asked depending on the brothers since his only contact with the amoral doctor had been fleeting.

Kinye nodded to Bin, who stepped forward and brought out a thick manila folder, full of the details of Orochimaru’s life and his dastardly deeds.

“Past events in his life have shown that the bastard enjoys watching people in pain, especially when he is the cause of it,” Bin told him handing the file to Itachi who began to leaf through it.

“Sai, do you think we can have some people in your organization take a look at these addresses?” he asked without turning his cool black eyes away from several gruesome pictures in the file. The pictures were of past experiments conducted on human subjects. He paused at one picture where the young man looked like he died in mass amounts of pain from what looked like the bubonic plague or black death as history came to known it.

“Hai, I’ll get right on it,” Sai grabbed the sheet that Itachi was holding out to him quickly leaving the room. Daisuke came up behind Itachi curious as to what had Itachi so enthralled.

“He is a real sadistic asshole who enjoys causing pain,” Daisuke commented looking at the picture over his shoulder. “He uses his lovers in those experiments and the sick part about it, even sicker than what he does to them, is that they do it willingly,” he paused looking away from the picture. “They beg him to let them take part of the experiments. We found actual tape footage of it.”

“Hmm,” was all Itachi said while closing the file. The five watched confused as Itachi seemed to stare off into space.

“Show me,” he demanded.

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The ride to hospital had Naruto on edge. He realized that he had made a small overture to Sasuke’s mother but he couldn’t find it in his heart to extend that amount of kindness to Fugaku. He blamed the man for Sasuke’s emotional… issues… but he had to grudgingly admit that Sasuke had gotten his strength from the pillar of stone sitting next to him.

He looked out the window, noticing the dark sleek Mercedes following closely behind them. He didn’t know how to feel about Madara Uchiha, Sasuke’s uncle, who just happened to be the head of the local Yakuza. If Naruto had thought Fugaku had ruined Sasuke, it was nothing compared to what Madara and his Uchihaness had done to his son, Sai. Emotional ‘issues’ didn’t even begin to cover the spectrum of craziness there. But, regardless, having Madara and Sai on their side could only help in the current situation and therefore Naruto found himself grateful once more for the Uchihas.

Naruto closed his tired eyes and images of Sasuke began to form behind the darkness of his eyelids. He saw himself meeting Sasuke for the first time, starting into those eyes and finally feeling lust for the first time since he had been a teen. That night had been the beginning for them and he had not let the oh-so-famous Uchiha death glare or those taunting blackhole’s Sasuke had for eyes intimidated him. He had seen Sasuke’s soul in those brief moments even in that first encounter. The imaged faded and was replaced by the tormented face of Sasuke as he shouted that he loved Naruto finally after four years of chasing him. Sasuke had finally admitted his love. With his eyes still closed, he unconsciously licked his lips remembering vividly the feel of Sasuke’s hot lips on his when he had given him his first kiss. Naruto smiled, remembering how angry Sasuke had been because Naruto had followed him to the school library and then sat with him, insisting, noisily, that Sasuke paid attention to him. It had resulted in their first kiss. He shifted his body as the first time they made love came to mind and as far as Naruto had been concerned Sasuke had been his only lover and would remain his only lover for the rest of his life.

When he snapped his eyes open, the blue pools were dry, filled with determination. He was not going to lose Sasuke. He would not give up. He had not given up on Sasuke then and he will not give up on Sasuke now. If that bastard died on him, he’d just have to bring him back and kick his ass for leaving him in the first place.

“I should have force him to go home with me,” he muttered. He was angry at Sasuke, Kakashi and KCGH, the hospital for not having enough funds to hire another doctor, Kakashi for leaving and for always depending on both Sasuke and him to cover the lack of available doctors and Sasuke for getting his pale ass in trouble at all. He should have come home. He was more than fed up with people like Fugaku, who had made his fallen angel suffer so much. Couldn’t they see how good the bastard was, how caring and how he always tried to save the world.

Fugaku glanced at the quiet blonde. He could see how much Naruto was suffering, how much the the young man loved his son. All he could do now was to make sure that Sasuke stayed alive for all of their sakes. They were stopped by two arm officers at the main parking of the hospital. Fugaku flashed his ID and they were let in without a problem. He was more than grateful that his authority was recognized and that they wouldn’t have a problem.

They parked and ran towards the mobile lab that had been set-up at the entrance of the ER. Naruto ran ahead of him, pushing his way through several men who were trying to restrain him. The commotion had several people coming out of the make shift lab.

Fugaku caught up with him, ordering them to let him go. “Let him go, he’s with me, “ he said flashing his badge again.

“Who are you?” a man wearing a neat lab coat asked.

“Dr. Fugaku Uchiha and you must be Dr. Morishita,” he said walking towards the man who looked down at Naruto and at him with a superior smirk.

“I don’t care if you’re the Emperor himself, this place is off limits,” Dr. Morihsita told them turning away from them.

“You don’t have much of a choice,” Fugaku said as he restrain a fuming Naruto, “but you do have two options.”

“Oh, why don’t I have much of a choice?” Morishita asked turning around to face them, arrogance dripping from his voice.

“I am your replacement. From here on, Doctor, I will be heading this operation,” Fugaku gave him a condensing look as he handed the man official papers.

“So, as I was saying, your two choices are as follows. One, get out of my way or two, stay here and help but make no bones of it, Dr. Uzumaki and I will be staying.”

Naruto now knew where the brothers got their cold and bastardly ways from and for once he totally approved.

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Itachi Uchiha had seen some horrible things in his life. Bodies crushed, limbs severed and tragedies that pushed the fragile human mind beyond its limits. They were never pleasant and Itachi had taken no joy having to restrain a screaming husband or wife, father or mother, as their precious loved ones were zipped into a black bag.

Itachi had seen many horrible things, but nothing in comparison to what Orochimaru Sannin did to his willing… oh god, they were begging for it… victims to further his ‘research’. The white noise on the television was the only light and it sent dark shadows across the pale features of the Uchihas gathered around the screen.

Finally, Sai stepped forward turning on the lights in the den and pressing stop on the remote he held. His face devoid of any emotion, even more so than the six other men in the room, he spoke.

“Well, who knew that you could make someone’s blood boil while still in their veins? Interesting stuff, right?”

Itachi was a tried and true Uchiha, secure in the Uchiha box that had molded Uchihas for generations but even his eyes widened a fraction at the absurdity of his emotionless cousin.

Sai plastered a fake smile on his face while Kinye gapped and then stuttered, “What the fuck, Sai! That was not interesting. That was inhumane, disgusting, morbid…”

“I’m so glad you have been using that thesaurus I got for you, cousin,” Sai nodded. If he was honestly pleased, his voice gave away nothing, having come out flat, “However, did you see how quickly they healed? Whatever Orochimaru did could have earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in Medicine… the implications alone…”

Eeichi was up next, grabbing Sai’s collar and glaring down at a man whose expression never changed but for the forced smile, “He has our… He is using our family as one of those lab rats!”

Sai attempted a shrug, “Do you know how far the medical community advanced after the Holocaust?”

“Why you little fucking shit for…”

“Enough.”

All eyes turned to Itachi and even Sai internally ‘eep’d’ at the dark aura that filled the room.

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Fugaku and Naruto found themselves in exam room one which had been turned into the head quarters of the CDC’s operation. Fugaku immediately commandeered one of the computers and began looking through the information on the many disks that the Fearsome Five had found. Naruto could tell after the first three minutes that the news wasn’t good.

“Tell me.”

“I…” Fugaku began and then turned the screen so that Naruto could watch as cells were attacked by a virus at a thousand times magnification.

“What am I seeing?” Naruto whispered and stepped closer, “Because this isn’t possible.”

Fugaku leaned back in his chair, “Merging. It’s merging. Fucking changing the building blocks of life before our eyes.”

Naruto took several deep breaths as the screen showed hours click by in seconds before the cells turned black and died. The clicker read thirty six hours.

“Less than two days…”

“What?” Fugaku said while his mind tried to make sense of this new information so that he could come up with some solution.

Naruto leaned over him and tapped the screen lightly where the white numbers blinked, “Thirty six hours until death.”

Fugaku frowned, “Orochimaru has developed a retrovirus that connects to the DNA in the cells… changing them.” He ran a pale hand through his dark hair and Naruto shut his eyes against the memories it caused. “But, I think he was trying for something else and ended up with a killer virus rather than its initial purpose.”

Naruto nodded and leaned back to grab the journal he had set down when the elder had turned the computer screen, “You’re right. According to this, he was trying to create a ‘superhuman’. Unstoppable strength, accelerated healing and endless stamina. He called it ‘Kyuubi’. Although it was a failure, he was gleefully happy with what it turned into.”

Fugaku glanced at the book and then held out his hand, “If I may?”

Naruto stared at the man, suddenly impressed at how well they had been behaving toward each other. Perhaps it was time to leave before either of them fell into old patterns, “I’m going in.”

Fugaku looked up sharply from the book, “What? Why? You can’t help them in there.”

Naruto smiled slightly, “You underestimate Sasuke,” His voice dropped to a mumble, “Shocker that,” Before lifting again, “I’m not going in there to help Sasuke. I’m going in there because I guarantee that they have something that will help us.”

Fugaku made to argue again but Naruto was already headed toward the door.

“I am in charge of this operation, Uzumaki. I can have you removed.”

Naruto stilled at the door before turning around and smirking at the dark haired doctor, “Uchiha,” Fugaku bristled at the informality, “you can sure as hell try.”

And then the blonde doctor was gone.

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Itachi’s glared could have made Hannibal Lector whimper and he wasn’t even giving it his all. He was too worried about Sasuke, concerned about Hinata and the twins safety and scared… fucking scared that no one would be able to put Naruto back together again if this were to fall apart.

The glare intensified and the black haired man stood, six sets of eyes glued to his every move.

“As entertaining as your little squabble is, we have work to do,” Itachi strode to the dark wooden table that held the file of information on Orochimaru. “He wasn’t at home which is honestly not a surprise to me.” Pale fingers shifted through papers filled with information and pictures. “Where then?”

The Fearsome Five circled the table and quietly began assessing the information. An ‘a-hum’ drew their attention back to the ‘Expressionless Wonder’ they all called a cousin.

“I wonder how it is that Orochimaru knew that Obito was in the room.”

Itachi’s fingers stilled and he raised an elegant, black eyebrow, “Continue.”

“It’s just that Uncle Fugaku said the man seemed surprised that he had the ‘pleasure’ of catching two Uchihas. Obviously this information hasn’t been leaked, well, at least not yet, to the media, so one has to wonder…”

“How did he know?” Itachi finished, realization causing his eyebrows to furrow together, “Because he is watching them.”

Sai shrugged, “Perhaps. But he could have someone on the inside leaking information.”

Daisuke leaned his hips against the table, “No, he’s watching. You all saw the tapes. The fucker was laughing in the background. He wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“So, he could have his own hidden cameras installed or he could be hacking into the hospitals systems.” Itachi turned to Bin, who Itachi knew the whole family called when they had ‘technical issues’, whether that was hooking up their DVD player or tapping into someone’s FBI record, “What is more likely and how can we use this?”

Bin considered for a moment, “I’m going to assume that he is tapping the hospital’s system. It would have been risky having his own system put in, the chances of being caught high. Plus, with the hospital’s system he can see every angle and therefore every person’s interaction in the hospital. I hear he has issues with Tsunade and Jiraiya. The bastard will probably get off on them running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

“That said, if I had access,” Kinye snorted and Bin glared lightly at him, “Fine, when I get access, it’s only a matter of piggy backing on the outside signal.”

Itachi nodded sharply, snapping the file shut, “Do it.”

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Currently all the occupants of ‘The Bubble’ were exhibiting the first two symptoms of the virus. They had not shared their findings with the doctors outside of their quarantine. Iruka had argued that their refusal to share with the CDC, and the experts they had brought, was an act of childish proportions but Sasuke just glared.

Kakashi chuckled, “It’s not as though they asked. Bunch of idiots if you ask me.”

“If they were serious, my father would be here.” Sasuke added and turned back toward the computer, clenching and unclenching his hands in an attempt to ease the shaking.

Kakashi shrugged, “I’m sure it is only a matter of time.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” Konohamaru said, leaning lightly into Sasuke shoulder to get his attention, “Udon, who thinks your whole family is freakin’ royalty, says your dad is an expert on contagious diseases. Wouldn’t he run right down to help?”

Sasuke sighed and leaned against the counter, “He’ll come because it is a mystery. He’ll want to prove that he can beat whatever this is.”

“And because you and your cousin are here, of course.” Iruka said smiling at Obito who had wondered over when the discussion had taken a turn to things not deadly disease related. Sasuke stared blank faced at the brown haired doctor and Obito chuckled.

“Hey, cousin, maybe when he gets here he’ll give us hugs and tell us how scared he was and how much he luuuvvveeesss us.”

Sasuke smirked, “I can’t wait.”

Kakashi shook his head, “Both of you stop it. You don’t know… this isn’t about getting the best grades or the most prestigious job. This isn’t about the Uchiha name. This is about your lives. Even Fugaku Uchiha will have to attempt he loves his family faced with that motivation.”

Sasuke opened his mouth to argue that particular gem of crap when the sounds of the air being vacuumed filled the room, signaling that someone was about to enter. All eyes turned to the open door and a person in an orange space suit entered their eyes firmly on the ground, as though they were making sure they wouldn’t trip due to the awkwardness of the suit.

It was all for nothing because as soon as the idiot breeched the room’s barrier and the room sealed itself once more, the idiot tripped and fell on the ground with a muffled grunt and a moaned, “Damn it.”

Kakashi chuckled, “Like I said… Idiots.”

The orange man struggled to right himself and finally gained his feet before turning to the group in the corner that now included Sakura as well. He stepped forward, waving a hand before stepping close enough that six sets of eyes widened when met by unmistakable blue ones.

“Hi,” Naruto said and a gloved hand came up to rub the back of his head only to be stopped by the bulky space suit, “What’s up?”

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When Naruto Uzumaki entered the first room in the series of air locks that separated ‘good air’ from ‘bad air’, he immediately began humming the theme to Star Wars. He was happily humming his new theme because, yes, it seemed to fit the occasion and his current attire but mostly because he needed something to pull his mind away from the video of blackened cells and his visit with Kimimaro. That could not happen… this would not be the end of Sasuke or anyone in that room.

And so he hummed and watched his feet. Reaching the final air lock, Naruto stepped up the humming and refused to look at the people in the room, not yet. He wasn’t sure he could see Sasuke and not mentally picture a clock above his head counting down from thirty-six hours. No, more like thirty hours. Fuck.

And then he tripped. Double fuck.

The action halted his rather lame rendition of “Star Wars” and he forced himself to his feet, meeting the eyes of the room’s occupants. He took in the pale faces, noting that Kakashi, Konohamaru and Obito seemed mildly amused at his less than graceful entrance and Iruka’s worried frown. Sakura seemed distant, separated and scared. Stopping his eyes from trailing to the man he most wanted to see, he smiled and nervously tried to rub the back of his head only resulting in looking like more of a moron.

“Hi. What’s up?”

“Naruto.”

The blonde turned his head to the voice, so quiet and full of… something. Naruto wasn’t sure. When was the last time he wasn’t sure?? He felt his heart race and then nearly screech to a halt when blue eyes met black.

At first, Naruto saw happiness, relief, love and then, like a hungry guillotine, the blade fell on the emotions leaving midnight eyes lifeless, “What the fuck are you doing here, dobe?”

“Nice to see you too, bastard,” Naruto snapped back and before he knew it he was shoved against the wall, Sasuke’s face looming over him, the anger radiating off the dark haired man in dark waves.

“Why are you here, Naruto?” Each word was meticulously pronounced and sharp as a knife.

“Well, Doctor,” Naruto struggled against the hold but then fell back when it became futile, “I don’t know of you heard, but there has been a deadly outbreak and as a doctor, it would be remise of me not to offer my services so…”

His words were cut off when Sasuke pulled his body away from the wall only to shove it back again, “Leave. Get out of here now. No one needs you here. Go home.”

Sasuke released him and turned back toward the other people in the room, all eyes on Naruto.

“Home, teme… I don’t think that’s the wisest idea since someone came to our home and used an automatic weapon to shoot down the door while I was tucking in our children.” Naruto walked slowly toward Sasuke, circling him until they were face to face once more.

Dark eyes clouded momentary with fear and more anger than Naruto had ever seen in the dark eyes. “I’ll kill him,” Sasuke hissed although the sound was barely audible. Naruto almost sighed, finally… some emotion. Taking a step forward, Naruto noticed that Sasuke’s hands shook unchecked and blue eyes narrowed, “What is that?”

“Where are the twins?” Sasuke questioned, invading the question, anger and fear still swirling in black pools.

“With Hinata and your mother.” Naruto had turned his head to see Konohamaru’s hands behind his back, Kakashi’s in his pockets and Iruka’s in his sleeves. Obito just held his up smiling, “Symptom numbers one and two, cousin.”

Naruto nodded and turned his eyes back to Sasuke, taking in the bluish tint to his nail beds.

“With my mother?” Sasuke said still glaring at Naruto, “Have you taken a leave of your senses, dumbass?”

Naruto closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. This was Sasuke trying to piss him off. Sasuke, who had seemingly been born with the ability to press and hold every damn one of his buttons, trying to protect himself and Naruto by making Naruto angry enough to storm out. Naruto shook his head sadly and opened his eyes. The only thing was, this time, it wasn’t about who was going to take residence on the couch.

“S’uke, I am here because I wouldn’t… fuck that… I can’t be anywhere else but by your side.”

The taller man growled but Naruto continued, “And so, like with everything that involves your inability to effectively express your emotions, you can agree with me and we do this together or I can kick your pale ass and we can still do this together while you pout like a prissy bitch.”

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed and Naruto found himself once more pressed up against the wall. “Dammit, teme. I’m not one hundred percent sure that this suit can withstand your tantrums.”

Sasuke closed his eyes and Naruto felt pale fingers squeezing his shoulders until he squirmed.

“Naruto…” Sasuke let his head fall against the orange clad shoulder and Naruto glared at the staring eyes until they turned away, “I don’t want you here, dobe. Please… I want to imagine that you are safe with the twins… wrapped in pink boas and laughing. I don’t want to see you in this nightmare.”

Naruto ran gloved hands over Sasuke’s shoulders before cupping his cheeks bringing their faces close to each other, “I’m here, Sasuke, because I won’t let you fight this nightmare without me,” Naruto gave a watery smile, “It’s a nightmare for me too…”

Sasuke nodded and Naruto smiled when black eyes softened, fear and anger pushed back to be replaced by acceptance and determination.

“My father?”

“He’s here. Happy days, right?” Naruto said and strode toward Konohamaru, yanking his hands from behind his back and inspecting the tremors and discoloration. Turning toward Obito, he nodded, “Your brothers raided Orochimaru’s house and found a shit load of research and many other unpleasant things, but not the snake himself. I left them and Itachi that noble pursuit.”

Naruto glanced at the counter top to see the make shift lab they had created, “I knew you’d be busy, bastard. And to think the CDC thinks you’re in here chatting about sports.”

Sasuke shrugged and moved until he was touching Naruto’s shoulder with his own. He couldn’t feel his dobe’s warm through the suit but he was here…

“What did you find in the research?” Kakashi asked pulling himself and Obito up onto the counter, their legs swinging and fingers entwined.

“I won’t lie to any of you,” Naruto said hollowly, “It’s not good. The virus was originally meant to create a ‘superhuman’ and it failed, instead creating “Kyuubi”, a fast working and deadly virus.”

They all nodded and Naruto kept looking them up and down for any signs of other abnormalities in appearance or behavior. “Are there any other symptoms you have been hiding?”

“So far, no,” Iruka said and ran a hand through his hair, “Was there anything in the notes about other things we should be looking for?”

“Honestly, I hadn’t gotten that far. We watched a time lapse video that gives the virus a thirty-six hour time frame until…”

Sakura drew in a sharp breath, “It’s already been six hours…”

“But, I’ve heard Uchihas are tenacious bastards and we have an expert on the case, so…” Naruto shrugged.

“You’re working together, dobe, with Fugaku Uchiha?” Sasuke asked surprised with not a tad of sarcasm thrown in for flavor.

“Apparently we do have something in common,” Naruto said seriously looking into Sasuke’s eyes and then he frowned when a static-y voice filled the helmet of his suit.

“Uzumaki… do they have anything or are you getting their coffee orders?”

“Oh great… now I’m hearing the asshole in my head! Make it stop, Sasuke.”

“Uzumaki, I can still here you…”

Naruto grinned, “I know.”

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Exam room six was quiet.

Naruto had noticed that the occupants had nothing for bedding and ‘kindly’ expressed his displeasure to the CDC workers that were wandering about beyond the bubble. Beds were found and now Kakashi and Obito were wrapped up together in a corner. Naruto felt his heart creep up his throat when he watched them quietly whisper their goodnights… maybe their lasts… and tenderly kiss one another before drifting to sleep. Konohamaru, Iruka and Sakura had claimed a separate corner. Not together per say, but not alone.

Closing his eyes, Naruto thought about Iruka. After moving in with the Sarutobis, Iruka was Naruto’s first friend. He had come over with a crock pot full of ramen from his mother to welcome the newest member of their family. Naruto was still so scared of everything that he sat quietly the whole visit until he couldn’t stand all the soft smiles and encouraging voices. Excusing himself, the blonde teen had escaped onto the back porch and watched as the first stars of the night blinked into existence before his eyes. That night Iruka had come and sat with him, not saying a word. He continued to do this for three weeks before Naruto finally began sharing with him how his life had changed and how thankful he was to have the Sarutobis as his family and Iruka as his friend. Naruto opened his eyes and smiled at the relaxed look on the older man’s face. Did he know that Asuma had his sights set on him? Would Iruka survive to reciprocate?

Naruto growled in frustration, but it sounded pitiful to his own ears as it echoed inside the suit.

Naruto shifted in his suit so that he could watch the young man he called his little brother. Konohamaru was going to be a brilliant doctor. He was going to give Sasuke and Naruto a run for their money. Somehow the little brat had the unique honor of having equal parts Sasuke and Naruto in his personality. He was clinical, precise and yet still able to admit he didn’t know it all and learn from his mistakes. He’d be incredible. Naruto reached up to wipe his blurry eyes, but his hand ran full stop into the plastic face cover making an eerie noise in the quiet room.

“Hn, moron.”

Naruto sniffed before turning his whole body to smile at his sleepy eyed bastard, lying on his own bed beside him.

“Teme,” Naruto whispered and ran a gloved hand through Sasuke’s matted spikes, “I thought you were sleeping.”

“How, dobe? Your damn emotional sighs, moans, sniffs and all around whines are enough to make a grown man scream.” Sasuke said and unconsciously nuzzled into the comforting motion of Naruto’s bulky fingers.

Naruto snorted, again frustrated with how dumb it sounded inside this stupid suit, “Sorry, princess. Want me to hum you a lullaby?”

Sasuke opened his midnight eyes and felt tears prickle instantly behind them before he closed them again. Being near Naruto was… precious, but seeing his golden spikes and sapphire eyes encased in a suit that protected him ‘from’ Sasuke was… painful, making the situation so fucking bittersweet that Sasuke didn’t know how to express all the anger, sadness and heart wrenching horror that he felt or how, even with the suit, having Naruto made it better. Like he always did…

“S’uke?” Naruto whispered and Sasuke made a noise of acknowledgement, still not opening his eyes, “I love you, teme. It’s going to be alright. I won’t allow another outcome. Do you believe me?”

Sasuke was silent for so long that Naruto was sure he had fallen asleep when something shiny caught in the dim lights. A single tear slid down a smooth, pale cheek, “I love you too, dobe.”

Naruto nodded silently and continued stroking Sasuke’s hair until once more his breathing evened out and the blonde was sure Sasuke was asleep. In that moment, looking down at Sasuke, Naruto was tempted to remove the suit. He’d risk the disease just to feel the ink black strands against his trembling fingers, to touch his own lips against soft pale ones of his teme and to taste Sasuke just… one more…

“Fuck…” Naruto whispered and stepped away from the bed, “This is not the end.”

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Naruto and Fugaku sat silently together. The older man had barely acknowledged Naruto’s entrance into the room and Naruto found that he was happier that way. He had presented Sasuke and Company’s findings and symptoms and now the two men worked to sort through Orochimaru’s research and their own individual resources to come up with something to save them.

Naruto turned another page in Orochimaru’s journal and his eyes grew wide, “Holy shit, Uchiha…”

The door bursting open made both men look up, concern written prominently in blue eyes and less obviously in a set of black. Dr. Morishita bowed slightly to the older doctor before stepping into the room.

“All of the infected parties…”

Naruto bristled, “They have names, asshole.”

“Uzumaki!” Fugaku reprimanded, but glared harshly at the older doctor, “Continue.”

“The patients are exhibiting new symptoms. All of them are running high fevers and have recently started vomiting.”

Naruto looked down into the journal, “Uchiha… they are on symptom number four. According to this,” Naruto held the notebook out to the black haired doctor, “There are two more and then…” Naruto stopped, unwilling or maybe unable to continue.

Fugaku scanned the writings, “And then death.”

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