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The Land of Waves - Part 4

Tazuna sat on the window sill while his daughter Tsunami bandaged the last of Sasuke's wounds, Naruto and Kiba watched in heavy silence while Inari assisted his mother. Tazuna couldn't help but think that Naruto looked ready to burst into tears at any moment. The boy he had once known was now a man, but in his current state he seemed even more of child than he had been over three years ago. But his concern for his friend was understandable, Naruto felt it was his fault for Sasuke ending up in his current condition, and the fear of losing someone precious to us was one of the worst fears of all.

Tsunami had finished treating Sasuke's wounds and tucked him up in bed, none of the wounds were life threatening, but he certainly wouldn't be moving around any time soon. Even still, Naruto was here and that brought some peace to Tazuna's heart. The boy who had inspired The Land of Waves to fight for their freedom was back, even the fisherman who had helped carry Sasuke here had expressions of hope once they saw him. Naruto was an inspiration to the people of this land, word would spread and the light of hope would rekindle, but Tazuna needed to make sure Naruto was up to the task, looking at him now he doubted that he was.

"We should let him rest." Tsunami declared, "Don't worry, he just needs to rest. He'll be just fine." She squeezed Naruto's shoulder reassuringly. "Now, why don't we tend to your wounds?" Tsunami asked Kiba.

"I'll be fine..."

"The slightest cut can get infected, we need you at your best!"

"Fine..." Kiba relented.

"Lets go through to the other room, you can sleep through there when we're done."

"..."

"Something wrong?" Tsunami asked.

"No..." Kiba replied, looking at Naruto. This meant he was going to be in separate rooms from Naruto and he would be in here with Sasuke. But the look of concern on Naruto's face made it clear that he had no intention of leaving Sasuke's side in his current state and it would be futile to try and convince him otherwise. "Let's go..." Kiba sighed, turning to leave the room, Akamaru followed them out.

Once everyone had left Tazuna approached Naruto. He looked down at the blond ninja, he could see the flood of emotions threatening to overflow and overwhelm the boy as he stared at Sasuke. He sighed and wondered what he should say, it was never easy to console someone, but Sasuke would be just fine, but Naruto had a mission to do and he need him to be focused.

"Naruto..."

"It's my fault..." Naruto muttered, looking down at Sasuke's unconscious, bandaged body.

"I'm sure it's not."

"He protected me, just like last time... he has always been protecting me..."

"Sasuke will be just fine."

"I know..."

'But that doesn't stop him feeling bad about it.' Tazuna thought. "Then it's time for you to protect him. They know you're here now, the longer you wait the more likely they find out where you're hiding and then Sasuke, Tsunami, Inari and myself will be in danger. We need you to protect us, to protect the Land of Waves, just like you did before." Naruto wiped his eyes and as if he had flicked a switch he looked up at Tazuna with a brilliant smile.

"Leave it to me!"

"All right then." Tazuna nodded in approval. The smile was convincing but he could still see that swell of emotion at the back of his blue eyes. But for now this was enough. "Try and get some rest, Sasuke will still be there in the morning, no point in exhausting yourself."

"Okay, I will."

Tazuna left the room and Naruto closed the door and turned off the light. He sat on the bed across from Sasuke and leant against the wall, his legs tucked up against him, his sword resting against his shoulder as he stared at Sasuke, his form illuminated by the moon light pouring in the window next to his bed. His skin, what little there was that wasn't covered in bandages, glowed in the moonlight.

"Sasuke... I'm sorry..."

************

Bloop...

Bloop...

Naruto opened his eyes and found himself in a dim darkness, no obvious light but somehow he could make out everything that filled the dark, damp cell that housed the Kyuubi. He stared at the massive bars, a deep grumbling emanated from behind the bars. He was sitting against the wall, sitting in several inches of water. Somehow he felt at home here, the environment matching his mood.

Bloop... another drop of water echoed as it fell from the ceiling adding to ankle deep water that covered the floor.

"You okay kid?" Naruto turned his head to see Kisuke, his blond hair and pale skin almost glowing in the darkness of the cell, his red leather trench coat adding colour to an otherwise colourless void. He leant against the cold concrete wall next to Naruto, looking down at him with sympathetic eyes.

"I guess..."

"I know that look kid, I've seen it many times, it's the look of a boy who needs a hug."

"I don't need a hug..." He pouted, not interested in Kisuke's sympathy.

"No? Then how about some advice?"

"..."

"You're hurting, you feel like you're to blame for your, friend... lover? Getting hurt." Hearing Sasuke described as his lover sounded strange to Naruto, but he guessed it was mostly true, both Sasuke and Kiba were technically his lovers, at least after last night. "But Sasuke made the choice to step between you and that attack."

"But if I hadn't... if I hadn't been so weak..."

"Then Sasuke wouldn't have had to?" Naruto nodded solemnly, gazing into the water that pooled round him. "Tell me kid, if it was Sasuke who'd been knocked down, would you have done the same?"

"Yeah... I guess..."

"And if it was Kiba?"

"I guess..."

"Then stop your moping! In a fight things happen and you can't blame yourself for what other people do in the heat of battle. Your opponent was strong."

"But if I was stronger..."

"You are strong Naruto, you have always been strong, you just need to remember, you're Naruto Uzamaki after all!"

"Yeah..." Naruto chuckled. "Believe it!" He felt better all of a sudden, Kisuke seemed to know what he needed to hear

"Now, wake up! There's someone waiting for you."

"Thanks Kisuke!"

"No problem kid, just remember, if you need help all you have to do is call out." Naruto smiled a brilliant smile before fading out of existence.

"You really do talk a load of crap, don't you?" Kyuubi muttered from the depths of his cell.

"The kid needed a few words of encouragement, so sue me! You like him as well, don't you Red?"

"..." A grumble echoed from the darkness.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

************

Naruto's eyes fluttered open, his vision blurry from the early morning light streaming in the window. He could see someone sitting on Sasuke's bed, the silhouette sat looking out the window. As his vision cleared, Naruto realised that the person was Sasuke.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled leaping across the room and embracing the raven haired ninja in a bone crushing hug.

"Naruto!" Sasuke gasped.

"You're all right!" Naruto cheered, squeezing tighter.

"Naruto!"

"Oh shit... sorry, sorry, sorry!" Naruto apologised releasing his hold. "I was so worried!"

"It'll take more than that to put me down, you should know that." Sasuke said with a smile, throwing back the covers and getting out of bed.

"You should rest!"

"I'm fine." Sasuke insisted as he began removing the bandages wrapped round his chest.

"But you were really badly hurt, you should rest up for... a... couple... what?" Naruto was speechless as he looked at the perfectly smooth skin of Sasuke's chest, no sign of any cuts, no scars. "But... how?"

"My curse seal." Sasuke replied resting his left hand over the seal tentatively. "It helps speed up the healing process."

"Oh... that's good. So you're completely healed then?"

"More or less, a little stiff but other wise I'm good."

"That's good to hear."

"Now for the next part of my recovery, I'm starving!" Sasuke smiled, making Naruto chuckle.