Rehab

Yay finally got around to editing this! I'm working on To Woo A Prince at the moment chapter two is off to beta while three is just getting started. I'm working on a one shot for a dear friend, So....yeah...I'm spread just a little thin hopeful October will be filled with updates from me!!

-To Remember Is To Forget-

To say that Haruno Sakura was a bit… apprehensive was an understatement. It was six’ o clock in the evening and she’d left her home at nine that morning. With that time she’d gone to four classes and attended cheer practices, only to come back to find her couch still occupied by a slumbering blond. Sai had suggested that Sakura take Naruto back to her cozy little one bedroom instead of his own. Naruto could not be left alone to his own devices for long, and leaving him was just asking for trouble! Yet as stated before, she was beyond the point of concern. For Naruto had not moved since the moment he’d fallen asleep the night before. Yes, he was breathing, she checked every thirty minutes since retuning home. Normally when Naruto came over he was gone before lunch time, yet he still remained.

Trembling ivory hands slid though glossy satin pink strands, her aqua painted nails glistening in the overhead light as she sat on her polished wooden coffee table overlooking Naruto. Sakura had known the teen for what felt like ages, but was no longer than the middle of their junior year in high school. They hit it off nicely; Naruto was the goofy kid in the back of the room, always slacking off, and smoking weed behind the math department building. She’d only written it off as boys being boys and nothing more. If she had known it would spiral out of control and turn into something so ugly, she would have done more. What she would have done didn’t matter, just that she had done something to save her friend.

So…she was frantic, waiting the long painstaking minutes for when the doorbell would ring. The answer to her prayers would be on the other side of the door. Shifting around in her tan Dixie’s, her black polo shirt neatly tucked in around her waist showing her brand new black studded belt; her green Starbucks apron left by the door awaiting the journey that would take place soon. Sakura knew the basics when it came to Naruto’s past. She knew that when the blond was only eleven years old his parents had died in a train accident. Some impatient lunatic had tried to beat the train, only to hit the gas a few moments late. Naruto’s parents had been two of the hundreds that died that day. She knew Naruto had been put into foster care, and passed around like a rousing game of hot potato.

The young man always suffered from low self esteem, as while as high levels of depression. He hid his pain well; by amusing others and smiling like nothing was wrong. Sadly Sakura would have to admit, that even now after three in a half years of friendship she still didn’t know Naruto’s real smiles from his fake ones. Though there was one thing you could always count on. Naruto truly didn’t have anyone to depend on; he was alone and had to fend from himself, or so Sakura thought. There had been a week during their senior year when Naruto had been viciously beaten by a group of jocks due to Naruto’s sexual preference. Naruto was then absent the following week; no one knew where he went or if he planned on coming back. Later Naruto returned, light hearted, bruise free, and with a smile on his face. The next day every boy responsible for beating up Naruto was put into the hospital for various reasons. Sakura had nagged, and begged, and pleaded to be told where Naruto had gone, and if he knew what had happened to those losers.

Naruto would only grin and say he was with someone who cared. It wasn’t a good enough answer for Sakura, so she went to Naruto’s foster home after school to see a car parked out front that she’d never seen before. That was the night she’d met who Naruto had been speaking about. It would seem Naruto wasn’t as alone as everyone thought. He had someone, an older cousin, who looked out for him. Checked to make sure he was doing well in school, staying out of trouble, and that he was placed with kind and understanding foster parents. He was a bit of a weirdo himself, but when the two were together you couldn’t help but fall in love with them. Sakura had never met him before simply because Naruto’s cousin was attending college out of the city, though he returned when Naruto had told him what happened. It would seem that it was during his visit the bullies had met their fate and ended up in the hospital.

The doorbell startled Sakura from her thoughts; blinking, she looked over at Naruto; he made no signs of responding. Frowning, she rose up and headed over to the door, pausing only a moment to check her hair and make-up. Sure this little house call had been about Naruto, but that didn’t mean she had to ease down her game now did it? Of course not, Naruto’s cousin was one hot college man! Her fingers gripped the door knob, and with a light twist she pulled the door open to be greeted by the older man.

“Hey…long time no see, huh Sakura?” His voice was honey, rich and sweet.

There was no stopping the blush that flared across her face, as vibrant green eyes gazed into hypnotic pools of hazel blue. The air conditioned hallway caused the wild platinum blond bangs to blow over his bronze skin, and a bold smirk rested on his lips. He was dressed casually with pressed gray slacks and white button up, the top buttons open exposing his skin. Taking a deep cleansing breath, Sakura found herself smiling.

“Tell me about it, though it’s always good to see you Deidara.”

He chuckled as Sakura stepped to the side allowing the other to enter her home. He moved with practiced elegance and grace, and Sakura found herself wondering if Naruto would one day grow up to be as mature as Deidara was. Deidara always said the blonds in their family normally went through an awkward phase when growing up. They tended to mellow out once they got older. He claimed to have been no better than Naruto at that age, maybe even a bit worse. Glancing at sleeping beauty, drooling all over her velvet sofa pillows, she could hardly envision Naruto having any amount of grace at all!

“So… you called me…I’m assuming about sleeping druggie over here.” Deidara shoved a thumb over in Naruto’s direction.

Shaking her head in order to clear her thoughts, Sakura moved forward to stand by the towering blond.

“He looks better than he did the other night…”

“I can imagine… the kid’s always been a quick healer.”

“What are we going to do about him Deidara; if he keeps this up he’ll die!”

“I know…and I don’t like this anymore than you do. Talking to him isn’t enough anymore. I’ve tried that until the point I lost my voice, beating sense into him doesn’t work…so I had to ask for some help.”

Sakura’s eyes left Naruto in order to send Deidara a confused expression; “Help…”

“I have a friend…his name is Tobi. He’s a really cool guy, annoying as fuck, but a good guy. He got into some bad shit, really fucked him up ya know...”

Deidara’s only visible eye shifted toward his left, and seeing a nod from Sakura he continued.

“I ran into him a month back, and I didn’t even know him ya know…he was like a completely different person! We hang out from time to time; he’s busy with work and me with school. Though I just had to know what happened.”

Sakura reclaimed her sit on her coffee table while Deidara took one of the arm chairs placed by the sofa.

“Did Tobi tell you?”

Deidara smirked nodding his head, “Said he went to rehab. He just couldn’t handle everything anymore…he was sick with the world and himself. He knew he couldn’t do it alone so he checked himself in and changed his life... been clean ever since.”

Sakura’s eyes widened, “You want to send Naruto to rehab!?”

Looking over towards her he glared, “I don’t want to send him…I am sending him.”

With a snort of disbelief, Sakura shook her head. “Naruto’s not going to rehab…you and I both know that. Sai’s talked to Naruto too many times to count about getting him some help. Naruto just screams he doesn’t need help, because he doesn’t have a problem.”

Silence filled the room shortly after. Rehab…like the idea had never come up before. When Naruto first started to show signs of becoming out of control, they began to search for a rehab center. They tried talking Naruto into it until both Sakura and Sai were blue in the face. Sai even went as far as to gag and throw a tied up Naruto into the car and drive him there. That ended with two broken back windows, a busted tail light, and Naruto hating him for a month. Uzumaki Naruto was not going to go to rehab, that much was clear. So where did Deidara get off on saying that was the magic answer! Plus rehab never worked anyway, it was a waste of thousands of dollars and someone else’s time. Most centers kept a patient for a month then sent them back out into a drug filled world again! So what was the point? No; they had to handle this themselves; they couldn’t rely on someone who didn’t even know Naruto. Someone who was paid to make him feel like everything was all better and great. Look at celebrities! Hell, they went to rehab so much you’d think it was a damn vacation resort with a revolving door!

“He’ll go.” Sakura glared.

“I’m telling you…Naruto will have nothing to do with it!”

“With all due respect Sakura, I know you and Sai care about my cousin deeply. Though you have to understand, you met Naruto in what…your third year of high school and Sai his freshmen year of college? I don’t think you have a right to say what he will, or will not do. I’ve know Naruto since birth, and I think I’m entitled to say I know him a hell of a lot better than the two of you. Naruto will be going.”

Shocked by the harsh words Sakura shot up, storming over toward the calm blond looking back at her. She was beyond angry, she was fucking livid! Yes Deidara looked after Naruto and paid his bills when Naruto couldn’t. But after high school, where was Deidara then huh? Gone away at school dealing with his own life while Naruto was forced into Sakura’s care! Not that she minded it, she was happy to be there on the nights Naruto cried himself to sleep. But where the fucked did he get off saying shit like that to her!

“Fuck you!” The curse left her tongue with great harshness.

“So you’ve known him longer than me, that doesn’t mean shit Deidara and you know it! Where the fuck where you when he was throwing up in back alleys huh?! I know where I was, holding back his hair! Were you there when the hallucinations kicked in and Naruto was seeing his dead parents, huh? No! But I was there holding him as he cried! What about the tremors, or the chills then sudden sweating, the times he could have died in the fucking club from dehydration! WHERE WERE YOU ON THE NIGHTS HE WAS RAPED JUST SO HE COULD HAVE ANOTHER FIX?! WHERE THE FUCK WHERE YOU DEIDARA!”

Throughout Sakura’s out rage, her voice had grown in volume, her body shaking from her anger, tears racing down her cheeks, her face flushed. He had no right! He just didn’t have a right to say that. He was ashamed of the person his cousin had become, and chose to abandon him on someone else. Only showing up when it suited his needs. So no! No, he was not entitled to say he knew Naruto better, he might have known the old Naruto. The carefree, drug free Naruto, but this new one...

Oh no. He was all Sakura’s and she’d be damned if she’d let someone take him away without having a say in the matter.

Deidara to his own right had remained calm during the out burst, Naruto hadn’t stirred but they could hear him breathing, or maybe that was Sakura’s panting voice. He raised him and moved towards her. She stiffened when he pulled her close and hugged her body flush against his own strong frame. Sakura had never yelled at Deidara, not once! When Naruto asked why his cousin never called anymore, she covered for him, saying he was busy with school. When he never returned phone calls, sent birthday cards, visited, Sakura always covered for him. She was tired now, God she was so tired and she couldn’t fight this battle alone. One day Naruto would end up dead in the damn club he loved so much, it was her greatest fear. She and Sai could only do so much…

Deidara rubbed her back, letting Sakura lean into the touch, her tears soaking into his shirt though Deidara showed no signs of caring.

He whispered against the shell of her ear, “Do you know why…I avoid him?”

Sakura was too weak to answer so her grip onto the back of his shirt served as her answer.

Taking a deep breath for himself, he spoke, “Because…I made him.”

Sakura didn’t understand, she pulled back looking at him with puzzled eyes.

Deidara couldn’t find it in himself to meet that tearful gaze so he looked away in shame.

“When my aunt and uncle died, the best part of Naruto died with them. He was slowly sinking into a pit of despair and I so badly wanted to free him from it. So…I… asked him to hang out with some friends of mine, and well Naruto…he was young and didn’t know any better. It wasn’t anything big, just a bit of weed. But he was so much fun to be around. He was the Naruto I knew from our younger years.”

Sakura couldn’t believe it; or more like she didn’t want to believe. Was Deidara really saying he was the one who got Naruto hooked on drugs!?

“I just wanted my cousin back…that’s all. Though…hanging out with me and my friends as we got older proved to be dangerous for him. By the time I really noticed what was going on, Naruto was already hooked. He met the wrong people. People I’d always thought were my friends, but shit the stuff he was taking. Things I hadn’t even messed with. I tried to cut it off…tired to stop it…but he was in too deep. Once again I’d lost my cousin, though this time it was my own fault.”

Sakura’s knees gave out, if it hadn’t been for Deidara holding her; she would have dropped to the floor. He set her down in the chair her eyes dazed, her mind soaking up the information provided to her. It all made sense now, Deidara’s sudden withdrawal from Naruto’s life. He wasn’t ashamed of his cousin. He was guilty about his cousin! He couldn’t face the fact Naruto’s life style was his own doing. They aren’t kidding when they say Marijuana is a gateway drug. It opens the door for all kinds of shit. Some are strong enough to just stop and not make it a habit, but those are the people who understand the risk and have something to look forward to. Naruto had none of this when he started. His parents were dead, he was going to be put into foster care, his cousin wasn’t always around when he needed him, and he didn’t have any friends. God…Naruto might have known the risk, but just didn’t have a reason to care.

“I fucked up Sakura…I fucked up like you wouldn’t believe. I couldn’t be with him and then look at myself knowing I was the reason he was like this. I know you and Sai have been there with him, standing by him throughout all of this, and you’re right…I have no real say in this. Only that I’m his family, and I love him. I want to try and make this right…let me talk to him. I know I can get him to see our point of view on this.”

Through Deidara’s pleading Sakura hadn’t really been looking at him, but at his cousin; for the first time in over four hours Naruto had moved. Yes, he’d rolled over from his stomach to his back; mouth gaping open and one arm limp at his side, while the other dangled off the couch. Deidara always had a way with Naruto, and maybe…maybe if he gave it a try Naruto would go. Though if Naruto didn’t want to get better and really want to quit, not for them, but for himself, rehab would be a failure. People went all the time, saying they were doing it for a loved one or something, and some, though few, did pass the rehabilitation program. If Naruto didn’t want to change his life and get help, he’d only start right back up once he was out. Clearing her throat Sakura stood up.

“I’m…I was going to go to work, but I’ll call in sick tonight. Though I’m going to head over to Sai’s and let him know of what’s happening. I’ll call you when I’m on my way back and let you two have some time to talk.”

Deidara smiled softly and nodded his head as he hugged Sakura once more. He sighed, happy she’d agreed with him.

“Do your best…I’m counting on you…” She spoke into the embrace, and grabbing her purse on the table she waved farewell before leaving the apartment and locking the door from the outside.

Deidara sighed; turning towards the sofa, his full attention now rested on his cousin. A rather cute frown tugged at the corners of his mouth as he thought of the best laid plan to waking up the other blond. Maybe it was fair to say that even if Deidara had matured, at heart he was still a twisted demonic son of a bitch. It was with that in mind that Deidara made his merry way towards the neatly kept bathroom, grabbing a few towels along the way. He was going to run a nice bath for his darling cousin. With a bit of effort he was able to lift his kin onto his shoulders and carry his body towards the bathroom. With a grin he shifted the blond’s weight before dropping him into the tub of frigid cold water.

Naruto’s body dropped to the bottom of the tub before his ocean blue orbs snapped open in a state of panic. Gasping for air, he flung his body upward, sputtering and choking, blond hair now plastered to his skull. While he was trying to figure out just where the hell he was, and what the fuck had happened, Deidara took a seat on the toilet watching his cousin’s reaction.

Naruto…his little Naru-kun; the little blond boy who used to run down the street putting fire-crackers in the neighbor’s mailboxes come every forth of July, had lost his glow.

He swallowed, as he gazed at the younger boy. Naruto was always gifted with a golden tan, and sun-kissed blond hair, and eyes so blue you could have sworn they were contacts. He was built with a buff frame, broad shoulders and thick arms, short but not too short; he hit the 5’10 mark. He was a fine strapping young man that could make a woman go weak in the knees and any man green with envy.

Only now… he looked like something out of ‘Tales from the Crypt Keeper’!

His golden tan had been exchanged for a pale exterior; his blond hair was now dull, limp, and rather shaggy. His eyes…oh his blue eyes looked cold and empty, darkened with black rings. His body looked sickly with his thinning arms, and his head looked a little too big for his body with his shoulders and all. He was looking scrawny…he looked…like a…

“…Tweaker.”

Naruto froze, turning slowly towards the door where he met the judgmental eyes of his older cousin. Naruto’s face flushed, looking down, ashamed of his appearance.

“Deidara…” He whispered.

Sitting up a bit straighter he spoke softly, “Naruto…I would have woken you up a bit nicer…though something tells me I might have failed.”

Nodding his understanding, the young male just remained quiet.

“Sakura tells me you’re here rather often…so I’m going to assume you have clothing here. I’m going to find you something to change into. I want you to take a shower and meet me in the kitchen. We have things to talk about.” His tone was final as he rose up and exited through the door.

Though before closing it, he looked back at Naruto sadly; the fool was shivering in the water looking like he was about to cry. If there on one thing Naruto hated, it was disappointing his cousin.

“Hurry up alright Naruto.”

“Yes Deidara.”

After fifteen minutes, Naruto exited the dimly lit hallway, padding along the carpeted floor. A shaky hand lifted, pushing the swinging door back to find his cousin leaning calmly back against the kitchen counter; beside him were two warm cups of tea. Without turning his attention away from the picture covered refrigerator, he lifted the cup towards the other. Naruto took the offered tea, hopping up to sit on the counter. His slightly dazed eyes were staring into the cup as if something were going to leap from the shallow pit and swallow his head whole.

Deidara had used his fifteen minutes wisely. He’d taken the time to really think about what he knew about his cousin, and if there was one way to get Naruto to do something he didn’t want to…it was to guilt him into it. Something about this family and guilt, it was strength; and a weakness. So playing it cool, Deidara continued to look at the pictures, a good few of Sakura and her co-workers, Starbucks, and from the cheer team.

“You…you remember that time you came and spent your spring break with me up in the dorms.” He chuckled lightly; despite everything that week had been a blast.

Even Naruto gave a soft snicker, “The week you threw up in your roommates bed, and tried to play it off by pulling a blanket over it.”

Deidara out right laughed throwing his head back, “Oh man…and Itachi was all like, lick that shit up!”

The two were in a fit of laughter, until Deidara grew quiet and looked over at Naruto, “He died you know…”

Naruto stiffened, “Wha…”

It was no secret…Uchiha Itachi and Naruto had been like best friends. Not that Deidara minded. After all he had a crush on the upperclassman. The week Naruto had come down, Itachi had hit it off great with the blond, he shared his buck with him, shared his weed. Oh it was awesome! Though Itachi had been having a rough week, and claimed his normal hit just wasn’t cutting it; something about a fight with his father. So he invited the blond to tag along and go to his first college party! Naruto was in another world; with so many different colored pills you’d think it was the fucking Skittles factory! Deidara hadn’t been able to go, though that one party had started the chain. Since Naruto wanted Itachi to continue to like him, he did whatever the older teen asked him to without question.

When the week ended, Deidara thought things would go back to normal, but he was so wrong. Itachi and Naruto got together every weekend trying new things just to see how high they could really get.

Naruto bit his lip. “What happened…I mean…how did he die?”

Deidara shrugged, “No clue….since he was an almighty Uchiha, the news was kept in the dark. After that year we never spoke to each other anymore.”

“Dei-kun! I’m sorry!” Naruto yelled, tears gathering in his eyes.

Smirking mentally he knew he had him, though it was low. Damn it was a low blow, but he’d do whatever he had to fix the damage he caused. Even if he had to break Naruto down to nothing and put him back piece by piece he didn’t care one bit! Turing around fully, Deidara glared at Naruto with a frosty gaze.

“Sorry! You just sat there….what the fuck Naruto!? I mean what the fuck was going through your mind that night huh!?”

Biting his lip to hold back a whimper, Naruto shivered. “I was fucked up that night Dei-kun…I made a mistake…”

“A mistake is grabbing limes instead of lemons at the store Naruto. You fucking watched Itachi go into a fucking seizure on the damn floor and did nothing, but laugh!”

Naruto slammed the cup down, eyes wide with horror as that night came back full force. He wasn’t high, no when he was high he could always make that nightmare vanish and dream of something better. That was why he started getting high; he didn’t want to remember anything about that night at all!

“So…so what happened Naruto? Tell me…”

Tearful eyes looked over at the taller blond and nodded. Deidara moved closer, wrapping his arms around his baby cousin and pulling him against his chest. Naruto parted his legs allowing the other to move closer to his body, his weak arms grasping the back of Deidara’s shirt with desperate fingers.

“…We….we’d been hanging out for only a couple weeks. I mean I really liked him. He was nice to me, and listened to all the problems I had…it was like being with you in a way.”

“I never left you…I was always there…” Deidara whispered against the flesh of Naruto’s neck.

“He’s parents were out of town for the weekend, and he invited me to stay with him. I was so excited. We were having a great time. Like we always do, just laughing and watching music videos…getting high.” Naruto hiccupped and began to cry harder.

“Shhh….don’t cry….just keep talking it’ll get easier…”

“I….I thought he was joking when he came out of the hallway and dropped onto the floor and started shaking. It was just random. He was shaking so hard. So I laughed…I sat on the couch and laughed! I didn’t hear the front door open I was laughing so hard….and…and he came home…”

“He?” Deidara pressed on.

“S….Sasuke….Sasuke came home and heard me laughing…when he came to see what was so funny he saw Itachi and flipped out. He was screaming his name, and ran over to him. When Itachi stopped moving and was still, Sasuke yelled for me to call 911, but I just sat there. I…I was shocked. I thought he was playing. I just sat there…Sasuke called 911 and did CPR….when the ambulance showed up Sasuke didn’t even look at me.”

“Naru…..” If possible Deidara’s grip grew tighter.

“I felt so bad, I tried to go and visit and when I got there Sasuke shoved me in the bathroom…he just kept hitting me. Screaming it was my fault his brother could have died.”

Deidara gasped, “Naruto!”

“It was though! I was so fucked up I didn’t even know Itachi wasn’t playing! I should have known…Itachi does some weird stuff but nothing like that. Sasuke said…that if he ever saw me again, or found out I was hanging out with Itachi or even near his house; he’d call the cops, and beat the shit out of me before they even got there. Sasuke thought I was the reason Itachi was doing drugs! He said it was my fault! But that’s not true Dei-kun!! Itachi did drugs way before he ever meet me!”

Deidara got the notice in the mail, a restraining order against Uzumaki Naruto, to keep no less than 1,000 yards away from Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke as well as the Uchiha residence for the remainder of one year. Naruto was devastated, he really thought Itachi cared about him, but with Itachi absent, Naruto was now hooked on more powerful drugs, and didn’t have his rich best friend to back him up anymore. So Naruto was left with no choice but to find another supplier. That was the year Deidara watched his cousin become consumed by drugs. That was the year, Deidara abandoned Naruto.

“Naruto…Naruto, you know how angry and scared Sasuke must have been to come home and see that?”

With a nod, Deidara continued, “Now…how do you think Sakura, Sai and I would feel…if that was you on the floor and not Itachi?”

“Oh God…”

“Naruto, you have to stop, I know right now it’s scary, and you’re afraid of a lot of things….but Naruto look at yourself. You’re falling apart…your wasting away, and you’re going to die if you don’t stop. You don’t eat…you don’t sleep unless you pass out like you just were…please…you’re all I have left Naruto. You’re my family and I want to keep you for as long as I can…”

“I…I don’t wanna die….I don’t wanna die like this Deidara…”

Pulling away, Deidara kissed Naruto’s forehead, his thumb removing the river of tears falling from horror filled blue eyes, his other hand reaching for the napkins on the counter in order to clean the running nose.

“It’s going to be okay Naruto…we’re going to fix this…but I can’t do it alone. I need you to help me. Will you help me save you Naruto?”

Resting his forehead against his cousin, Naruto closed his eyes and spoke in a broken defeated whisper, “Yes. I’ll do whatever you tell me to do…”

…And uust like that Deidara knew that when Sakura came home, he would have a positive answer to give her.


.O.

Febreze is a great product.

No really it is. It takes the smell out of just about everything. Oh and it comes in all these wonderful scents and what not. Though when using the item it should be placed somewhere on the label to use in small amounts. For example, take your average teenage male’s bedroom. Now an active boy who may play sports or is in a band of some sorts would require a healthy amount in a few places, such as where they do their daily work-outs, closets, floors, maybe their beds and where their instruments are set up.

Though, when you have a teenage son, who does not play sports, or does not play a hard core instrument, or is not just funky as all damn, in this case, the average parent just might lift an eyebrow in question. Now, we are talking about a layer so thick you can see it hanging in the air. So thick, that a gas mask must be kept by the door at all times in order to enter the room!

Febreze.

Nope…not Lysol….or Mr. Clean…but…Febreze.

Inuzuka Kiba trusted nothing…like he trusted Febreze, for Febreze did the job like nothing else could. It cut though the bad odor like a samurai blade through an enemy’s neck! Oh yes…Febreze was Kiba’s savior. Oh and it comes in so many different scents, he could change it up, with something fruity one day, then a soft calming aroma the next. It was crazy! Though…Kiba’s mother was worried, for Kiba loved this product just a little too much. On her trips to Costco she’d buy the super pack, filled with ten bottles and four different scents. Though…at the end of the month…the pack was gone. They never left the house, one stayed in the bathroom and one in the den. Since the dogs stayed in the den it made sense. Though…where the other eight bottles went she wondered about.

It was easy.

Kiba’s room.

Eight bottles of air freshener vanished into her only son’s bedroom. The room he hardly ever came out of, unless he was suddenly craving ‘Snackage’ as he called it. Or he had classes, and even then she wasn’t sure that was where he was really going. Other than that he never left the room. The door was always closed and locked from the inside. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her fist, knocking on his bedroom door. She could hear him moving around in his room and backed up as she heard the door unlock, opening half way. The strong scent of spring flowers swallowed her whole and she had to jerk her head back and cough, nearly choking on the flumes. Her son stood in the doorway in nothing but a pair of white tube socks, Scooby Doo boxers, and sunglasses.

Looking over at him with watery eyes she frowned. Why on earth was he wearing sunglasses inside at four o’clock in the evening? Shaking her head at odd teenage behavior, she stood up removing invisible dust from her apron. Clearing her throat she frowned at her son.

“Kiba.”

“Momma?” He grinned, softly giggling at the name.

“Did you walk Bailey when you got home from your classes today?”

Kiba frowned, leaning against the doorjamb, and looked up thoughtfully as if he couldn’t remember what today even was. She shifted a bit, looking into his room. Her nose rose so high on her face it could have been mistaken for a resident between her eyes! The place went beyond the title of pig-pen. There was a box of half eaten pizza covered in cheese and mushrooms, and she could have sworn the thing just moved!

“Hmmmm can’t say that I did.” He chuckled shaking his wild brown hair from his face.

“I told you before I left for work today…and I told you when I called you at lunch time…your father told you as well when he came home…Kiba why didn’t you walk the dog like we asked?”

The brunette pouted, looking down at the floor as he mumbled his answer.

“Speak up when I’m yelling at you!”

“I forgot!” He answered louder, though that wasn’t the right answer.

“You….you forgot…Kiba! Are you losing your mind! Or maybe you forgot how to use it! Or better…you forgot where you left it! That is the sixth time this week you’ve forgotten something! I don’t know what’s going on with you young man, but if you want to continue to live in the house, then I suggest you shape up mister! Your father and I have had it with you and all this forgetting business!”

Kiba rolled his eyes, thankful for the fact he put on his sunglasses before answering the door, he assumed his normal position. Head bowed, arms limp at his side, and a sad ‘pity me’ look on his face. He lightly pushed away from the doorjamb and stood in the open gap between the door and the doorjamb. Shaggy brown hair framed his face, while the wide frame blocked his mother’s full view of his room. He stood a head taller than her, but favored her in appearance. He carried the pose while trying to listen to what she was saying, but this was the…oh crap…what was it the eighth…no…no ninth time they’d had this talk.

“I can understand, you not doing the dishes, but you forgetting where you parked the car in the mall! You then have me and your father to come get you and only to find the car in handicap spot! We are still paying that ticket you know! Then when you forgot to take the trash out and we missed the trash man! A week! A week we had that trash in the backyard Kiba! You know your father has a sensitive nose; he was nearly dying from the smell! Then there was the time your sister needed you to pick her up from the airport, you still haven’t told me where you were and don’t think I forgot, and she was there for three hours!”

“I’m sorry…”

“Oh you better believe you’re sorry. Kiba Inuzuka what’s wrong with you? You’ve never acted like this before…It’s that boy Eddy! I know it! I never liked him, has no respect for people or their things!”

“Momma it’s not Eddy…” Kiba didn’t like where this was going.

“Who then? Josh? Martin? Derek?! Who? What are you, doing drugs or something!?”

Kiba’s head never snapped up so fast in his life; he had whip lash for damn sure. His eyes were wide, searching his mother’s face carefully. Judging from her expression she didn’t look like she was asking for real. An inward sigh of relief was let free at that moment.

“No. I’m not doing drugs.” He answered without a hitch.

“Well…all I know is whatever has gotten into you had better stop or I’m sending you to live with your grandfather and that’s it. I’m not playing this time Kiba…one more slip up and that’s it. Am I clear?”

“Yes Momma.”

“Good…now put on some pants and walk the dog like I told you to do.”

“Yes Momma.”

She turned sharply on her heels and stormed down the hall, seemingly proud of the way she handled things. Sighing, Kiba rolled back into his room kicking his door shut with his foot. Lifting his sunglasses up to rest on top of his head he scanned the dimly lit room for something to wear. Five empty bottles of Febreze lay haphazardly on the floor in random places, along with clothes, food and other unimportant items. Frowning, his toe poked at a pair of jeans with a look of disgust, but snatched up the torn up sweatpants instead. Slipping them on he tugged them down, letting them fall around his hips and pool around his ankles in a baggy fashion, and tugged his black hoodie over his head. Sunglasses back in place, Kiba pulled the hood up over his head and exited his room, firmly closing the door behind him.

His head bounced around as he lightly jogged down the stairs, feeling his cell phone move in his pocket. Waiting happily by the door was Bailey, tail wagging back and forth and leash in mouth, brown eyes pleading to be let out for her walk. Kiba smirked, reaching the bottom of the stairs as he grabbed his sneakers nearby.

“Knew it would come in handy leaving them there when I got home…come here girl…”

Bailey didn’t need to be told twice as she bounded over to her master, the black lab let out a happy bark as Kiba attached the leash to the leather collar and headed for the door. He pretended he didn’t see his mother looking up from her vacuuming or his father peeking over his newspaper as he shut the door behind him. Five minutes into their walk to the park Kiba burst out laughing as his cell phone played a tune he’d never heard it play before.

I was gonna go to class, before I got high…
I coulda' cheated and I coulda’ passed, but I got high…
I'm taking it next semester and I know why, (why man) 'cuz I got high…
Because I got high…
Because I got high…

Taking out the phone, Kiba smirked at the name flashing on the screen and flipped his phone open.

“Eddddddyyyyyyy!!!!” He grinned from ear to ear.

“K-dog! What’s up man?”

“Nothing much…walkin’ Bailey.” He glanced down at his dog; she of course paid him no mind at all.

“Hey…you on your way to the park?”

Kiba smirked; he knew what his friend had in mind. It was fine with him. He could let Bailey run around and chill with his best friend all at the same time. After everything he’d gone though today it would be a fine way of ending it.

“Yeah…see ya there?”

“On my way…Over and out.”

“Copy that.” Kiba flipped his phone shut and gave a light tug on Bailey’s leash gaining her attention.

“Come on Bailey…Eddy’s gonna meet us at the park.”

With two barks the two started off on a light jog towards the park.

Kiba flung his head back laughing out loud at the statement Eddy had made. Tightly grasped between his fingers was a neatly rolled blunt; his eyes hadn’t changed colors since he’d come home after school and he’d gotten blazed with Eddy in the bathroom. Both lay in the sandbox laughing at the word Blowfish. Just thinking about it made Kiba snicker. They’d been at the park for a little over two hours and Kiba had four missed phone calls. But did he care….nope!

“H…hehe….Hey K-dog…what’s up with Bailey?”

Kiba lifted up his head to find his dog barking wildly at some brown haired creature. Snickering, he pushed himself up and rolled along the ground towards his dog.

“It’s….its….A SQUIRREL EDDY!” Kiba roared.

“Oh my god….IT’S CHIP AND SKIP!” Eddy fell back into the sand laughing.

Though Kiba froze his hand on Bailey’s leash, that had been tied to the tree, looking deep in thought, “…Chip and Skip…..No Eddy…it’s Chip and Dale. Not Chip and Skip.” Shaking his head he released Bailey and without thinking twice, and she took off after the squirrel.

Eddy crawled his way over to Kiba both leaning back against the tree as Kiba took his hit and handed it back to Eddy. They both lazily watched her run around the park laughing softly. Kiba’s once pretty brown hazel eyes were blood-shot, his pupils enlarged, and there was a goofy grin on his lips. Today had been filled with bullshit, from his first class, where he boomed his test, to the next class that had a pop quiz…Kiba had had enough and called Eddy up to make his day all better. For Kiba suffered from high amounts of stress. His mother knew of it, and Kiba would often have random panic attacks whenever things got too insane. He was taking medication for the whole thing. Though it caused him to become nauseated and have massive headaches, Eddy, being the good friend that he was, offered to help. Hence how the two became best friends, or stoner buddies.

Though Kiba’s mother never thought to question Kiba’s lack of stress issues or panic attacks, Kiba didn’t care. His problem was fixed, what more should he care about?

Kiba heard his phone once again sighing he looked over at Eddy who shrugged and reached in his hoodie pocket pulling out his cell.

“Jell-O!”

“Jell-O?” Eddy snickered, while Kiba tried to hush him, even though he was laughing as well.

“Kiba? Son where are you? Your mother and I are worried. Are you okay, you didn’t answer your phone when she called you?”

Kiba was busy mocking his father and making faces, Eddy was red from holding in laughter as Kiba placed a finger to his lips. Both lost track of where Bailey had gotten off to.

“Yeah…yeah…I’m at the park with Eddy…everything’s cool...”

Eddy smiled lying down in the damp grass, his eyes watching the sky until the roar of an engine grabbed his attention. His eyes turned to the street watching a blazing red Thunderbird fly down the street. He let out a loud whistle making Kiba look over as well. Though his mind shut down then he cursed, dropping his phone and trying his best to get up. He stumbled, damning his baggy pants and trying to climb up to run.

“Oh fuck….Kiba!”

“Bailey NO!”

Bailey jet out following the squirrel into the street, the red car swerved trying to avoid the dog, but it was too late, Bailey let out a pained bark, the red car slammed into a parked car, tearing up the front end. Kiba stood there stunned, watching the whole thing in shock. Eddy wasn’t laughing anymore; he was just watching the whole thing as well. Though in the back of his mind he could hear Kiba’s father franticly calling out to them. Screaming “What happened? Was he okay?” The line went dead, and already police sirens could be heard in the distance, Eddy flipped out, and jetting up, he took off. Leaving Kiba standing there stunned as his dog died in the street. His mind screaming at him the one rule his father always told him. Shivering Kiba couldn’t do anything but watch, his face a void of emotion.

“…I….I forgot…I forgot I couldn’t let her off her leash….I…I forgot.”

.O.- .O.- .O.- .O.- .O.- .O.-END OF CHAPTER -.O. -.O. -.O. -.O. -.O. -.O..

Well, there you have it, I got a bit carried away with Naruto’s past in this chapter. Mostly to get it out of the way, I almost ended this chapter with just his past. Yet I remembered I promised a new rehab member. So Ta-da Kiba-kun!! I didn’t have the heart to kill Akamaru; that’s why he’s not in this chapter. He’ll show up later. I had the most fun with Kiba getting scolded by his Mom!

Also I have a yahoo group, please join if you’d like to be notified of updates and such.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sharingan_bulletin/