What Dreams May Come.

Warning Yaoi(boy x boy relationships) don’t read if you don’t like.



AN: Much love to everyone reading this fic. I was planning on ending it soon but…I got new inspiration for additional plot so the story will go on. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.



What Dreams May Come



Chapter Eighteen



Itachi laughed at the ridiculously retarded joke that Kisame recounted as they sat in the club owner’s sound proof office, enjoying each other’s company along with a very expensive bottle of Scotch. After Naruto and his brother left The Crimson Cloud, Itachi had retired with Kisame to his office. Despite the obviously eccentric personality of the blue haired man, his office was very spacious and tasteful with none of the garish interior one would expect from the owner of an insanely popular club.



“Did you know that Naruto was my brother’s teacher?” laughed Itachi.



“Isn’t that taboo?” Itachi nodded



“He had Sasuke transferred to a different class so he could continue to see him without risking the wrath of the university.”



“I think it would be more fun to see each other under the nose of the University.” Kisame quipped. Grabbing the bottle of Scotch, he leaned over to refill Itachi’s empty glass.



“Kisame, are you trying to get me drunk?” Itachi smiled as Kisame refilled the snifter.



“Only if you want me to.”



“Maybe I…” Itachi trailed off the sentence as his cell phone rang. The caller ID stated that it was Shuriken General Hospital. For a moment his heart stopped. Why would a hospital be calling him?



“Uchiha Itachi speaking.”



“Uchiha-san, I’m calling to notify you that your name was listed as the ‘in case of emergency’ in the cell phone of Uchiha Sasuke. I’m afraid that Uchiha-san has been in a serious accident. We need you to come down and fill out the paperwork necessary for his care.” Itachi’s heart, which had stopped when he saw the ID, restarted with a vengeance.



“I’ll be right there.” Itachi was surprised that his voice didn’t crack as he received directions from the nurse.



“Itachi? Is something wrong?”



“Sasuke’s been in an accident. I need to go to the hospital.” Itachi stood quickly and swayed a little as he walked determinedly towards the door. A hand on his shoulder stopped him from opening it.



“I can’t let you drive; you’ve had too much to drink.”



“There is no fucking way you are keeping me from my brother.” said Itachi in a voice so could that it could freeze a lake.



“I know, let me call my driver.” Picking up the office phone, Kisame spoke quietly into the receiver. His eyes never left Itachi, who looked as if he was losing a battle to remain calm. His skin, naturally pale, was an almost pasty color. It was his eyes, however, that tore at Kisame’s heart. They were so cold as if he had already given up.



“The car is pulling around the back. Follow me.” Kisame led the two of them through to the rear exit.



A black sedan pulled up and both men climbed into the back seat. Itachi stared blankly out the window as rain began to drizzle, almost as if the sky was crying in his stead. The thick, heavy sense of dread was all too familiar. It was the same he felt the night that he had sat in the waiting room the night his parents died. It was fitting that he should now be doing it for his baby brother. Was he cursed to watch those he loved die before his eyes?



“I’m sure he’s fine.” Kisame sighed when Itachi failed to acknowledge the attempt at comfort. He wasn’t sure why he felt drawn to this man more than any other. Kisame had never had an interest in men but this man intrigued him.



The drive was surprisingly short and Itachi stepped from the car as it pulled underneath the awning in front of the hospital. As far as hospitals went, this one was fairly young, having only opened its doors to patients five years ago.



The minute Itachi strode through the automatic doors, he was assaulted with the sterile smell that came with all medical facilities. Memories of that smell engulfed him and for a moment he stood frozen. A hand on his shoulder brought him back into the present.



“You O.K?”



“Yea…” Itachi walked towards the information desk. It seemed like a mile, the heaviness of dread weighing down his legs and slowing time.



“May I help you?” smiled the young lady at the desk. Itachi swallowed hard, attempting to loosen the knot that seemed to have lodged itself in his throat.



“I’m here about Uchiha Sasuke. I’m his brother, Itachi.”



“One moment.” she smiled and began to type in the information into the computer. After several seconds, she looked up with a compassionate gleam in her eye.



“Uchiha-san was taken to surgery a few minutes ago. I’ll have the operating room nurse notified that his family is waiting for any news.”



“Thank you.” Itachi turned to leave the desk.



“One moment, Uchiha-san. Uchiha Sasuke was brought in with another man. Uzumaki Naruto. Would you happen to know if there is anyone we can contact about the accident?”



“I…how is he?”



“He’ll be fine; no ‘in case of emergency’ number was listed so we will have to wait until he wakes up. It looks like he was just knocked unconscious. No visible injuries were found.”



“Where is he?”



“He’s still here in the emergency room. The doctors are only going to observe him for a few hours, and then he’ll be released.”



“May I see him?” Itachi needed to know what happened and Naruto looked like the best source.



“Of course, follow me to the observation room. I’ll come get you if there is any news on your brother.” The nurse led Itachi and Kisame through a set of double doors and down a cold sterile hallway. Knocking lightly on the door, she peaked inside before opening the door for Itachi. Smiling, the nurse made her way back to the front desk.



Itachi walked slowly inside. The lights were dim but Itachi could make out the shock of bright blonde hair on the bed. Pulling up one of the two chairs in the room, Itachi settled himself at the bedside of Naruto and watched each rise and fall of his chest. If he focused all his attention on that one little thing, maybe he wouldn’t think about Sasuke and the fact that he could very well be losing his little brother.



Naruto was dreaming…or maybe he was awake. Everything felt fuzzy and unclear as if a haze had been pulled over his senses. Here he stood before the great beast once more but instead of striking a menacing pose it simply slouched where it sat.



“Kyuubi?” Naruto felt light headed, like he could barely focus. Rubbing his temples, Naruto attempted to focus through the haze.



‘Could you live without Sasuke if you had to?’ Instead of the rumbling voice of a great and powerful beast, the voice seemed almost like a lost child seeking comfort.



“What do you mean?” Naruto was suddenly thrown into awareness. He didn’t like the direction that this conversation was going.



‘Truthfully, could you live without him?’



Naruto bowed his head. This was just a dream so there was nothing to be afraid of. “No.” The words were a whisper but they echoed through the room.



Kyuubi sighed and curled into a large ball of fur in his cage. Naruto ran to the bars and stared inside.



“You need to wake up Naruto.” Kyuubi closed his eyes forced Naruto into awareness.



Naruto blinked a few times as his eyes focused on the room. Pristine white walls and ceiling greeted his gaze. Where was he? Then the memories rushed back with the force of a hurricane.



“Sasuke!” gasped Naruto.



Naruto sat up, grunting slightly at the pain in his head. Where was Sasuke? Glancing around the room, his eyes widened to see a very pale Itachi at his bedside.



“You’re awake.” Itachi stated.



“Where’s Sasuke?” snarled Naruto.



“Surgery. They will tell me when he’s out.” The emotionless tone of Itachi’s voice chilled Naruto to his very core.



“Itachi, is he going to be alright?” Naruto knew he sounded like a lost child but he needed this comfort. He had to believe that he would be alright.



Itachi stared into blue orbs. No longer were they bright and cheerful. Itachi felt his heart freeze once more in his chest. There was desperation in these blue eyes. ‘Please Sasuke, you need to live for him. I don’t understand what he is to you but you need to live for him.’



“I don’t know, Naruto.”



“I’m not letting him go.” Grabbing the room phone, Naruto dialed information before.



“Information, how may I help you?”



“Sannin Jiraiya.”



“One moment.” The line went silent then began to ring. It rang for what seemed like an eternity. Naruto was about to hang up when a very sleepy voice answered.



“Hello?”



“B-Baa-chan?” Naruto was afraid his eyes were going to pop out of their sockets.



“Naruto?”



“Baa-chan, I need you. Sasuke’s hurt really bad. We are at Shuriken General.”



“Naruto, are you hurt?” The concern in her voice gave him a small amount of comfort.



“No, just please hurry, baa-chan. I’m afraid…I’m afraid I might lose him again.”



“Naruto, I’m on my way.” Naruto hung up the phone and slumped on the bed. The last traces of pain from the accident were fading. Only the extreme hunger that always followed massive healing remained.



A knock on the door drew the eyes of all three occupants of the room. A very tired looking doctor, dressed in green scrubs stepped through the door. Itachi stood up as the doctor approached.



“Uchiha-san, your brother has been moved to the intensive care unit where we will monitor him but I must warn you that his prognosis isn’t good. We had to remove his spleen and a small portion of his liver. A broken rib punctured his lung and his hips and legs were crushed in the impact. If he does make it, he will require several surgeries as well as intensive physical therapy. There is nothing more we can do but wait. I shouldn’t say this, but I am surprised he is still with us. It‘s very rare for people to survive such injuries and blood loss.”



“Can I see him?” asked Naruto.



“And you are?” asked the doctor.



“He’s my brother’s partner and we both want to be with Sasuke.”



“Very well, I’ll call and let the ICU nurses know to let you both in. Only you two though. Hospital policy only allows two visitors to ICU.”



“Thank you.” Itachi thanked the doctor and helped Naruto to his feet. The blonde swayed a little but latched onto Itachi as they both made their way to the fourth floor of the hospital. Kisame opted to check out the cafeteria while the two sat with Sasuke.



The nurses buzzed the two inside and pointed to the room where Sasuke lay.



Naruto nearly crumpled to the ground at the sight. The room was filled with machines. Sasuke’s chest rose and fell with the pumping of one machine while his heart rate beeped on another.



“Sasuke…” whispered the blonde.



Naruto made his way past Itachi and knelt by the bedside. Laying his head beside Sasuke’s, Naruto linked their hands and prepared himself to die with him. There would be no more suicide attempts. He would simply die. He wasn’t afraid. Kyuubi wouldn’t stop him this time. In the past, he had blamed Kyuubi for keeping him alive but truthfully, he hadn’t really wanted it. A small part of him held back. It was as if Sasuke was telling him, I want you to live.



Things were different now. He felt different. Now he could go quietly with Sasuke. He felt himself drift once more into his mind. Calm overset him as he stepped before the cage and smiled at the fox.



“Thank you, Kyuubi.”



“Naruto…”



Saying no more, Naruto reached up and grasped the seal that his father had placed on him so long ago. Ripping it away, Naruto stared as the bars faded as if they were never there.



“You’re free Kyuubi. I’m going to fade with Sasuke. I didn’t want you to die as well. I’ve severed our link. I don’t know how much time I have but I want to spend it with Sasuke.”



Kyuubi’s eye’s widened. Never before had Naruto offered this. Why hadn’t he done this before? Then it occurred to Kyuubi. Before, though his love was great, he hadn’t truly wanted to die. He’d wanted Kyuubi to save him. He’d wanted to live. This was different. Closing his eyes, the great fox let loose a howl of agony.



Naruto opened his eyes once more and gazed at the bruised face of his beloved. Linking their fingers, Naruto whispered to Sasuke.



“It’s alright if you don’t want to fight. Wherever you go, I’ll follow you.” Closing his eyes, he felt the bond he shared with Sasuke tighten. It was like a physical link between the two. Their heart beats and breathing synchronized.



The heart rate on the monitor began to beat irregularly. Sasuke’s fingers tightened in Naruto’s grip before going limp. Alarms started going off but Naruto heard nothing. The only thing he was focused on was his bond with Sasuke. Nurses rushed into the room but he heard none of it. He felt himself begin to drift. Clenching even tighter to Sasuke, Naruto closed his eyes.



“Thank you everyone.” he whispered before his heart stopped at the same moment as Sasuke’s.



The room froze. It was as if someone hit the pause button while watching a movie. Stepping from the shadows, a young man with flaming red hair that fell to his waist in nine links walked into the frozen room. Dressed in loose black pants and a white yukata, the stunning man seemed to focus only on the two souls at the bed. As he walked the length of the room, the shadow that clung to the wall was that of a beast, nine tails flailing in a wild dance. Sad, red eyes gazed on the scene with mournful agony. This is not what he wanted to see.



Stepping to the bedside, Kyuubi looked down on the young Uchiha. Pale, almost translucent skin was covered in lacerations and bruises. His soul was attached to the body by a mere thread that was waiting to be cut. In moments that thread would break and there would be no saving him.



“Such is the fate of mortals.”



“Mother.” Kyuubi turned to gaze on the kind face of his mother.



“Heaven and Hell, Fire and Ice, Life and Death, it all leads back to me and yet even I have no power over the heart. Such an interesting individual, your human Naruto. He gives so much of himself and yet asks for so little. With one small act, he defied fate.” The pale woman approached the bedside.



“Who are you, Uzumaki Naruto, that you tear loose the thread I gave you and made your own?” she smiled as she ran sharp nails through golden locks.



“He is the number one shinobi at surprising people.” laughed Kyuubi before facing his mother. “Is there still time to make my choice?”



“Little fox, do you care so much for your human?”



“I do.”



“Then give me your hand.” She took their joined hands and placed them over Sasuke’s heart.



The room crackled with the energy that was forced through the raven’s body. The thread of life strengthened and tied his soul more tightly to his body.



Kyuubi slumped and was cradled in his mother’s arms. He was reminded of when he was a kit. Her arms were always so warm and he felt as if nothing could ever harm him.



“This child and his lover are my gift to you, little fox. I have woven for them a new fate, but though they are free of the bindings of the past, their future is their own to make. It will be full of trials and suffering but the rewards will be all the sweeter. It is time to return home, little fox.” Fate smiled down at her son.



“Home?” he whispered longingly.



“Rest, little fox.” coaxed Fate.



Taking Kyuubi in her arms, Fate looked one last time at the two lovers whose fates were now intricately wrapped around each other. She made a wish that they would use this gift wisely before fading into nothing.



The room started up again and nurses froze where they stood. Almost as if on cue, Sasuke’s heart restarted and his breathing, aided by the machine, eased. Naruto opened his eyes to see a nurse walk over to check the machines, while another began to manually check vital signs.



‘What happened?’ thought Naruto as he slumped beside Sasuke’s bed. He knew he was dying. He’d felt his heart stop. Did Sasuke not want to die?



‘Kyuubi?’ asked Naruto cautiously. There was no answer. Placing his hand on his chest, Naruto gasped at the emptiness he felt inside. It was as if an intricate part of his body was missing. He knew that by freeing the beast he could possibly be releasing him on the world but it wasn’t fair to force him to die.



“We need you two to leave while we check him over.” said one of the nurses.



“I’m not leaving him again.”



Itachi grabbed Naruto’s arm and forcibly pulled the blond from the room and out to the corridor. Naruto slumped against the white wall and stared at the door to the ICU. If something was happening to Sasuke, then he wanted to be there.



“Naruto!” Naruto looked up to see Tsunade and Jiraiya barreling down the hallway.



Moment’s later, Naruto was engulfed in a bear hug with the busty blonde. He struggled for a moment before relaxing in the embrace. It was Jiraiya who spoke first.



“Naruto, what happened?”



“A driver swerved into our lane. Sasuke is in ICU. Something happened and they made us leave.” Naruto pulled away and began to pace the hall. Jiraiya joined him speaking quietly to the obviously distraught man.



Tsunade pressed the call button on the ICU door and awaited answer. The nurse buzzed her in and Tsunade made her way towards Sasuke’s room, where three nurses were crowded around the bedside.



“Out! He’s obviously stabilized; there shouldn’t be more than one of you in here.” Tsunade growled and the nurses jumped and made their way out of the room.



Tsunade pulled a chair up beside Sasuke and cupped his hand, sending the tiniest tendril of chakra into his system. After a few minutes she smiled and patted the hand affectionately before making her way back to Naruto.



Naruto raced towards her as she stepped out of the ICU.



“Well?” Naruto asked and Itachi, who had been watching the entire scene quietly, approached the woman as well.



“His heart rate and respirations have stabilized. The internal injuries to his organs are healing nicely but I do fear he has a very long road ahead of him as far as his legs and hips are concerned. He should be waking up in a few hours. They will probably take him off the respirator then.”



“He was dying a few minutes ago and now he’s fine?” Naruto asked incredulously.



“Well he’s not fine but he will live. Naruto walk with me.” said Tsunade, before strolling down the hall.



“I sent some of my chakra into him to see how bad the damage was. There were obvious signs of trauma but it looked as if was older than a few hours and healing. His legs are another story. They remind me a lot of Rock Lee’s injuries after the chunin exams.”



“Can’t you fix them like you did Lee’s?”



“His chakra pathways are so underdeveloped that I could barely get my chakra in to look around. There is no way that chakra healing is going to help him. This time we will have to rely on modern medicine.” Tsunade sighed.



“Baa-chan, I released Kyuubi”



“What do you mean?” she gasped.



“I mean I thought Sasuke was dying so I tore off the seal and was going to die with him.” Naruto pulled up his shirt and Tsunade laid a hand over the black tattoo on his abdomen.



She sent her chakra into the mark but got no response. Glancing frantically towards Jiraiya, Tsunade lowered the shirt.



“He’s not there?”



Naruto shook his head and began to make his way back to where Itachi and Jiraiya were speaking quietly. Naruto buzzed the ICU and once again took his place at Sasuke’s side. Kyuubi could take care of himself and though he would miss the beast, he knew that it was for the best that they were parted.



The hours passed and Naruto only left his lover’s side to eat. He wouldn’t even have done that but Tsunade threatened much pain if he didn’t replace his lost energy. Itachi only left to make a few calls before returning. The two of them kept vigil at Sasuke’s bedside.



A panicked gasp brought Naruto out of a light doze. Rushing to the bedside, Naruto gazed down into frightened obsidian eyes as hands reached up to pull at the tube that was down his throat.



A doctor walked in and saw Naruto holding Sasuke’s hands down to keep them away from the tube.



“It’s alright, Sasuke. I’m going to take out this tube now.” smiled the doctor. “When I start to pull it out, I need to you breathe out alright.”



Sasuke nodded and soon the tube was out of his throat. Sasuke lay gasping for a few moments and soon the panicked look in his eyes faded. Naruto brought a cup of cool water and Sasuke sipped at the liquid that eased the burning left in his throat by the tube.



“I…” Sasuke began but his throat didn’t want to cooperate with him.



“Don’t talk Sasuke. Just rest. I won’t leave you.” Sasuke nodded at the words and relaxed into the touch of Naruto’s fingers in his hair.



“I didn’t tell you this before but…I love you Sasuke.” whispered Naruto as he buried his face in Sasuke’s neck.



“Idiot.” whispered Sasuke before drifting back into oblivion.



TBC~



Thank you to Bluesake, msuzumaki, Sigart, Zafirya, Dacedarrien, satterb, sadie237, guitarmania07, Pixie, Nickles, KingCobra, vivpiv, BumbleBee, and XZanayu.



Come on guys, you didn’t really think I would kill off Sasuke. I mean I just got them together again. I was going to end the story here but…Akiruchan and I talked and I got new inspiration to the story so it will last for a little while longer. I’m sure you all are wondering how Sasuke will handle the physical trials of his injuries as well as wtf happened to Kyuubi. All that will be answered in future chapters so don’t worry.