Change

I will not try and make up an excuse for not updating, I’m sure a majority of you reading understand the concept of time and how it can sometimes allude even the best of us. Anyways, I am back to write another chapter and just toss out some of the thoughts floating in my head about this story and where it is going.

First up, I want this fic to be well rounded, which means I need more couples! So in your next review, let me know who you think would be perfect for one another. I am looking for both gay and straight pairings, no preference either way. I especially need to figure out who I’m plunking Gaara in a relationship with later on. ;) So, just let me know.

Alright, enough thinking for now. On with the story!

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“Well, I guess the story begins when I first brought Sasuke back from Orochimaru...I mean, it started before that, the emotion and reasoning part of it anyways. But action wise, the events to come were a direct result of my actions. Do you know the methods I used to bring Sasuke back, or were you not let in on that?”

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, his one visible eye curving up. “Don’t worry about what I know and don’t know, just tell the story as if you were speaking to a stranger.”

Naruto rolled his eyes dramatically. “Right...because it’s just as simple as that.” He took a deep breath and continued:

“I knew it was my last chance to get Sasuke back from Orochimaru. The snake was going to take control of his body that night. I’m not sure if Sasuke knew it or not. I don’t like to think that he would give in to the snake that easily, but you never know with an Uchiha.” Naruto smiled wryly.

“I had found out where the hideout was days before I actually went there. I had to get Sakura and Sai away from me first, I couldn’t be responsible for letting them get hurt in my foolish pursuits. I fabricated a story, telling them that we had three separate leads on where Sasuke could potentially be. I told them that there was no guarantee that we would make it on time if we went in a group to search each individually. Thankfully, they both agreed that we should split up for a few days, just to investigate. If we found anything, we were to report back and plan our next move. Quite obviously, I already had my own plans on taking action.”

“The next morning, we all went our separate ways. Sai to Wave, Sakura to Stone, and me to Sand. It was Gaara who informed me of Sasuke’s appearance in the desert. It turns out that Orochimaru was burrowing underground like the snake he was, making plans to destroy Konoha and Suna simultaneously. Gaara knew my obsession with retrieving Sasuke, and agreed to let me take a shot at getting him out before they went on the offensive and destroyed the entire hideout.”

“After two years of Sasuke eluding me, I couldn’t turn down the chance to get him back. I made a promise to everyone, that I would get him back. And that’s what I did.” Naruto sighed, closing his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, the irises had turned crimson again.

“You’d be surprised how easy it was getting into their base. Orochimaru obviously kept his numbers slim so not to attract attention. He didn’t count on anyone searching for him in the middle of a scorching desert, no one was that crazy.”

“No one but you...” Kakashi mumbled, grinning at Naruto.

Naruto grinned back, his eyes squinting as he scratching the back of his head. “Right, no one but me. I am Naruto Uzumaki after all.” His demeanour turned serious again, though a slight smile still kept one side of his mouth upturned.

“I snuck past a few guards, not wanting to alert anyone to my presence quite yet. I was expecting to run into Kabuto, or someone similar, but I never did. I just moved through the underground chambers like a phantom, undetected and unnoticed. I think I ended up seven levels underground before I found him. Sasuke. He was standing in the middle of a huge round room, staring at my impassively, as if he somehow knew I was coming that day.”

“He didn’t say anything, just stared. It unnerved me, but I didn’t let that show. I told him to come back with me, repeating the same words I had said the day he left. Told him it wasn’t too late to make things right. He just stared.”

“I knew that if I didn’t get him to come with me that day, I wouldn’t have another chance. Tsunade was no fool, she had told us all about Orochimaru’s plans to make Sasuke’s body his own. She stressed the importance of making sure that didn’t happen, even if it meant killing Sasuke. This was my final opportunity.”

Naruto’s eyes pinched closed again, and he massaged his temple, wincing as if remembering caused him some sort of pain. “Sorry Kakashi, I’m dragging this story out more than necessary, aren’t I?”

Kakashi smiled kindly, though it was hard to tell from beneath his mask. “Mah Naruto, you are good at telling stories. I have lots of time to listen, and I am quite curious to know what happens next.”

Naruto allowed his red eyes to slip open slowly, and he perked up. “I have an idea, I can show you what happened there instead, it is much easier that way. It gets very hard to explain emotions after a while, I am not used to doing so...” Naruto grinned sheepishly.

Kakashi blinked at Naruto with his one eye. “Show me how?”

Naruto continued grinning and reached out with one hand. He let his hand rest on Kakashi’s temple, and they both started as the surroundings changed around them. “It’s a memory jutsu, more often used when information needs to be gathered from an unconscious or injured ninja. Just watch.” Naruto watched everything morph around them.

====begin flashback===

The room was built of cool stone, the air chilly and dry. Sand dusted the floor, shifting only slightly as an orange and black glad figure walked through the huge double doors which served as an entrance to the chamber.

A lone figure stood in the very centre of the room, gazing emptily at the new addition to the room. His dark hair was spiked in the back, gleaming despite the thick coat of sand that lingered in the air.

Naruto glanced at the darker man, taking in the sight of the ivory skin displayed by the open shirt he sported. The man seemed perfectly at ease wearing such open clothing, despite the obvious chill in the air.

“Sasuke...” Naruto whispered, his blue eyes widening a fraction.

Sasuke stared at Naruto, not saying a word. His coal eyes didn’t even appear to focus on the blonde in front of him.

“Sasuke, you need to come back with me. Back to Konoha.” Naruto stated, taking a few steps forward. “Orochimaru is going to take over your body tonight Sasuke, we need to leave now. It’s not too late to come back, the people in Konoha will be very understanding about it.” Naruto reached out for Sasuke, who was for his part still staring at Naruto with no expression.

The silence that had fallen over the room suddenly broke as a bland chuckle echoed in it. Sasuke’s face was twisted in what could have been considered a grin, albeit a sadistic one more along the lines of a sneer.

“Naruto, you fool,” He spat. “I have no intention of returning to Konoha. Not now, not ever. Orochimaru has given me what no one in that pathetic village could, power. I am stronger now than I ever have been, as strong as Itachi if not more. And you wish for me to go back to the place that held me back? I think not.” He was smirking now, slapping Naruto’s outstretched hand away.

“Sasuke...c’mon. Do you really think that Orochimaru wants to help you? You’ve got to be out of your mind if you think that. He wants you to get strong so that when he takes over your body he will be unstoppable. He never wanted to aid you in your revenge.”

Sasuke glared at Naruto. “Oh, and I’m sure your Hokage told you that, did she?” he snarled out.

“Tsunade has no reason to lie about Orochimaru’s plans! Not to me!” Naruto ground out, fixing Sasuke with a disapproving look. “Why do you find it so hard to believe that you are being used?”

“Don’t you get it Naruto? I am almost as strong as Orochimaru himself! He will not be able to take over my body, because I am simply too powerful for that now.”

“No, you’re wrong about that Sasuke.” Naruto grimaced. “You aren’t as strong as him. He has only shown you a fraction of his power. He would never risk letting you get that strong. If you can defect against your own village, he has no doubts that you would turn on him too.”

“Orochimaru is right to be wary of me. Maybe you should take a lesson from that too. Why do you insist on tracking me down, trying to bring me back? You’re weak. If you were smart you would simply kill me. I am a missing nin, and a traitor to your village. I have no doubts that Tsunade has ordered my death already. So what is stopping you Naruto?”

Naruto seemed to pause, thinking about it for a second. “Friendship.” Was all he said.

“Friendship?” Sasuke spat, looking very dissatisfied by the answer. “You think after two years I am still your friend? I don’t think so Naruto, I never was your friend to begin with. You were a nuisance, a pest. One I couldn’t be rid of no matter how hard I tried.”

“If I wasn’t a friend, then why didn’t you kill me in the Valley of the End, when we last fought. Why not then Sasuke? If I was only a pest, why didn’t you simple exterminate me when you had the chance?”

“There is no glory in killing someone unable to fight any longer. I wanted to kill you while you were conscious. While you were able to look into my eyes and see my hatred of you.” He shot back, snarling.

Naruto smiled softly, looking at the ground before meeting Sasuke’s eyes. “Liar.” Was all he said.

“Excuse me? How dare you!” Sasuke shouted at Naruto, storming forward. He grabbed the blonde’s collar, lifting him off the ground and leaning in close he sneered. “I.am.not.a.liar.” he emphasized each word with a shake.

Naruto’s smile didn’t fade, even as he was jerked around. “Yes, you are.”

Sasuke growled and tossed Naruto at one of the walls, a cloud of sand and dust rising from where Naruto landed. “What makes you think that Naruto? What makes you think I was ever your friend?”

Naruto stood up, brushing himself off and coughing a bit. When the dust settled and he was able to take his sleeve away from his nose he met Sasuke’s eyes. “Because you were waiting for me.”

This seemed to catch Sasuke off guard. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped himself.

“Don’t deny that Sasuke. You were waiting for me. You have been every day since you left. Waiting for me to come and get you, to give you an excuse to come back to Konoha without it seeming like you gave up. “

“Thats not true.” Sasuke stated weakly.

“Yes, it is. From the moment you’ve left, you knew you made a mistake. As soon as you got to Orochimaru’s first hideout, and realized that you would only progress when he said you could, you’ve wanted to leave this place. Because inside, you know that you can’t thrive in an environment when someone else is in control. I respect that.”

“Why are you really here Naruto?” Sasuke muttered, sounding unsure of himself.

“I am here to bring home a friend.” Naruto smiled at Sasuke, walking over to him. “Do you want to know the real truth, Sasuke? The real reason I never gave up on trying to find you?”

Sasuke didn’t recoil from Naruto as he approached; he was too transfixed on the blonde as he moved forward gracefully. “Why, Naruto? Why didn’t you just leave things alone?”

Naruto finally reached Sasuke, standing only a few inches away. “Because I loved you too much to let you give up on yourself.” And without waiting another second, Naruto pressed his lips to Sasuke’s, stunning the raven long enough to reach up and hit a pressure point on his neck.

Sasuke collapsed, falling into Naruto’s waiting arms. He was shifted so that it was easier for Naruto to support his weight, and without a second thought, he was being ran out of the barren hideaway, across the desert, and straight to Konoha.

The whole time, Sasuke had a barely noticeable smile on his face.

===End Flashback===

Kakashi and Naruto both stood still as the atmosphere around them changed. The last of the memory melted away, and they both stood silent beside eachother, Naruto’s hand falling to his side.

It was a moment before either one spoke, and it was Kakashi who broke the silence. “Well, that makes sense. Why you two were suddenly so close when he was brought back. The two of you were both very terse with each other still, but everyone could tell that something had occurred between you before he was brought back. Now i know what it was.” Kakashi’s eye turned into an upwards curve.

Naruto glanced at Kakashi. “You seem to be taking this rather well...”

“Well, you see, we all had a bet going before Sasuke took off you know. A bet on how long it would take for the two of you to smarten up and get together.” He had the decency to look sheepish.

“What?! You guys were all making bets on my love life? A love life that probably didn’t even stand a chance at actually becoming a reality?” Naruto gave him a look.

“Well, once Sasuke left, we all opted out of the bet...” Kakashi glanced around. “So you’ve covered the very beginning of the story. But there is still quite a bit missing. I still don’t know why you left, you accomplished your goal of bringing Sasuke back and you two were getting along great. So what happened?”

Naruto stared at Kakashi in silence for a minute.

“Itachi.”

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Phew, done a chapter. Well, I was going to continue but it is almost five in the morning and I am doing laundry (don’t ask why I am doing it so early or in my case late seeing as I have yet to sleep.) Anyways, sorry for such a boring chapter, i just figured I would start getting into what happened since people keeping asking. Anyways, now you have something.

Also, since i understand my updating is rather iffy, I have decided to start up a mailing list to let those interested know when I have added a new chapter. This way you are not required to try and hunt down the chapter yourself, but will be informed of an update and given the link to it as soon as it is uploaded.

If you are interested in being on the mailing list, just leave your email in a review or drop me a line at baby_bat0323@hotmail.com.

Oh, and don't forget to let me know what couples should be involved in this story! ;)