Naruto 1. At All Costs

I was listening to the song, eating dinner, and thought this up on impulse…despite I have to work on other fanfics! Even if I do get flames or criticism, I don't care. If this story does good, I will continue it because I'm thinking of deleting my first story, "New Student"

Well anyways, I hope it does good! Plz no flames.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of it's characters.

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**Reminder: There is a song in this chapter.**

"Tsunade-sama, will he be okay!" askeda big man in the room, who by his side was Shikamaru.

"Hehe, Choji will be fine! Just make sure he doesn't eat to much or he'll get sick!"

"Thank goodness!" said Shikamaru.

Running through the door was Gai, by him were Lee and Gaara.

"I'm glad at least you two are okay!" said Tsunade.

"I owe Gaara-san for helping me!" said Lee.

Gaara softly smiled hearing "san" at the end of his name, and then suddenly seeming nervous, he asked, "Has Naruto returned yet!"

Tsunade frowned and said, "No…I don't know how he's doing. No other ninja's have arrived from their missions…Kakashi is taking longer than expected."

Shikamaru clutched his fist and bit his lip, while Lee looked out the window and said, "Naruto-kun, you better be okay."

_Valley of the End_

A/N: Naruto had just used kyuubi's chakra and Sasuke is no longer in cursed seal level two.

"How could you still be still standing! Orochimaru gave me power! You should be dead!"

Naruto had tried to move towards Sasuke but fell on his knees. "The reason I'm still standing is because I can't let you die."

"Me? Die?" Sasuke had begun to laugh. "I'm not the one on the floor bleeding!"

Naruto finally was able to stand without trembling and said, "Why would Orochimaru want to give you power Sasuke?"

"…"

"Orochimaru just wants to take over your body, he wants to use your body as a host to live through."

"At least I'll have power in the end."

"…Sasuke…you want revenge on your brother right?"

"I would do anything for that!"

"That's dumb…"

"What did you say!"

"Sasuke, Itachi is going to die someday…"

"Of course he'll die…I want to punish him for killing my clan!"

"But-"

"Be quiet!"

Naruto ignored Sasuke and continued, "Maybe…you can do that without joining Orochimaru."

"Are you…? No wait you are an idiot. Who else can give me power?"

"Are you an idiot Sasuke…or are you just blind?"

"What!"

"You always had something that can help you power."

"Yeah? What's that?" asked Sasuke angrily.

"You have people who care about you…and will do anything to help you."

_I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known._

_Don't know where it goes, but it's only me and I walk alone_

Sasuke shouted, "None of them are my family!"

"Yeah well you shouldn't push them away…"

"I'm to weak to fight anymore…I'm going to Orochimaru."

Sasuke turned around and before he could start walking, Naruto had jumped on him and knocked him on the floor.

"Give up Naruto."

"Sasuke, what will you get from killing me?"

"I might as well tell you…my brother's sharingan is completely developed. But mine hasen't reached it's full potential yet."

"What do you have to do to reach it's full potential?" Naruto rolled off of Sasuke and sat on his knees with his hands holding him up.

Sasuke stood and replied, "I must kill my closest friend…you Naruto. But I can't fight you right now. I would use up all my energy and won't make it back to Orochimaru."

Naruto smiled softly and said, "I have an idea…"

"Oh and what's that dumb ass?"

"Sasuke…you have friends who will give you power…you don't have to die getting power from Orochimaru…"

"Don't try to stop me."

As Sasuke continued to run, he heard something roll by his side, it was a kunai.

"What now Naruto? Do you have a death wish."

"Sasuke…if you go back to Konoha…I'll let you kill me."

_I walk this empty street, on the boulevard of broken dreams_

_Where the city sleeps, and I'm the only one, I walk alone_

"What did you say?"

"You heard me, everybody wins…you perfect your sharingan…and the people in Konoha will give you the rest that you need to kill your brother, and they get you back."

"What about you?"

"You'd be helping me Sasuke…by killing me you'd be the villages hero and I'd be put out of my misery."

_I walk alone, I walk alone_

"…"

_I walk alone, and I walk, my shadow's the only one that walks beside me_

_My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating_

"No one cares about me anyway…"

_Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me_

_Till then I walk alone_

Sasuke picked up the kunai and said, "You made my job a whole lot easier Naruto."

Sasuke drove the kunai through Naruto's chest, making him cough out some blood.

_I'm walking down the line, that divides me somewhere in my mind_

_On the borderline, of the edge in where I walk alone_

All this time, Sasuke thought that he was the one suffering, it was really Naruto. But he pushed that thought out of his mind and prepared for the final blow.

_Read between the lines, what's fucked up and everything's alright_

_Check my vital signs, and know I'm still alive, and I walk alone_

"Thank you Sasuke…go back to Konoha." Said Naruto who now collapsed to the floor.

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore, he dropped the kunai and shook Naruto saying, "Wake up! I didn't kill you! Get up Naruto! Get up!"

Sasuke could feel his sharingan react, but it didn't change, Naruto was still alive…barely.

_I walk alone, I walk alone_

Half an hour later in Konoha, Tsunade was holding clutching her head and Sakura was on the floor hugging her knees, both wondering where Naruto and Sasuke were.

"Out at the gates, two guards heard a faint sound, "Help me."

Looking down, they could see Sasuke carrying Naruto.

"Open the gates! They arrived!" shouted a guard.

A ninja ran through the hospital and Tsunade's office saying the two boys have returned.

Immediately, people starting running to the gates.

At the front, as the gates opened, people gasped to see a bloody Sasuke and Naruto.

Sakura saw that Sasuke was drenched in blood and ran up to him as well as a crowd of people and girls.

"Sasuke-kun! You're bleeding! I have to take you to Tsunade!"

"No…Naruto needs help!"

"What are you talking about?"

Sasuke wiped some blood off his body and revealed he had no fatal injuries.

Sakura's eyes widened in horror and asked, "So that blood…is from…!"

Sakura collapsed and began throwing up, and her parents picked her up.

Tsunade ran over to Naruto, as well as the medic nins, and ran him to the hospital.

Some villagers were smirking and smiling seeing the kyuubi jailer on the brink of death.

Sasuke then fell to the floor and caught everyone's attention, as always.

Sakura stood up with the assistance of her parents and said, "I didn't get to see Naruto! Let me go see him!"

Her mother glared and said, "No Sakura, it's best if no one is around that boy, he's better off in the hospital anyway."

Sakura ignored her mom and tried to break free from their grasp but couldn't, and began to cry, "Let go of me mom! Dad let go!"

"No Sakura, you won't go near that scum!" said her father.

"If it weren't for me asking him to bring back Sasuke, he wouldn't be dying right now!"

"Well I would give him for Sasuke wouldn't you?" asked her mom.

Sakura reflected on how horrible she had been to Naruto and collapsed to the floor weeping, "How could you say that Mom!"

Shikamaru saw Tsunade run by with a bloody orange body and he stopped a medical nin behind her and asked, "That…isn't…!"

The medical nin looked at him sadly and nodded sadly.

Shikamaru fell back into his chair trying to control his emotions, "Oh my god..."

"Were you the captain of his team?"

"Y-yes?"

"If you want to see him you can come with me."

"Thank you!" said Shikamaru running with the lady to the room.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"My name's Rin."

On the way to the room, they ran into Kakashi who also was looking for Naruto.

"I was late…I couldn't do anything…"

Shikamaru continued on and left Rin and Kakashi together.

"This is like a long time ago huh?" asked Rin who frowned.

"I pray it doesn't end like it did to us."

Continuing to Naruto's room, Kakashi thought, "Obito…please let this boy live."

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Well there we go! I hope ya liked it. Oh, and if I wrote something wrong for the parts of the songs and you know, please inform me so I can fix it! Thanks! 

By the way, the parts in italics were some of the lyrics for the song, Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day.

P.S.: This WILL be Narusaku if it continues. And tell me if there were any extreme errors in grammar.


	2. Start Moving

**Wow, thanks for the reviews everyone, the reason I asked if I should continue is because I don't want to spend my time writing a fan fiction almost nobody will read when I could be studying, yes, I take pride in my classes, and yes, schools back up for me.**

**I'm glad that the story did well, but I think it would've done fine without the song in it, the reason I placed the song in was because I was looking for a way to do my first song fic, good or not. Anyways, thanks for reading chapter one and I hope that you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters.**

It's like waking up for the first time, everything was foggy and his hearing wasn't clear.

Uzumaki Naruto looked around into a white blank room, his eyesight still impaired.

'Is this…heaven?'

"**Guess again kit."**

"Oh…this must be hell, thanks for dragging me along you bastard!" shouted Naruto to the demon lord.

"**No hell can replace this prison in _your_ head baka."**

As Naruto's vision went back to normal, he could see Tsunade, Sakura, Kakashi, Shikamaru, and another pink haired stranger looking at him.

'I'm alive…Sasuke didn't…kill me?'

"Thank god…" said Tsunade embracing Naruto, crying.

Naruto still had his blank stare, not knowing what to think.

Tsunade whispered into Naruto's ear, "The fox wasn't healing you, as though you wanted to die…we had to work day and night to keep you alive."

Sakura felt guilty for making Naruto promise to bring Sasuke back, "I'm glad you're alive Naruto."

'Why didn't Sasuke kill me?'

Naruto exited his trance and said, "Sakura, is Sasuke here?"

Sakura didn't say a word, and just stared at the floor sadly.

"He left again!"

Tsunade showed Naruto a note saying:

_Naruto,_

_I couldn't kill you, I was too weak without enough hatred, and our bond was too strong. Besides that, I didn't want to kill you because you asked me to, I want to kill you in proving I'm better than you. By now I should have left with no stops, and be with Orochimaru. I have no regrets in this. The next time we meet, I'll break the bond once and for all. For you see, if you don't die I'll never fulfill my ambition. Now my friend and rival, I'll be sure to see you in less than three years, be ready._

"…" Naruto didn't say anything, all he did was crumple the note and chuck it in the trash bin to his left.

"How long was I here."

"…"

"Tell me."

"Six days." said Kakashi looking down.

"Dang."

Sakura smiled lightly and said, "It could've been longer, others would've taken longer to heal."

Naruto's eyes grew and he gasped, "The others! Are they okay!"

Tsunade nodded, "They're all fine, would you like to see them later?"

"Yeah, can I see them today."

"Of course."

Looking next to Kakashi, Naruto asked, "Who's she?"

"Oh I'm sorry Naruto-kun, I am Rin, I helped Tsunade-sama during your operation along with two other nins."

"Oh then thank you."

"No, thank you, my day was brightened by you."

Naruto was confused, and Kakashi thought, "He does seem a lot like Obito."

Suddenly hearing a sound outside, Naruto asked, "May you please exit, I need a moment to myself."

"Um okay." said Kakashi, followed by the other three.

Before Sakura could leave, Naruto said, "Oh and Sakura, I'm sorry, next time I'll get him, I'm not going to break my promise."

'It's all I got to do left.' thought Naruto shortly after speaking.

"Sure…alright." Sakura was having a mix of different emotions and couldn't articulate anything else.

Back in the room, Naruto signaled Jiraiya, who entered through the window.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Jiraiya then hit Naruto on the head, "What's your problem! Doing something so stupid!"

"Hey, if Sasuke came back, that's all that matters."

"Look how low you went…complete disregard for your own life."

"It doesn't matter."

"Naruto, is it that important to get back Sasuke to you?"

"What else is there?"

"…Okay, we got three years to get Sasuke back, I'm going to have to train you."

"Yeah, when do we go?"

"How's to say tonight at nine?"

"What time is it now?"

"It's 10:15 a.m., you got the day to do what you need. Are you sure you're ok with tonight?"

"Yeah."

"O.k. then, one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Remember, you can't control Sasuke. Your emotions can't get in the way, or else you're a fool."

"I have no intention of being a fool."

"Yeah?"

"However, I will do whatever I can to get him back."

"If that's what you think, I'll see you tonight, at the gates at eight sharp. If we get a head start tonight, we'll reach the closest village in the early morning and we can set up for the day there."

"Alright see you then."

Jiraiya disappeared, and two minutes later, Tsunade gave Naruto a final check up and he was back outside, and left to see the guys at the Hokage monument park.

When there, he could see Kiba was using one of those sticks you put under your arm to help you walk, and Akamaru was in his shirt as always. Lee, Shikamaru, nor Choji had any serious injuries anymore, and Neji could stand with the help of Lee.

"Is everyone doing better?" asked Naruto sadly.

"It's alright Naruto-kun! Although we all got hurt, you are lucky to be living, nonetheless walking right now." said Lee.

"Yeah, I just can't believe Sasuke got away again."

"I couldn't care less, I'm not putting my ass on the line to stop him again!" shouted Kiba with an agreeing bark from Akamaru.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't do a better job as captain. I could've went up to help you guys." said Shikamaru sighing.

Choji smiled, "Don't worry 'bout it, we're all alive aren't we?"

'I would've been better off if Sasuke had killed me off.' thought Naruto for the third time this day,

"Naruto, thanks for teaching me that you can change your destiny."

"You mean thanks for kicking my ass right?" asked Kiba chuckling.

"Either way, I would've lost if I hadn't tried to fight destiny, so Naruto thanks."

"…No problem, lets just go get something to eat, and maybe go out and do a little something."

"Let's go with the power of youth!" shouted Lee leading the way to a restaurant.

It was a long day of activities and a little bonding, that by the end of the day, Naruto wasn't so sure he wanted to die.

"Naruto, we'll see ya some other time!"

He waved back, not wanting to spoil the day saying he was going to leave.

The clock hit five p.m., and it was almost time for Naruto to leave with Jiraiya. Naruto thought of the last place he'd want to remember before he left, and headed to the mountain not too far away.

Naruto stood on top of the fourth's head carved into the mountain, and looked down onto the village.

'It's funny…I hate the village, and yet, I'd do anything for it.'

Naruto then looked at the thirds face carved into the mountain right beside him, 'I'd do anything for the…that sounds like something the old man would say before he died.'

'I guess that's why I want to be Hokage someday…but the Hokage must be able to fulfill his promises…if I can't fulfill this one, what kind of Hokage would I be?"

The sun began to fall under the ground, and the skies began to illuminate pink and orange. 'I'll miss these sunsets.'

The skies finally grew dark, and Naruto could see the fist star pop up, and Naruto chuckled 'Wishing for Sasuke would be lazy…I wish to get thrice as strong as I am now when I return, so I could get Sasuke back on my own!'

Naruto looked at the watch, it was 6:47.

Despite he just got out of the hospital, Naruto said, "For old times sake!"

Moving back to get a running start, Naruto charged to the side of the mountain and used a chakra powered jump, hurling him right off the edge.

After free falling for two seconds, Naruto landed feet first on a roof, it hurt but was worth the thrill.

Naruto reached his apartment at 6:55 and wrote a letter to Konohamaru and Tsunade.

Looking down to Sakura in the picture of team seven, Naruto thought, "It'll be best if she didn't know."

In the Yanamaka residence, Ino was in her room with Sakura.

Ino's room never ceased to amaze the pink haired Kunochi, everything was vibrant and lush like a flowerbed, typical for Ino.

"Alright, so why are you here Sakura? Is it about Sasuke?"

"Sort of, but it's also about…"

"Yeah?"

"…Naruto."

Ino smiled and asked, "Sure, what's it have to do with them?"

"Well Ino, you already know about the retrieval mission, Kiba, Choji, Shikamaru, Neji, and Naruto went on to get Sasuke right?"

"Yes?"

"Well the night Sasuke left, I tried to stop him, I told him how I felt and everything…"

Ino got nervous, wondering if her rival finally bested her.

"…but he rejected me and knocked me out cold. I woke up the next morning on the rock bench at the gates."

Ino felt relieved but at the same time pity for Sakura, "But then what does this have to do with Naruto?"

"Before the five left to get Sasuke back, Naruto promised me he'd bring back Sasuke for me, he said that he knew how I felt and will get him back, as a promise of a lifetime."

"That's funny!"

Sakura glared, "Why's that!"

"Because Naruto has always liked you, and it would be weird for him to actually promise to bring back Sasuke to you, despite he knows he'll loose you later."

"How do you know all this?" asked Sakura surprised.

"One time I asked Shikamaru to get information on Sasuke for me, I even offered to pay him."

"Ino-_pig_."

"Whatever, but what happened was that he offered to do it for free, despite he hates doing troublesome things. It was then later I learned from Choji that Shikamaru actually cared for me…but now I have that Temari girl from the sand to compete with."

Going off subject, Sakura asked, "What did you learn?"

"Nothing, Sasuke was rough on Shikamaru and avoided all questions, but back on subject, is it possible that Naruto cares for you?"

Sakura pondered this and felt guilty, "Yeah…I always rejected him."

"Then maybe you should check up on him, ask him why he agreed to that promise."

"Alright, thanks Ino!" Sakura checked the clock hung up and it read 7:34.

"Get going, I saw a lone crow outside, bad omen."

"Bye!"

Walking through the streets, Sakura had reached Naruto's apartment and knocked.

"Hello? Naruto?" There was no reply.

Sakura noticed the door was open and slid in. The room was a bit messy, and ramen cups were scattered around the floor.

When she reached the kitchen and assured herself nobody was home, she took the keys lying on the table, locked the door, and went to the hospital to see if Naruto was still there. Luckily, the hospital was right along the corner.

When inside, the clock read 7:48.

She looked all around, wondering if there was a clue to where Naruto can be.

An attendant entered and said, "Sorry for not knocking, I heard that the boy here checked out." as the man took out the trash, Sakura said, "Wait! I need to check that!"

"Are you missing something?"

"No but…found it!"

Sakura found the note Sasuke had written to Naruto and sat down back outside to read it.

…_to kill you because you asked me to…_

She read that line over and over again. The more she thought about Naruto asking for death, the more she cried.

The clock hit 7:56, and Sakura raced to Tsunade to learn where Naruto was.

"What did you say he did!" asked Tsunade taking the letter from Sakura.

She read it carefully, "Why would Naruto do that!"

"I don't know! Please Tsunade-sama, where's Naruto!"

"He's supposed to leave with Jiraiya tonight, maybe you can still make it!"

Sakura was exhausted, and hadn't eaten since lunch at 12:30, but not minding it, she ran to the gates.

She could now see them not to far away, and could've sword she saw two figures standing in front. Sadly, when she arrived, there was just a father and son jogging.

"Excuse me! D-do-you know…where Jiraiya-sama is?" asked Sakura to a guard to the far left on the top of the bridge.

"Yeah, he left earlier on with that Uzumaki kid, they won't be returning for a while."

"When did they leave!"

"They were going to leave at eight but decided to go twenty minutes early, it's 8:14 right now."

Sakura fell to her knees, a whole thirty-four minutes late.

"Do you know when they'll be back?"

"No, but they were packed and loaded, ready for a long trip, you should check up on the Hokage."

"Okay…thank you…"

Sakura had walked her way back to the Hokage tower, taking her time, she wasn't in anymore hurry.

"Sakura, what happened?"

"They left, I was too late…"

"Damn."

"How long will they be gone?"

"Sakura…it's going to be two years, didn't Naruto tell anyone?"

"No…he didn't."

"I can't believe him, how rash can he be!" Tsunade gave the look that there might be another hole in the wall soon.

"Why didn't-he say goodbye?" asked Sakura sobbing.

"I swear! Next time I see him OR Jiraiya, I'll give the first one I find a big fist-in-the-face!"

"No!" said Sakura feeling worse.

"Why not?"

"Naruto has had enough abuse over his time…"

"Fine…it'll be Jiraiya then…"

Sakura felt better at the thought of seeing the Ero-senin being bashed in the face.

"I better go eat and get some rest."

Before she could touch the knob, Tsunade said, "Sakura, I think you need to build your confidence and get stronger for when Naruto gets back."

"What're you saying?"

"Would you like you to be my apprentice?"

"Me?"

"Hell, if the Uchiha is being taught by Orochimaru, and my little prankster is being taught by that perverted win-bag, I'm not letting you get left out."

"Really!"

"Yeah…but when we're on break during fighting…wait…do you play poker?"

"Um…yes?"

"Then that's it, while we break, we play poker, so that way I can flush Jiraiya when he gets back!"

"Great!"

"When would you like to start?"

"As soon as possible Hokage-sama!"

"Good, tomorrow at six a.m.!"

"Eh!"

"Oh I'm sorry, five a.m."

"What!"

"If you expect to learn medical ninjutsu, powerful taijutsu, or even become my protégé, you must work hard at it."

"I never said I'd be your prot-!"

"Tomorrow at five a.m.! Good night!"

**So how was the end of this chapter? I didn't want to end it all nice with Sakura saying that she loves Naruto because she doesn't _yet_.**

**The system to edit documents on my homepage is a little messed up temporarily on my computer so for now I'll have to write my authors notes in bold and not split them appart from the story with lines anymore.**

**I'll do my best to update by next week since schools back up! Well thanks for reading chapter two!**

**P.S.: If anything's wrong with this chapter, please inform me. Thanks!**


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Naruto, Angst, Romance