Break the Glass

Disclaimer: I do not own...the characters...on the other hand I do own the idea of this story.

"..." Naruto mumbled under his breath. His eyes shot up. A large transparent window laid in front of him. His eyes quaked with fear. He jumped to his feet and ran into it. It didn't break. He snapped his head right and left. No end. He ran. The wall wasnt ending. Nor it looked like it was ever going to. He let a frantic whimper slip from his mouth. Obstinate

"Sasuke over here!" An annoying familiar high pitched squeal of happiness swept through Naruto's ears. Naruto hesitated but his mind was thrown by curiosity so he glanced at the glass. Sakura's image slowly appeared on the glass. She yelled for Sasuke another time. Gradually the image of Sasuke appeared to walk on the "screen". It was like a movie was unfolding infront of Naruto. Sasuke glared at the pink headed nuisance. Kakashi ...their sensei, faded into play. He placed one hand on Sasuke's head and one on Sakura's. "Say Kakashi..." Sakura mentioned to higher ranked ninja. "Where's Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes lit with joy. They didn't forget him. They were worried where he was. Naruto stood on his tiptoes. "Ova here!" He yelled frantically. Kakashi shook his head. "He's probably still mad at us for what happened to Gaara." Kakashi whispered. Naruto's joy lighted eyes widened. 'That's right...I got mad at them...'

Flash Back

"No Gaara! Stay awake!" Naruto persisted. He slapped Gaara's cheeks to try to keep him awake. But in vain...Gaara's eyes closed. Kakashi sighed and made hand signs."No! He's FINE!" Naruto shouted at his sensei. "He wont give in to the Shukaku!" Gaara had been weakened by the enemy and had fallen unconscience. When Gaara sleeps...Shukaku can come forth. Slowly Gaara's eyes opened. "See?! I wa-" A hand covered his mouth. His delicate head turned and looked at his captor. Gaara ...his eyes...were of the Ichibi(1). Gaara let go of Naruto for a mere second but surrounded him with Sand. He reached out his arm and clenched his fist. The sand that surrounded Naruto condenses and blood seeps over the cracks in the ' coffin '. Naruto gasps for air and falls to the ground.

Naruto's eyes wearyingly opened. He batted his eyes with confusion. He was still alive. Naruto shot up onto his feet and panicked. Gaara was gone. Blood was everywhere. Kakashi and the rest of the team seemed tired...too tired.

"Where's Gaara?!" Naruto shouted. Of course jumping to conclusions. Kakashi didn't even look at Naruto and didn't say anything. Sasuke stepped forward.

"We killed him Naruto ...he's gone." Sasuke said in a cold manner. Naruto shook his head vigorously. Tears flew off his cheeks.

"He didn't die! He couldn't! He had shukaku! It was hard for me to defeat him...and I was mostly injured! I didn't even...I couldn't...kill him." Naruto suddenly got quiet.

"Naruto it was for the best..." Sakura snapped in a mad preppy tone. Naruto silently turned around and ran.

End Flashback

"Well I for one am glad Naruto isn't coming." Sakura stuck up her nose. Naruto ...on the other side of the "glass", looked down in a depressed manor. He buried his head in his legs. 'They don't care...Not even-'

"Well it's his birthday..." A voice snapped back at Sakura. Naruto's head shot up and he whipped his head to the voice. Sasuke was glaring down Sakura for saying such things. "He has to be here..." Sasuke yelled and Sakura went flying backwards. The 'boom' of his voice was enough to shove Sakura back out of the 'screen' and shatter the glass infront of Naruto just by a little. Naruto slammed his body against the wall. The glass splintered off at the crack, but not much. One of pieces landed down and slashed at his shoulder. Naruto whimpered. Sasuke's head jerked.

"You hear something?" Kakashi mumbled through his mask. Sasuke shook his head.

"Must have been the wind..." Sasuke said coldly. Naruto's eyes glimmered. He was being ignored. And everyone there knew it. Well all the people including Naruto and Kyuubi. Kyuubi laid dormant, Naruto suppressed him so he wouldn't surface and maul the glass. Naruto rolled his eyes. How could be suppress something that could help? Naruto smirked and his teeth grew out of proportion. His eyes slanted. Fiery aura seeped from Naruto's body. His form turned into a fox. Naruto charged at the glass. It shattered. Tears streamed down Naruto's cheeks. He turned around. There was the glass. As perfect as it was when he awoke. He flopped down to his knees. He buried his head in his knees and cried loudly. It didn't matter who heard. Cause no one was there to hear. Sasuke looked around.

"Now what's wrong..." Kakashi whined.

"I hear Naruto...He's...crying." Sasuke said depressingly.

"Impossible...Naruto wouldn't cry..." Kakashi mentioned.

"He cried when you killed Gaara..."

"That was his best friend..."

"Was NOT HIS BEST FRIEND!"

"Sasuke...are you jealous?"

"N...no" Sasuke stammered. Naruto watched the scene playing before him. He wanted to cry out to them. But his voice hurt from crying. He couldn't speak. It hurt too much. But sitting there hurt even more. Naruto climbed to his feet. He pounded his fist on the glass.

"SAAASSSSUUUKEEEEE!!!!" Naruto cried out. Sasuke looked at Naruto. Direct eye contact was given. Sasuke raised up his left leg. He ran faster than Rock Lee could ever dream of running. He morphed through the glass. The unbreakable glass...the thing even Kyuubi couldn't break... the movie screen that had Naruto helpless...was not broken. It didn't need to be broken. All they needed to do was call out to each other. Sasuke held Naruto in his lap. He wiped away the tears on Naruto's face.

"Daishoubu(2)?" Sasuke cooed.

"Iie..." Naruto whimpered. Sasuke petted his head. Sasuke dug in his pocket. He pulled out a little box wrapped with paper, tied delicately with a silk bow.

"I got you a present..." Sasuke whispered in Naruto's ear. Naruto opened it like a greedy kid on Christmas. He opened the box. It was empty. Naruto looked at Sasuke in question. He gestured to look deeper in the box. Naruto's eyes peered into the tiny box. The in the bottom was a small note. He unfolded it. 'Look up...' Naruto looked up at Sasuke. Before Naruto could say anything his lips were covered by a warm, soft, gentle kiss. Joy surged through Naruto. Their kiss parted and they gazed at each other. "Happy Birthday..." Naruto smiled.

"Thank you...Sasuke..." Naruto whispered.

"Hmm??" Sasuke queried.

"Nothing..." Naruto said with his cheery smile. It didnt matter how much he suffered...Sasuke was with him...and that by itself...is the best birthday ever.

(1) Ichibi- also known as a tanuki. A dog found in japan. the species has been called "raccoon dog" because of their similar appearance. Te tanuki has been renowned for its mischievous nature and ability to shape shift and bring good fortune. The Naruto Shukaku has ties to several tanuki archetypes. One is the Bunbuku Chagama tale, where a tanuki transformed into a tea kettle. In the series Shukaku was reported to have been sealed within one. Some tales state of shrine priests being tanuki in disguise, which ties into how early in the series Shukaku was reportedly a corrupted Sand priest.

(2) Daishoubu- are you ok?

(3)Iie- no