The Demilitarized Zone

Chapter 14

The door opened slowly and the three men in the room turned their heads from the wind and the rain to see who would interrupt their silent vigil. Fugaku stood up quickly when he saw that it was his sons, his dark eyes scanning their pale forms for injury. Sasuke's clothes were still torn and bloody from before so it was difficult for the older man to tell if he was any worse for the wear. Upon closer inspection, Fugaku noticed a dark bruise forming on the side of Sasuke's neck as though something had been pressed brutally against the pale skin.

Itachi came to a stop behind Sasuke while his father's gaze fell upon him. He looked controlled, as was normal for his oldest son, but for the uncharacteristic fisting of his hands, almost like he was stopping them from shaking.

"Sasuke." Kakashi said and stood up from his position on Iruka's bed. His gray eyes also scanned the brothers looking for any sign that could tell him about his son.

Sasuke's black eyes met his own and a soft sigh escaped before the smallest of smiles graced his lips, "He's okay. He is sleeping." Sasuke walked closer to Naruto's parents, looking Kakashi in the eye, "I was with him until they took him into x-ray," at Iruka's sharp intake of breath Sasuke hastened to explain, "He hurt his knee and they need to determine if it will need surgery or not."

Kakashi stepped closer to the quiet young man, searching his eyes critically, "He hurt his knee… what else?"

Sasuke shook his head and Itachi placed a hand on his shoulder before answering for his little brother. "Nothing else. Naruto is fine. A police officer and an acquaintance of mine were killed, as well as, several of Orochimaru's men."

"And Sannin?" Fugaku asked his voice cold and commanding.

Sasuke looked up and met his father's eyes, "Still alive and in route to East General Hospital for a gunshot wound in his shoulder." Midnight eyes held the older ones of his father for a moment before turning to Naruto's father, "I… I'm sorry."

Fugaku, in a move that surprised all the occupants of the room, grabbed his youngest son into a tight embrace, patting the back of his head similar to how he had when his Sasuke was small. "I am very proud of you," The dark head looked over Sasuke's bent head, ignoring Sasuke's shallow breaths, indicating the young man was struggling to maintain his composure, "I am proud of both of you."

Itachi's eyes widened and he nodded slowly to his father. Sasuke pulled back and looked out the window taking several deep breaths and then turning once more to the men in the room. Stepping toward the bed, he extended his hand to Naruto's other father, "Hello, I'm Sasuke. Naruto has spoken very fondly of you."

Iruka nodded, taking the hand of the young man his son loved and who had returned Naruto to them, "Sasuke, it is a pleasure to meet you."

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Blue eyes blinked open slowly, the sounds of rain hitting the window causing Naruto to tense before he was able to establish that he was no longer in that hell hole because Sasuke had saved him…

"Sasuke!"

Naruto sat up and scanned the dark room before he heard a gentle rustle and the whisper of someone else's breathing. In the dim light streaming into the room from the hallway, Naruto made out his sleeping teme. Sasuke sat in a chair, his arms crossed over his chest and his long legs straight out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He was dressed in dark blue doctor's scrubs, his feet shoeless, the white of his socks nearly glowing in the darkness. Blue eyes moved up the lean body once more and rested on Sasuke's sleeping face. Pale and beautiful. So fucking beautiful. His head was tilted gently to the side and the soft, black hair of his bangs lay gently against his face. Naruto's fingers itched to push them aside before cupping the pale cheek in his hand, while the other pressed against the strong chest, feeling the heartbeat of his teme. His very much alive, sleeping teme. He didn't even try to stop the sob that built in his chest before echoing throughout the room.