First off I'd like to apologize for making you guys wait so long for this chapter. Seriously, I didn't mean to take such a large break but this semester has been really tough and writing on the side just wasn't fitting into all the studying I had to be doing T_T

But I'm back now, even though I still have rotations in the summer. This story is almost over!

Chapter 26: Paying the Piper

Sasuke stared out at the carpeted floor as he remained seated on the couch, the soft glow of the dim lights overhead casting numerous shadows around the vast expanse of the room. He breathed through his nose rhythmically, dark midnight eyes tracing the pattern his shadow had cast while he waited for Naruto to arrive at his door.

After witnessing for himself where the blonde disappeared to, he had been all but consumed by rage. In fact, it had completely overtaken his mind to the point of near madness. He had been ready to plow through that hard oak door and drag Naruto out by the scruff of his neck…of course after pummeling Orochimaru within an inch of his life. However, his wild plan was abruptly put on hold when he caught sight of Hinata walking down the hall, waiving her arm at him. Behind her were Sakura and Ino, bags in hand and big smiles upon their faces. It was apparent that the girls were back from their shopping trip down in the city.

The group had joined him almost immediately, pulling him away from Orochimaru's door and away from Naruto. However, their interference had given the Uchiha just enough time to cool down enough so that reason could pierce through his revenge hazed brain. Instead of marching back to the Chemistry floor and throttling the long haired Organic chemistry professor, he had decided to instead go home, think things out and confront Naruto about it when he returned.

So here he was, sitting in the dim light for roughly two hours, waiting.

Waiting for some answers that, one way or another, he was going to drag out of the dunce of a blonde.

Finally a little after nine o'clock his ears picked up on the sound of jingling keys outside the apartment door. Brows furrowed, he folded his hands together and leaned his chin against them, eyes focused on the wall straight ahead as Naruto walked inside.

"Oh, Sasuke!" Naruto greeted cheerfully, shutting the door closed before going to hang his jacket in the closet.

The Uchiha gave no indication that he'd heard the blonde. Instead he continued to glare at the wall, emitting an almost impenetrable cloud around himself filled with frustration and deadly rage. All previous promises of keeping calm chucked out the window at the first sight of his lover.

Naruto completely oblivious to it all, happily padded into the living room after kicking off his shoes. He collapsed on the couch beside his lover, spreading his arms wide and letting his head roll back.

He wiggled his toes, "Man, I'm beat."

"Hn."

Naruto grunted and scratched an itch on his chest. "Yeah, yeah. You could care less, I know."

"How was your visit with Orochimaru today?" Sasuke said in a dark tone, eyes unmoving from their resting place on the far wall.

Naruto instantly tensed, the muscles in his arms and legs going rigid. "Uh…haha…nothing special."

"What did he need you for?" Sasuke continued in the same manner, teeth grinding against each other after the end of the question.

Naruto swallowed, hurriedly trying to think of a plausible excuse. "Um…j-just needed my help with something, that's all."

"Really?" Sasuke said, finally turning his head to stare accusingly at his boyfriend. "What on earth could he possibly need your help with?"

"Hey," Naruto growled, brows furrowing at the sudden unexpected allegations being thrust upon him. "What the hell, Sasuke?"

"Hn," Sasuke growled back, hands bunching by his sides as he continued to stare into the sapphire irises of his lover. "I should be the one asking you that, dobe."

Naruto balked, fists digging into the couch as he tried to keep calm. "W-what?"

"I mean, since you and Orochimaru are the best of buds now." Sasuke barreled on, "Every time he sends you a message you're up and out, regardless of the fucking time. Must be some steadfast friendship you two have. After all, you're even selling drugs for him. Was that gash on your stupid forehead from him or a deal gone bad, Naruto? How about you answer me that!"

Frozen in place, Naruto just stared wide eyed as Sasuke carried on. His heart pounded in his chest as if ready to escape and make a run for the door. How could Sasuke know that? He deleted every text the bastard sent him. He had been extremely careful going there and coming back!

What…what if Orochimaru knew? What…what if this was it? The end?

Suddenly a pain like he'd never experienced swiftly bloomed in his chest. Gasping audibly, Naruto grabbed at his chest, lips parting as he tried to take in a breath.

Sasuke stopped short in his storming rant, watching as Naruto clutched at his chest. The words died on his lips as the blonde fell over into his lap, gasping for air.

"Naruto?" The Uchiha probed, voice going soft out of alarm. "Hey…what's wrong?"

"—Brea—bre—can't—brea—the."

Frightened, Sasuke immediately grasped Naruto's shoulder pulling him up into a sitting position.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called, shaking him by the shoulders as he worriedly analyzed the blonde's face. All prior accusations disappearing into the night as worry wrapped itself around him like a shroud. With one hand resting on the younger man's chest, he could feel the erratic beat of his heart.

In response his own heart picked up its pace as adrenaline introduced itself into his body.

Shaking his head to break free from distracting thoughts, the raven haired man tried to focus on what he needed to do.

First thing was first, he needed to control Naruto's breathing. The blonde was either having a heart attack or a panic attack. Sasuke heavily gambled on the latter. Now the Uchiha was no expert in medicine but he had a basic gist on what currently needed to happen.

"Naruto! Calm down!" Sasuke called fiercely, grabbing the blonde's chin and pointing it upwards so that their eyes locked. "Try to breathe slowly! Watch me, Naruto! In…Out…In…Out! Slow even breathes, Naruto! Slow even breathes!"

Clutching a fistful of Sasuke's shirt with one hand, Naruto attempted to copy his lover's actions. He slowly in took a breath, expelling it alongside the raven haired man, and then once again breathed in and out, in and out.

Five minutes later the tightness in his chest had receded and his breathing pattern returned to normal. Silence reigned in the small apartment complex while Naruto regained his coloring. Beside him the Uchiha protectively kept both eyes glued to the younger man. Worry still stirring inside him like a storm in the tropics.

"I'm good now, Sasuke." The blonde cast the other a small smile. "You can stop staring at me like that. I'm not going to keel over any time soon."

The Uchiha looked away, his alabaster skin remaining as white as before the scare. Instead he turned to focus his glare back on the carpet, tracing the outline of his shadow on the floor once again. He said not one word. Only debating with his inner self if his calculated anger had shocked Naruto to the point where he'd pushed him to the precipice of anxiety causing him to stumble and physically suffer from the psychological blow. Inwardly he cursed at himself.

"You were right though…" Naruto finally said in a voice barely above a whisper. "About him…me."

"Hn."

"Oh cut the crap!" Naruto grumbled, pressing his palms into his eye sockets. "It's not like I had a choice here!"

"You always have a choice." Sasuke said evenly, still staring at his shadow and completely missing the exasperated eye roll.

"Yes, I had a choice if I wanted to be blackmailed or not," Naruto grumbled. "Because that's how it always works."

Sasuke answered back darkly. "Well then why don't you enlighten me?"

A growing unease settled in the blonde's stomach as he turned his gaze onto the stony Uchiha. How the man figured out so much about the situation without him revealing a single fact was downright disturbing. If indeed Sasuke knew more than he was letting on, then he might as well reveal the rest of it. After all, it was completely over now. There was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

With a heavy sigh, he nervously rubbed the back of his neck before parting his lips to reveal all. "It started at the beginning of last semester. Particularly on the day you decided to pay my office a visit." His voice suddenly dropped in pitch as the sequence of events that followed that fateful day played in his mind like a horror movie. "…I…well, um…I went to Orochimaru's office in regards to Konohamaru and there…there he played for me a video of us…in my office…doing things we weren't supposed to be doing."

Another burst of adrenaline shot up Sasuke's spine at the revelation. He sat up straight, going stiff as a board and turned to look at Naruto as his bottom lip obeyed the laws of gravity and dropped down.

"My options were almost inexistent," the blonde continued, hands now in his lap. "Ruin our reputations so we can never work in a University again or agree to do some drop offs. He threatened me with your life, Konohamaru's life…my friends…and I believed him because frankly, he told me how he managed to murder a man with two heavy guards at the door and no one was the wiser…he kept close tabs on me, following me, sending me texts about what I ate for lunch, breakfast…I was fucking scared, Sasuke. So damn scared and there was nothing I could do but pretend I wasn't!"

The desperation and fear in those ocean eyes had Sasuke's fists balling up at his sides. Rage bubbled in him like lava inside a volcano. As Naruto continued to reveal the details of the past couple of months, the anger inside the Uchiha only increased tenth fold until he was audibly grating his teeth. Having heard enough, he reached over and grabbed Naruto by the arm, holding it tight.

"That fucker is going to get it, Naruto." Sasuke seethed as he reached to pull his phone free from his pant pocket. "I swear to god himself that I will kill him! Show no mercy. Bleed him dry and cast indescribable pain upon his pathetic existence."

A few seconds later he was on the phone with Itachi, relaying everything in perfect detail to his older brother. His rage evident in the tone of his voice as he spat out the horrible things he himself had just been privy to.

He was going to end Orochimaru.

Finish him by any means necessary…or he wasn't an Uchiha.

:::

Itachi dropped the phone in its cradle and cursed colorfully causing Kisame to drop whatever he was doing and hurry over to his boss and friend.

"Who was that?"

"Sasuke," Itachi's deadly tone rang forth, eyes seeing red as he turned his head towards Kisame. "Get my car ready. We're going to see Hidan and Kakuzu."

Palms burrowing into the wooden surface of his desk, Itachi stood to his feet and slid his chair back, letting it bang against the wall loudly. His anger increasing with every second the bastard remained breathing.

In a matter of minutes Kisame was sliding into the driver's seat and starting the car while Itachi got settled in the back, phone already pressed to his ear. He listened to it ring, waiting with barely managed patience for either man to pick up. Finally on the fifth ring a familiar deep voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Kakuzu," Itachi gripped the phone tighter. "I'll be at your place in ten minutes. Is Hidan with you?"

"No, he just stepped out."

"Well call him back!" Itachi growled, brows angled so fiercely it caused his nose to wrinkle. "Because if that slimy eel of a man so much as lives to see another twenty four hours, heads will roll."

"Got it."

:::

Orochimaru sat in his office with a pen clasped in his teeth, eyes roving over a lab report one of his graduate students had typed up when a frenzied knocking assailed his door. The pale man scowled, spitting the pen out onto his desk before fluidly stepping around it and marching forwards to open the door.

He was particularly surprised to find Kabuto's rimmed glasses staring back at him. The man wasn't due for a visit for another few hours.

"What is it?" He abruptly questioned.

The younger man shook his head, urging his mentor to peddle back inside into the safety of his office. Perturbed, Orochimaru stepped back far enough for Kabuto to enter and close the door behind him.

"Professor," Kabuto tried to keep his voice level as he spoke out. "I think we have a really, really big problem."

Orochimaru stiffened, his attention now completely on the younger man in front of him. "What happened?"

Fists trembling in the pockets of his white lab coat, Kabuto gulped before relaying everything he had seen. "I was going to the staff lounge to grab a bite to eat and I saw Naruto walking out. I didn't think much of it at first so I paused to answer a text from a friend of mine. I was just about to walk in when I saw Sasuke Uchiha step through the door and take off in the direction Naruto had gone. Now what struck me as odd was the fact that the Uchiha wasn't trying to catch up to Naruto. In fact he walked slowly behind him, as if following him. So I grew suspicious. I followed him myself and watched them both come to the front of your office door. Naruto went in first, and then Sasuke walked over to the door and just stopped. I swear to you he was murderous. That look in his eye as he glared at your office door…I myself felt a flash of fear run down my spine." Rubbing his chest, Kabuto shook his head to relieve himself of that paranoid fear gripping at his heart. "I…don't think it's safe for you here. That Uchiha is anything but stupid. It won't take him long to put two and two together. He's going to tell his brother and then you and I are done for."

Orochimaru stared wide eyed at his messenger, mouth agape as his heart pounded in his chest as if attached to a motor. He breathed heavily through his nose, leaning against the front of his desk as his mind raced to form a plan that could rid him of his current problem.

A thought came to mind causing his head to snap back up.

"Kabuto, get me Sasuke's license plate!"

"What?" Kabuto answered, suspicion rising. "Why?"

"There is only one way out of this for us." Orochimaru began to ramble as he paced around his office, arms waiving about wildly. "Sasuke doesn't know anything about this yet…he will take at least a day to think it over before calling his brother…he is a rational thinker…he won't jump the gun. So that gives me enough time to hire someone to get rid of him….it's two birds with one stone really, if you think about it…Sasuke will be driving home from work, possibly taking Naruto with him…and all of a sudden they get into a really bad accident on a side road. They get transferred to the hospital, we can sneak into there and poof! Problem solved! No fucking Uchiha brat! Although I do lose my drop off guy again…shit, I'm going to have to find a new one…maybe move to a different town altogether…"

Kabuto just stared aghast as the man continued to ramble on, a crazed look in his eye as he pulled his cell phone out and began scrolling through his list of contacts.

"Well don't just stand there like an idiot! Get me his fucking license plate!" Orochimaru snarled upon finding that Kabuto had to yet move from his spot. "Do I have to remind you that if Sasuke finds out everything, you are just as much his enemy as me? Fucking get a move on!"

Kabuto winced, a cold dread washing over him as he turned to flee the office.

What the fuck had he gotten himself into?

:::

"Hurry up, Hidan." Kakuzu growled as he watched the silver haired man work his magic on Orochimaru's back door.

In answer to the urging of his partner in crime, Hidan turned his head to look up at the man and snarled. "Fucking shut your cunt face, asshole! I'm doing it as fast as I can! Jesus Christ, bastard! Let me do my god damned job!"

Kakuzu just rolled his eyes, used to this sort of treatment from his partner of two years. Grumbling about finding a replacement someday soon he watched with boredom as Hidan finally unlocked the door. An eerie grin crept onto the shorter man's face, disappearing into the darkness as he pulled out a knife and stepped inside.

Ten minutes later, they were sitting on the living room couch, brows furrowed in consternation. Kakuzu rubbed his forehead, eyes drawn closed.

"Well what the fuck are you waiting for?" Hidan snapped nervously. "An invitation? Fucking call him!"

Grunting, Kakuzu drew out his phone and stared at it. Wondering to himself what kind of hell was about to be let loose once he told Itachi that Orochimaru was gone. Sighing, he dialed the number for the Uchiha and waited patiently.

Two rings.

"Well?" Itachi's voice vibrated into his ear.

Kakuzu let out a nervous cough, clearing his throat. "Um…he's not here."

"Who do you mean by 'he's not here,' Kakuzu?"

Catching Hidan's gaze, the green eyed man swiped a palm over his forehead once more. "…He's not here, Itachi. Some of his stuff is gone. It looks like he high tailed it out of here…he must have known we were coming."

"FUCK!"

Kakuzu pulled the phone away from his ear, eyes squinting shut. Never in his life had he heard the Uchiha yell like that. The sound of it made his bones tremble.

"YAH! KAKUZU!" Itachi called into the phone, causing the green eyed man to put the phone back to its place by his ear. "You find that bastard, you hear me? I don't care who you ask for help, just fucking find him and kill him, understand? Hell, tell Hidan he can have fun with this one! Just find him!"

"Um," Kakuzu scratched his wrapped head. "It's four in the morning, Itachi. Can't we pick this up a little later. I'm beat and…even Hidan who definitely heard that he can 'have his way with his one,' looks exhausted."

A silence reigned for a minute before a dejected 'fine,' echoed into his ear. "But that man dies, Kakuzu. People like him don't deserve to prolong their existence…not after what he's done."

"You can count on us for that, Itachi." Kakuzu nodded, eyes still locked with Hidan, the story of the young Naruto still fresh in his mind. "You can count on that."

:::

"Ugh, damn it!" Sakura banged her palm against her steering wheel in exasperation early the next morning. Of all days to have car trouble, this had to be one of them! At the end of April when all she had to do was drop off her damn final exams. Groaning at her miserable luck she checked the time.

"Crap," she sighed, pulling her purse into her lap and rummaging for her phone. "He's going to be pissed."

Entering into her favorite contacts, Sakura looked from Sasuke's name to Naruto. Who to call?

A no brainer really.

She hurriedly pressed Naruto's name and put the phone to her ear, waiting for the blonde to pick up.

It didn't take him long.

"Hey, Sakura!" He answered in a rush. "What's up?"

"My car won't start," she began immediately, not beating around the bush. "Can you guys give me a lift to school?"

"Sure we can!"

"No we can't!" Sakura heard Sasuke's voice exclaim in the background. "She's out of the way! And you promised we were going to be quick about this. Drop off the exams, drive back home and have sex. You promised."

"You know I can hear you, Sasuke." Sakura droned, rolling her eyes.

"So?" She heard him say in the background. "I'm not hiding anything."

"Bastard, we're picking her up." Naruto growled, and then voice turning sweet he turned his attention back to Sakura. "Be ready in ten, we'll be there."

"Great!"

Just as Naruto said, ten minutes later Sakura was sliding into the backseat of the car, grin wide and cheery as she looked upon the blonde's smiling face. Sasuke however, was brooding behind the driver's seat, ebony eyes glaring out the window.

"I have a few things to do after I drop off my exams," Sakura said as Sasuke started the car and drove back onto the road. "It will take maybe an hour, hour and a half tops. Can you wait for me?"

"Yes."

"No."

Naruto frowned at his lover, "Wow, Sasuke. What a great friend you are."

"Please, Sasuke." Sakura pleaded, thrusting out her bottom lip and trying to appear as innocent as possible.

Looking up into his rearview mirror, Sasuke snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Please, Sasuke." Sakura tried again.

"You can have the car," Sasuke growled. "We're not waiting. Just get it back to me sometime before eight, alright? Naruto and I will take the bus." Looking across to Naruto, he found the blonde's mouth hanging wide open in amazement. Turning back to stare at the road, Sasuke shrugged. "We're going home just like we planned." He said evenly. "And then I plan to fuck the stupid out of you."

Naruto just let his head fall into his lap.

If he ever thought Sasuke would be sweet and cuddly after finding out the lengths Naruto went to protect his honor, then he really did need the stupid fucked out of him.

Damn Uchihas.

"Sounds good to me," Sakura grinned. Then letting her eyes take on a mischievous glimmer she leaned in between the two front seats and whispered. "Make sure to fuck him extra hard. We can't afford any more stupid."

HEY!" Naruto barked, red faced. "Why the hell do you two always gang up on me?"

"Because," they answered in unison, two pairs of eyes drifting towards him. "Your stupidity is annoying."

Naruto's eye twitched.

:::

Roughly an hour later Sasuke was eagerly pushing Naruto through the front door of their apartment, lips pressed firmly together.

"Sas—"

"—Shh," hushed Sasuke, shutting the door behind him with his foot. He briefly let go of Naruto's torso to lock the door. When the 'click,' of the lock sounded, he resumed his finger foreplay all the while pushing the younger man towards the bedroom.

They were behind the door in a matter of seconds.

In his vivacious efforts to unclothe the blonde, Sasuke let loose a bunch of buttons after he tugged harshly on Naruto's shirt. Like a bag of beads, the buttons scattered on the floor nestling behind every crevice they could roll themselves into. Naruto groaned, dick hard as Sasuke roved over his neck like a hungry lion, licking and sucking at every chance he got.

Naruto was no meek kitten either. Boldly his hands trailed downwards and pulled at the older man's zipper. He lowered the denim jeans and then let the briefs follow suite, springing free Sasuke's quite enthusiastic cock. It was hot to the touch, and every time Naruto rubbed its length a guttural moan split through the room making his breath quicken.

The blonde let himself be tumbled to the bed, blue eyes staring up lustfully as Sasuke removed his bothersome shirt and cast it to the floor to join the mutinying buttons. Above him he watched his lover breathe heavily, taking in the contours of his chest and taunting hips. He was beautiful in every sense of the word, and there was nothing he would like more for that sinful being to fuck him into the next world.

"Tell me, dobe," Sasuke smirked while looking down upon the delectable morsel of a man beneath him. "Will you ever keep things from me again?"

Naruto shook his head furiously, promising never to do such a thing again.

"Let me hear it."

"Promise," Naruto said hastily, eyes circling downwards to stare at Sasuke's cock. "Now fuck me."

"What will happen if I ever find out you did something so stupid again?" Sasuke continued, thrusting his hips forward and letting his cock bounce a little closer to his lover.

"Bad things," Naruto supplied, eyes glued to the engorged head. The feeling of it tunneling through him made heat blossom in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed, remembering the texture of it gliding across his tongue.

"What kind of bad things?" Sasuke growled all the while coming closer, his cock barely two inches from Naruto's more than ready mouth.

"Very bad things," Naruto gulped, mouth watering as he leaned forwards.

Sasuke nodded, ebony locks falling into his eyes as he thrust his dick into Naruto's waiting mouth. "Correct. Very bad things."

:::

Sakura growled lowly to herself as she sat behind the computer screen typing up a recommendation letter for one of her students. Honestly what the hell, right? Who asks a professor to write a recommendation letter this far into the semester? And more importantly for that matter, give her only a few days to do it!

Just her luck.

Peeved, Sakura angrily typed words of praise and kindness, letting only the kicking of her child inside her comfort the demon within.

:::

"Nngh!" Naruto tugged on the midnight locks that adorned Sasuke's head like a crown as the man sucked on his cock, lips hot as embers.

It was enough teasing, the blonde couldn't take much more of it.

Sitting up he grabbed for his lover, hoisting him onto himself and attacking his mouth.

"You—think it's—enough now?" Naruto breathed through messy kisses as the raven's hands tangled in his golden locks. "Teasing—yeah?"

"Mhmm," Sasuke responded in agreement and then began to push Naruto's legs apart with his own causing the blonde to smile.

"Thank god," Naruto pulled his lips away, face flushed as he tumbled back onto the bed. "Finally!"

Grabbing Sasuke's dick, he aligned it with his more than ready hole and pushed it in, letting it enter him in one fell swoop.

"Hn." Sasuke grunted as his lips formed into a crooked smile.

He should do this more often.

:::

Finally done for the day Sakura charged down the steps in her flats, keys in hand and eyes set on Sasuke's car. This beauty was hers for the better part of the day. And with a car this wonderful there was only one thing to do.

Shopping.

Opening the driver door she settled herself in and adjusted the mirrors. Then digging through her purse she pulled out her makeup bag and applied another coat of pink lipstick to her mouth, puckering in the mirror as she did so.

"Well baby," She looked down at her stomach, giving it a gentle rub. "Mama is about to go shopping."

Putting the car into drive Sakura pulled out of the parking space and weaved the car out of the lot and towards the road, a list of things to do in her mind.

:::

Sasuke breathed heavily atop the blonde, muscles too tired from their earlier use to pull himself free. Like a log he rested on his lover, their skin sticking together from the rivers of sweat running down their limbs.

"Sasuke," Naruto breathed out raggedly. "Get off…you're fucking heavy."

"Hn."

"Seriously, bastard." Naruto whined, pushing the man off, "I can't breathe!"

Like a sack of potatoes, Sasuke dropped to his lover's side. However, nothing could sour his most wonderful mood.

He was satiated.

Orochimaru was as good as dead, that fucker.

And Naruto was naked right beside him.

Nothing could make this day get any better.

"Sasuke," Naruto's voice rung out once more. "You hungry?"

"Hn."

"I'm hungry," the blonde tapped him on the shoulder, sitting up. "Let's make some ramen."

"Hn." Sasuke put his arms over his head, refusing to move.

Leave it to Naruto.

:::

Sakura worriedly pushed on the breaks, staring at her speedometer as the arrow kept moving up. Adrenaline coursed through her veins causing her heart to pump with the strength of a gladiator. She swerved the car, cursing and slamming on the breaks. Fearfully her eyes fell across the changing light.

Yellow.

The car just wouldn't stop.

Red.

Eyes prickling with tears she protectively put a hand on her stomach, watching as the cars beside her lane stopped.

I'm not going to die, she chanted to herself as her car charged into the sea of vehicles. I will not let myself die! This is not how my life is going to end!

Turning the wheel of the car she swerved out of the way of one car, a chorus of horns and yells ringing in her ears. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw it.

There was no time to dodge it.

She wouldn't be able to swerve the car out.

Shutting her eyes as tightly as she could, she braced herself for the collision all the while offering up a silent prayer to god.

Please, please don't do this to me again…

God please, I beg you…

The car hit her from behind, crashing into the rear skirt of her car and sending the lot of them skidding.

Glass shattered all around.

:::

Slurping up the noodles as noisily as he could, Naruto wiggled his eyebrows as Sasuke glared at him from across the table.

"You know you still want me," Naruto grinned, tipping the bowl and drinking up the remaining broth, chopsticks thrown to the side.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, tipping his bowl back as well and letting the broth run down his throat.

From inside the bedroom, Naruto's phone began to ring.

"Dobe," Sasuke motioned with his head towards the bedroom after Naruto continued to ignore the sound. "Your phone."

"Let it ring," Naruto waived it off. "If it's important they'll call again."

They listened to it ring and when it turned off Naruto happily put his bowl down. "See?"

Then it began to ring again.

Sasuke frowned, "I think you should get that."

The blonde sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he sullenly marched into the bedroom. "I swear if Kiba is calling me about something stupid, I will personally go over there and beat the living shit out of him. I am a human being, not his personal caddie! Let a man be!"

Digging the phone from the pocket of his pants that had been thrown to the floor, Naruto looked at the number, face falling when he didn't recognize it.

"Hello?" He answered just as Sasuke walked in.

"Hello?" A frenzied voice replied from the other line, "Is this Mr. Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes," Naruto said evenly. "Who is this?"

"This is Konoho General Hospital. Sakura Haruno has just been in a motor vehicle accident. You are listed as one of her emergency contacts. We tried to get a hold of her parents but neither of them is answering."

"Accident?" Naruto repeated, eyes wide. "Is she o-okay?"

"We have the medical team with her right now."

"I'm coming!" Naruto said into the phone, turning his already watering eyes to Sasuke who was standing there like a statue. "Sasuke!"

The Uchiha jumped to his feet, grabbing his jeans from the floor and pulling them quickly over his legs.

This couldn't be happening, he thought. It just couldn't be…

Why…

Why Sakura?

Why?

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