New Beginnings

Hello there. I have lost every thing to the last story I was working on here.. (my backup hard drive died...plus, the main hard drive had to be wiped,..I know very little about computers, all I know is that my husband finally got this one working) Anyway, I have this story on FF.net and decided to bring it over here. Please, let me know what you think :)
Much love
Anubis!
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Sasuke lay quietly near his wife, listening to the sounds of the night. It had been 6 months since he had returned to Konoha, with Yukiko by his side. He was lucky that the new Hokage, Shikamaru, understood what had happened and had even given his brother a posthumous pardon.

He was so busy reminiscing that he almost missed the knocking at his window. Slipping out of his futon quietly, he padded to the window and opened it slowly. A blonde head was looking around. “Damnit, Naruto, what do you want at this hour?”

Naruto looked up at him and grinned. “Oi, Sasuke, get to the hospital, now!” he said, “I have a surprise for you!”

The Uchiha cocked his head and shrugged. “Give me five minutes,” he mumbled and shut the window.

Naruto grinned and sat on the porch, waiting impatiently.

Sasuke moved quietly, pulling on his clothing. Yukiko sighed and shifted. “Sasuke, what’s wrong?” she whispered

Sasuke smiled and knelt down. “Nothing,” he said, “Naruto just needs me to come and see something, though, I am wondering why it can’t wait until morning.”
He kissed her gently and ran his hand through her hair. She smiled. “I will be back shortly, “ he said, “Go back to sleep.”

He slipped from the house and glared at Naruto. “What?” he groused.
Naruto simply grinned and walked away. “Come on!”
They walked through the silent streets of Konoha, Naruto bouncing along, Sasuke shaking his head as they walked. Sakura was waiting for them at the entrance. She put her hands on her hips and glared at Naruto. “He woke up and was wondering where the hell you had went,” she snapped, “If I had known, I would have been able to tell him!”
Naruto scratched the back of his head and grinned. “I didn’t think he would wake before I got back,” he said.
Sakura growled and smacked him. “Next time, think.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Who am I here to see?” he asked.
The Kunoichi turned to him and grinned. “Come on,” she said, “Naruto, go up there and make sure he is calm!”
Naruto nodded and took off. Sakura took Sasuke’s hand and led him to a waiting room near the surgery. She sat him down and grinned. “Just let Naruto check and he will come out to tell us if it is all right for you to go in.”
Sasuke snorted. “Why are we waiting on the moron’s word?” he asked, “Aren’t you the medic here?”
Sakura sighed. “The patient, for some odd reason, trusts Naruto.”


Naruto slipped into the room and smiled at the patient. “Did you miss me, Itachi?” he asked.
Black eyes glared at the smug blonde. “Hmmm, no,” he said softly, “Why would I?”
Blue eyes sparkling madly, Naruto strode over to the bed and touched Itachi’s face. “You did,” he whispered.
Itachi closed his eyes and nodded. “I am beginning to hate waking alone,” he mumbled, “What did you do to me?”
Naruto laughed and kissed a pale hand. “I loved you,” he said, “I love you, that is what I did.”
Black eyes focused on blue. “Hmm, you do,” he said, “So, where did you go?”
“To get Sasuke,” Naruto said, “You are out of danger and figured it would be a good time for him to see you.”
Itachi stiffened. Naruto sighed and kissed him gently. “It will be fine,” he whispered, “I will be in here with you.”
Glaring, Itachi shook his head. “I am not afraid,” he snapped, “I..I don’t know what to say to him.”
“It will come,” Naruto said, “Now, relax, or I am going to send him home.”
“He will be angry,” Itachi pointed out, “You probably woke him.”
Laughing, Naruto walked to the door. “Your right, I did.”

Sasuke looked up as a door opened and he glared at Naruto, who poked his head out. “Oi, get in here,” the blonde said, “and keep your voice down.”
Sakura smiled and stood with Sasuke. “Are you going to stay in there, Naruto?”
Naruto nodded. “Ya, he seems kinda off right now,” he said, “I will call you if anything happens.”
She nodded. “Well, I have to go back and do my rounds before I can go home,” she said, “I will be here for about two more hours.”
Both men nodded and waved as she walked away. Sasuke then turned to Naruto. “What is going on?” he asked, “Who is this person?”
Naruto grinned and shook his head. “Come on.”

Itachi watched the door carefully after Naruto walked out. He could hear them in the hall, but was not sure what was being said. He strained to hear, but couldn’t make anything out. When the door began to open, he sat back in the bed.
Naruto led Sasuke into the room. Black eyes widened as Itachi looked at his brother for the first time in over a year… and without hatred. Sasuke gasped when he saw his brother. “Itachi?” he whispered.
The older man smiled nervously and nodded. “Naruto found me, after our fight,” he said, “He brought me back here.”
Sasuke turned to Naruto. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he growled.
Naruto shrugged and walked next to the bed. “Because we weren’t sure he was going to make it,” he said, “I didn’t want to get your hopes up.”
Slouching a little, Sasuke walked to his brother’s bed side. He flinched when he saw how thin Itachi was. “Naruto, can you let us talk for a minute?” he asked.
Naruto looked at Itachi and the older man nodded. “I will be fine,” he said.
The blonde nodded and leaned over to kiss Itachi. “I will be right outside,” he said.
Sasuke’s eyes widened. “What.. Why..?” he stuttered.
Naruto slipped out quickly, ignoring Sasuke. Itachi laughed softly at his brother’s face. “What is wrong, Sasuke?” he asked after Naruto had shut the door.
“How long have you and Naruto been…..? Sasuke trailed off.
Itachi cocked his head and then smiled. “Together?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“Hmmm, about 4 months,” he said, “I got used to Naruto being here when I woke, talking to me and helping me.”
Sasuke nodded. “I see,” he said, “How did you survive?”
Itachi’s eyes got a faraway look in them and he took a deep breath. “Naruto found me shortly after our battle,” he said, “Kisame had taken off, to see to you, thinking I was dead… Naruto had heard that you were near and came looking.. I was nearly dead by the time he and Sakura found me.”
He shook his head. “Sakura was able to keep me alive until they arrived here and the Hokage was able to heal me, with help of course.”
Sasuke sighed and sat on the bed. “When do you get to leave?” he asked.
Itachi shrugged. “I am not sure,” he said, “Naruto wanted to take me to his home sometime soon, but, with all of his missions, it would be impossible.”
Sasuke cocked his head. “Oh, you can’t stay alone,” he said, “Well, you could always stay with Yukiko and I when Naruto is away.”
Itachi looked at Sasuke cautiously. “Are you sure about that?” he asked, “I will need a lot of help, and do not wish to be a burden to you or Naruto.”
The younger man shook his head. “I doubt Naruto will find you a burden,” he said, “Naruto tends to throw his entire soul into things.”
“I noticed.”
Sasuke smiled. He took Itachi’s hand and held it gently. “I am ready to put this behind me,” he said, “I am tired of fighting and revenge, I want to be family.”
Itachi looked away. “I don’t think that I deserve it,” he said.
“Bull shit,” Sasuke said, bluntly, “You do deserve it, you did what you could to protect me, to make sure that I survived, well, I did and I am happy now.”
The older man shifted and absently rubbed his leg. “I know,” he said, “I just..”
“Let’s not dwell on the bad,” Sasuke interrupted, “Do you want to go home with Naruto and stay with my wife when he is on missions?”
His brother opened his mouth to answer, then doubled over in pain. “Damn!” he moaned, holding onto his leg
Sasuke jumped up and ran to the door. “Naruto, there is something wrong!” he said.
Naruto rushed in and was by Itachi’s side quickly. “Your leg?” he asked.
Itachi nodded. The blonde sighed and lifted the blanket. “No!” Itachi snapped.
“What?”
Black eyes focused on the other Uchiha and Naruto groaned. “He is going to find out eventually,” he said.
“Find out what?” Sasuke asked.
“Nothing!” Itachi said quickly.
Sasuke turned to Naruto. “What the hell is wrong?” he said dangerously.
Naruto sighed and glanced at Itachi, who was trying to hide behind his hair. “Itachi lost one of his legs,” he said, “The disease that was killing him, it started to destroy nerve endings and blood vessels in his legs, we could save one, but the other was to far gone.”
Sasuke turned to his brother and sighed. “That was what you were worried about?” he asked, exasperated, “Itachi, I want us to be brothers again, don’t hide anything from me.”
Naruto sighed and pulled the blanket back. “Itachi, why didn’t you tell me it was burning?” he asked, “you have a small infection, not surprised, but, you need to tell us when the pain changes.”
Black eyes closed. “Pain is pain to me right now,” he said.
Naruto shook his head and looked at Sasuke sadly. “It is late,” he said, “Itachi needs to sleep some more, and I am sure that your wife misses you, so, go home and I will talk to you later.”
The younger Uchiha nodded. “Yeah, he looks tired,” he said, “Naruto, walk me to the entrance?”
He nodded and kissed Itachi gently. “I will be right back,” he said.
Itachi didn’t look at him or Sasuke. Naruto sighed and walked Sasuke out of the room. He stopped by the front desk. “Keep an eye on Itachi,” he said, “He is really out of it right now and have a medic check his leg… I think it is infected again.”
The nurse nodded and called for Sakura. Naruto sighed and caught up with Sasuke. “So, do you really love him?” Sasuke asked quietly.
“Yes, I wouldn’t have spent most of my savings keeping him in the hospital in the Ninja wing if I didn’t.”
Black eyes widened. “How are you going to live, if you take him home?”
Naruto shrugged. “I think Shikamaru has something planned, possibly keeping me here and having me work on defense of the village,” he said, “I can keep close to Itachi and not have to worry to much.”
Sasuke shook his head. “Yukiko will be able to help,” he said, “That way, you can keep taking short missions.”
“Would she be able to lift him?” the blonde asked, “For a while, he will not be able to get around on his own, we are not even sure he will have the strength to relearn how to walk.”
“Damn,” Sasuke muttered, “Perhaps we could take alternating missions, so I could help as well, I don’t want him stuck there for the rest of his life.”
Naruto looked up at the dark sky and sighed. “I know, I don’t either,” he said, “But, I don’t want him hurt.”
Sasuke sighed and stopped. “Look, go back to Itachi, we will figure something out in the morning.”
“Good,” Naruto said and smiled at Sasuke, “He was worried that you wouldn’t want to see him.”
“Ahhh, I understand,” he answered, “A few months back, I wouldn’t have wanted to, I guess I was still angry, now, I don’t know, I am kind of excited to have him back.”
Naruto laughed. “ I will be happy to get him out of that hospital,” he said, “the bed is really uncomfortable!”
Sasuke shook his head. “All right, I will see you after I talk to Yukiko, I may even bring her here to meet Itachi.”
“Cool, see you later then.”
The friends parted ways, Sasuke hurrying home to tell his wife the good news and Naruto hurrying back to Itachi’s side. Both were wondering how they could work this out and become a family.

Sasuke slid the door open as quietly as he could, but, Yukiko was awake and waiting for him. She smiled and motioned for him to sit next to her. “What happened?” she asked, “Naruto isn’t one to be up this late at night.”
“My brother is alive,” he said, “He is in the hospital right now.”
“Does he want to come here?”
Sasuke shook his head. “No, he wants to live with Naruto,” he said, “But, we need to work something out, because he cannot be on his own for a while.”
Yukiko cocked her head, thinking. “What kind of help will he need?”
“He is missing one leg, and the other is not that strong,” Sasuke said, “So, he will need physical help, I am worried though, he still looks bad.”
Yukiko smiled. “Between the three of us, we can help him,” she said, “I am sure that Naruto will not let him fade away.”
Sasuke nodded. “Ya, he is to stubborn to give up,” he said, smirking, “Why do you think I ended up back in Konoha?”
“Ah, I see,” she said, “He drug you back here kicking and screaming?”
Sasuke laughed and nodded. “Yup.”
Yukiko gave Sasuke a gentle kiss and smiled. “I have a few ideas, but, let us sleep and we will discuss it at a more reasonable hour.”
Smiling, Sasuke led her back to the bedroom.

Naruto hurried back to Itachi’s room. He smiled when he walked in. The older man was asleep, curled up on Naruto’s pillow. Naruto quickly stripped and slid in beside him. Itachi shifted, moving closer to the blond, his hands on Naruto’s chest. “My love,” Naruto whispered, curling around Itachi.

It was well past noon when Itachi stirred, waking Naruto as well. Sakura was glaring at both of them, tapping her foot. “He missed breakfast and his morning checkup,” she said, “How late did you stay up?”
“Not long, Sakura!” Naruto said, “I promise!”
Itachi looked up sleepily. “It wasn’t long, Sakura,” he whispered, “I guess I overestimated how well I was.”
Sakura sighed. “Don’t do it again,” she said, “The Hokage wants to see you today, but, I don’t want him bothering you if you do not feel well.”
“Oh, Sakura, wait,” Naruto said, “he has an infection in the leg, it was checked last night, but could you check it again?”
She nodded. “His stats came back all right, but, better to be safe, than sorry, right?”
Naruto nodded, while Itachi glared at him. “I am fine,” he said, “The fever is gone and so is the pain.”
Sakura tsked and walked over. “Don’t be stubborn,” she said, “I swear, some of Naruto is rubbing off on you.”
“Hn.”
She quickly looked over the area and smiled. “you are fine,” she said, “Naruto caught it quickly and I was able to use the jutsu pretty quick.”
Itachi nodded. “All right,” he said, “when is the Hokage going to be here?”
Sakura shrugged. “Whenever his lazy ass gets up.”
Naruto laughed. “So, late afternoon?”
The medic nin rolled her eyes. “Yup, sounds about right.”
The older man shook his head. “Such a pick for Hokage, a lazy Nara.”
Naruto shook his head. “He was the best pick, simply for his brain,” he said, “He is great at negotiating, and making people feel like complete morons.”
Sakura shrugged. “Doesn’t take much to do that to you, Naruto.”
“HEY!!!”
Itachi smiled. “She has a point, Naruto.”
Naruto turned to Itachi. “Your supposed to be on my side!”
Slender fingers ran over Naruto’s face. Itachi leaned forward and nodded. “I am.”
Blue eyes closed and Naruto leaned into the touch, his hand going to hold onto Itachi’s.
The pink haired medic smiled and slipped from the room.