Disclaimer: All original Naruto characters, settings, plot etc. are the property of Matashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement is intended and I make no profit from this story.

Hey Guys!!! Walla! My new fic! I hope you like it!

By the way…it is set in the Narutoverse, but I do not read the manga…I read a fic that had Sasuke in the Akatsuki and it gave me this idea. I later realized that maybe Sasuke does end up in Akatsuki, however, I wasn't going to spoil the story for myself, since I refuse to read the manga; I want Naruto to last as long as possible and the anime is pretty far behind or so I've been told. So the facts in this fic might not be correct, there aren't many anyway so I hope nobody objects.

It's all going to be in first person by the way. So some of the things said are purely Sasuke's thoughts…not mine. Just keep that in mind tehe, since everybody's perspective is different so I don't want you guys to pick up on some things Sasuke says as factual, since they probably won't all be true.

On with the first chapter!...

Corpse

I sat in stillness and silence – disregarding the mindless chatter from further in the cave - as I watched the corpse in front of me. Metaphorically speaking of course; it wasn't a corpse in reality…but it was hardly a living creature; all the dazzling life that had once been so present in this form were now absent – it was nothing more than the body of my best friend. My best friend…he most certainly wasn't. Yet that's what he constantly says to me; 'I will bring you home, Sasuke, you're my best friend.' Hn, as if he could ever stand a chance against me in any case.

It's…sort of sad…he was really nothing more than a corpse now. The once blaringly noticeable and equally unpredictable ninja now lay before me as nothing short of a dead body. The paralysis Jutsu that I'd cast on him in our final battle days before had not worn out, nor would it ever, since he was due to die – officially – in a matter of hours.

It was sad, now that I think of it…I would never see those blatantly blue eyes shine again with the mirth contained within him; I'd never again see him flaunt his worthless 'powers' or his unimpressive 'skills'. Yet as I sat there, on the floor beside him, I still could not feel an ounce of pain – I couldn't feel anything that I should have with the knowledge that the only person I still held valuable to me was about to die. And it wouldn't be a painless death…the extraction of a bijuu was not pretty. I'd only seen it once before and it was something I never wished to witness again.

But still, I'd taken him. I'd gone to fight him, manipulating him into believing that he was the one who'd come to me; who'd found me. He always was so oblivious. Sakura knew though, I'd not missed the look on her face as I struck my final blow. She had been too far away though, and any chance she may have believed she had at saving either of us had been doomed.

And now I sat, painstakingly bored, watching my only important person as their last moments ticked away in stillness. He always told me I was a bastard. I always knew he was right. I just didn't care. If I cared I wouldn't have joined this god forsaken group. Akatsuki. They had to be the most ruthless, insane, heartless people I'd ever met – it really was no wonder that they'd found a way to connect themselves.

But I didn't belong here. I didn't belong with them. I didn't dislike them; I don't think I had it in me to feel those sorts of things any more. I'd joined them purely out of convenience. The last member of my family was here so it seemed only fitting that I be here too. I didn't have to like it. I didn't have to feel comfortable with it. I didn't even have to live with it. And I wouldn't…I'd find something better to do with my time then spend it on guard duty – making sure someone who was paralysed wasn't going up and run away at any moment. Something that didn't involve me murdering my best friend.

He wasn't my best friend though. And I didn't care if he lived or died. I should have been glad at any rate; at least with him gone he couldn't chase me wherever I went. Not that I couldn't handle him, it would just be more convenient. I suppose I could return to Konoha; do what he asked of me. But I wouldn't do that in a million years. The punishment I'd receive for my 'crimes' would simply not be worth my time. Besides…what would I gain by going back there; it held no potential for me and it never would. I'd never return. Nothing I wanted was there.

Not that I wanted anything. There was nothing to want any more. I had everything I'd ever wanted. Power. Revenge. Acknowledgement…Regret. Regret; it was something I'd never expected; it was the only thing I really felt any more, and the only thing I had that I wished I didn't. I'd always thought that with my brother's death at my hand I would feel freed, worthy of my name, and…happy. I hadn't felt happy for so long I'd missed it. I'd tried to gain it; there had been glimpses, in my childish games with my equally childish 'team-mates'. Thankfully I had severed all of those bonds. Not that it stopped certain people from following me, like little lost puppies waiting to be fed. Well…Naruto's was certainly fed now. He'd never feel hungry again.

But when I'd stood there, watching as the last slivers of life slipped through Itachi's fingers, I'd cried. I'd wept silently to myself, not caring who saw me, not caring how pathetic I looked. I'd cried because I was so…disappointed. I thought I'd feel so much more, but all I felt was a strange hollowness that ate at me like a leech; sucking all the remaining feelings from me until I was left dry – a weak puddle of a person.

I laid myself next to his limp body – just like a corpse – I wasn't tired, I don't really get tired any more, sleeping is just something I do when I get bored. I can't do that right now though, I have to watch him constantly. I'd be able to sleep at dawn, I was thankful for that. They would perform the ceremony – hn, to call such a thing a 'ceremony' disgusted me – at dawn, and that would be when I'd get my first break in three days. Like I said, I wasn't tired, just bored. I was always bored these days. That was the result of having no purpose.

My name was called but I ignored it; it was only Karin. Those three had insisted on following me as well; they weren't as annoying as Naruto, though, mainly because they didn't try to force me to do things I didn't want. They respected me. Naruto never respected me – he was so selfish, constantly shouting on and on about how he didn't want to loose me and how he wanted his 'brother' back, what about what I wanted; I didn't want another brother! One had been more than enough.

Hebi – my…group, because they weren't team-mates; we were not a team – had even followed me here, all the way from Orochimaru's clutches to Akatsuki's lair. They didn't seem to care what they did so long as they were entertained. And Karin was here because she wanted me. Hn, just like most of those ridiculous girls, it actuality made me feel puzzled by the way Sakura had acted when I'd last seen her. She had looked at me with something akin to hatred, even before she'd seen through my tactics, and it was strangely amusing, when I saw that she had transferred her silly attractions from me to Naruto. I didn't think he deserved them, he was nothing but a puppy and the only one he chased nowadays was me; I could see through the resentment in her eyes that he put her second to me now. I didn't care about the details…I didn't care about them. Besides, I'd break her heart a second time at dawn when I took another love away from her.

"Sasuke!" This time it was Suigetsu. I didn't say anything to him either, only turned my head away from the corpse to show that I was paying him the attention he desired. He left Karin to tell me the details about the ceremony. It seemed the group was heading into a larger part of the cave; they were going to set everything up for Naruto's murder. Apathy fled me for a brief second, replaced by something that was unidentifiable in the short period it settled inside me. It was not important – if it was it would have stayed.

Karin went on to say something about me staying here, I was barely listening by that point; she bored me more than the lifeless form at my side, the one I was staring at again. He looked asleep, though he was covered in dirt and blood, no wounds of course; I hadn't let the meaningless battle take up enough of my time for any real damage to be done. The minor cuts were gone due to the fox; the one that was so important for the success of Akatsuki's goal. All of their dedication and effort and planning would be worth nothing if they couldn't get the Kyuubi and none of the other eight Bijuu mattered without it.

It didn't matter to me, regardless, and so I had paid little attention to Madera…my uncle…as he'd told me of their master plan and all that bullshit; I didn't expect to be here by that point anyway. I didn't really expect them to succeed with it either, with them against the world. And they were not that special, even with Bijuu – letting untamed beasts carry out their dirty work would get them nowhere. Disregarding their sheer power, Bijuu were nothing but animals; they had little thought process and even smaller amounts of understanding. And for Akatsuki their allies were not their only problem. For them everyone was an enemy, and as it's been said; an enemy of an enemy is a friend – it wouldn't take long before factions, ninja villages and rebel groups all joined together to eliminate these morons.

Everything was so silent in our small cave now, more so than before. This hideout was gloomier than others had been before and I lay, with Naruto, in a smaller, cut off part; one where almost no candlelight reached and I'd get all the peace I wanted. Now that everyone had left to set things up it was so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat, hn, so I still had one. I'd half expected it would have disintegrated by now. Oh well.

"Uhhnnn…" I raised an eyebrow; it certainly hadn't been me making that disgracefully weak noise. My eyes had strayed from the corpse's face and it seemed my paralysis jutsu wasn't holding up as I'd wanted. That's a shame; I won't get much sleep with the racket he'd make if he was not unconscious for the 'ceremony', I've witnessed only one and it was…horrific; the boy they'd found had been especially cheeky and troublesome to shut up, no matter how hard he was hit he would not loose consciousness. I suppose he'd brought it upon himself, that boy, they'd gone ahead with him fully aware. The memory of it actually caused a few hairs to rise on my skin and a strange shiver to race through me. I don't think I've ever vomited so much in my entire life.

There was a pause before another mumble, slightly quieter than the first stirred me from my reminiscing, thankfully. Looking over the body before me I was slightly relieved that he was still fully unconscious…he must have been dreaming or fighting with my jutsu; he'd never beat it, not completely. I was just glad that I wouldn't have to listen to his screams. That would have been embarrassing. I'd once been called a rival to this corpse. Hn, whatever.

"Hmmm…Ssss" Oh that's just perfect. Now I'd be forced to listen to him mumble and mutter meaninglessly to himself. See what I mean…even with his death mere hours away and he was still forcing me to do things I didn't want to do. "Sssss..aaah" his voice was so meek and tiny that I nearly didn't hear it; good, maybe it would stop and I would be left to the silence again.

I was never very lucky. "Sasss…ahmm…ssskaaay" And that was definitely my name. Intriguing. Yes, it would be interesting to see what Naruto's subconscious had to say to me. I wonder if it feels the same as the obnoxious blond does, or thinks. I don't care either way…it's just…sort of strange. Although I knew he was obsessed with me, I wouldn't have thought he'd think of me in his last moments. I hate to say it but…that is so sad…and not in the upset way…it's really sad that he thinks of someone who doesn't give a shit about him when he could be thinking of those who do care; those who will miss him. Because I won't.

I was disappointed though, because for the next while – which seemed much longer than it ought to be – he was almost completely silent. He likes to irritate me you see. So he constantly does the opposite of whatever I want. I want him to shut up; he talks. I want him to talk; he shuts up. Hn; stupid blond idiot.

Heh, I remember once when we were on a mission together and were conned into sharing a tent and – though I was thankful to be away from Sakura – I discovered that he sleep talks. I don't know if it was my sleep riddled mind or not, but I swear that night I heard him say…

"Lurv..emmyooh..Ssss..kay…….uhn…" At that I turned my head away from him, it's not as though he actually said it. He was just mumbling; my mind was confusing the real world and my mistaken memories; it's done that before; it was nothing to think about; I don't care anyway. I don't know why but I felt increasingly tense, my breath came in faster rhythm and my heart beats hastened their pace. I don't care. I don't care.

And then the corpse spoke again, in almost pure clarity; "I love you." It was silent after that; just as I'd wanted. He'd finally done what I'd wanted. He'd spoken and shut up. And now I wished for neither, or both, I couldn't tell. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to murder him with my bare hands, destroy every part of his selfish idiotic self. Who did he think he was? I urged my body to move but it wouldn't. I felt as though we'd switched places; me and the corpse. No…he wasn't a corpse…because he wasn't dead…yet. I wouldn't need to kill him myself. They would murder him for me…I'd get him out of my hair…I wanted to tear my hair out. I wanted to scream. I wanted to…and then that feeling was back, mixing my thoughts further as it pierced through me. This time it stayed, but I still couldn't distinguish it. It was gone after a while though, and I was left with the strangest resolution. But this resolution was not unfamiliar; I'd had it before.

I wanted him to live. And I could make that happen. And I would. Just like I had before.

I checked quickly that the chakra signals in the other room were still occupied elsewhere: they were. All quite busy with their preparing for their precious 'ceremony'. Hn, I smirked, what would they think when we were gone upon their return? They should have known better than to trust me. I wondered about Hebi for only a split second as I focused my chakra to a peak; forming my hand signs with steady hands and a will of steal. They would either be killed or would escape, I didn't care either way – I may have helped them in the past; but that was all at my convenience, and when I walked out of here I didn't expect to see them again, so what happened to them was none of my concern.

My clones appeared quickly; they were strong and would not be identified by any of the group except my uncle; he'd never forgive me. I didn't care. The seals came a little slower, but still…in moments I had the entire mini-cave wrapped in a warped bubble of the truth. What they would see was me, lying with Naruto, as still as corpses, with only my rhythmic breathing and his more laboured pants as proof of our living. It would take them until dawn to realize the truth. We would be far from here by then. With the Chakra mask I had placed around us, they would not notice that the bodies were clones.

Swooping Naruto over my shoulder, I walked right out, making sure to keep a Chakra bubble around myself as I left; it wouldn't do to have someone notice the movement of our chakra. As soon as I was outside I noticed just how soon dawn would be. The sky was already a peachy orange glow. We didn't have as long as I'd imagined. Oh well. I took of running immediately, keeping a firm grip on the blond as I flew through the trees surrounding the caves. It took minutes to pass the foliage and then we were running free.

I didn't stop…I kept running until dawn was well on its way. I don't really get tired anymore. So I didn't want to sleep. There's nothing to want any more. And yet, I felt myself pushing harder, running faster, when I thought of them catching us. There is nothing for someone with no purpose to want, and yet I wanted this. I wanted this enough to make it come true.

Eventually I stopped, just outside the border of the fire country; I don't know where the hideout had been – I never paid attention to petty details like that – but I would recognise this border anywhere. It was the one that lead me to Konoha; the place I'd never return to. It was at this border that I realized we had nowhere to go. Nowhere to run where we wouldn't be found. I deftly made my way under the cover of the forest foliage nearby. This place reminded me of the forest of death…shows how identifiable the fire country is; there isn't anywhere else that holds such natural beauty, not that I care of that; my mother always said that there was nowhere prettier and she was always right.

I set Naruto against one of the larger trees, preparing myself for the lecture I'd be given after I did this. The jutsu took only a moment to withdraw, but I knew it would take a while for him to wake, I wondered what I'd tell him, but what was there to say exept the truth?

I saved him on a whim.

There you go! This is just the prologue, kinda…to introduce you to it C: I hope you liked.

I'm going to be tackling this story a little different than my previous one 'Realization' as I had everything planned out for that one, but with this one I know only the beginning and the end! Everything in between I'll make up as I go…

I hope it works XD

Please review and tell me what you think!

Xx..xX