Prelude
The retrieval team that went after the traitor Uchiha Sasuke returned with success. Of the six that were originally sent out to retrieve the Uchiha, four were critically injured, one was badly injured, but was not in any serious danger, and the remaining member had only a broken finger. Despite the various injuries they suffered they were all healing amazingly well without any lasting damage, thanks to the brilliant medical skills of the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade (The Slug Queen).
-Konoha Hospital-
It had been several days since Team Shikamaru had returned from their successful S Class retrieval mission. Uchiha Sasuke now lay in a hospital bed, strapped down with his chakra temporarily sealed off, along with his Sharingan. His curse seal was personally sealed by Jiraiya making it near impossible for the Uchiha to use it. There were also ANBU guards stationed outside the door and outside the window on Tsunade's orders. Uchiha Sasuke couldn't do anything other but stare at the ceiling.
A member of his team entered his hospital room with a large grin on his face. In response Sasuke turned and glared. He glared at the person who stopped him from obtaining power, the power he needed to avenge his Clan, to kill his brother; that person being none other than Uzumaki Naruto.
Naruto sighed at the glare and looked at him. He had hoped that his teammate would come to his senses and realize what Orochimaru's true intentions were. Unfortunately, revenge makes you blind.
"Are you all right Sasuke? How are you feeling?" Naruto asked.
"What do you think?" Sasuke growled.
"Well, I did say that I was going to break your arms and legs and drag you back to the village if I had to" Naruto joked.
Sasuke struggled and thrashed on the bed, trying to get free from his bonds as he jerked forward.
"YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY DOBE? DO YOU? LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO ME! MY CHAKRA, THE CURSE SEAL AND MY SHARINGAN ARE ALL SEALED OFF AND I'M STRAPPED TO THIS FUCKING BED!" Sasuke roared.
"I told you that I wasn't gonna let you go to Orochimaru," answered Naruto. "I'm trying to protect you from him and I was trying to save you from yourself. Do you really think that he would've given you the power to kill your brother without a price? Think about it teme."
"If I wasn't strapped to this fucking bed I'd kill you right now" Sasuke sneered.
"What?" asked a surprised Naruto.
"I'll kill you. If I ever see you again Dope, I'll kill you." snarled Sasuke.
"Damn it Sasuke, I'm trying to help you!" Naruto shouted.
"I don't need your help. I don't need Konoha. I don't need anything except the power to kill my brother. That's all I care about. You dare to lecture me! I'm an avenger and you will always be a DOBE!" Sasuke spat venomously. "You'll never understand how I feel, you were born with nothing! No parents, no family, no Clan... I had all that and then it was taken away from me by the person I admired most in the world, the person I wanted to be like and surpass more than anything, my own fucking brother! So don't you dare think you can understand me, or how I feel, because you'll never be able to even comprehend what it's like to have everything you cherish ripped away from you. Because you dope, never had anything to begin with, I don't want you, or anyone else's help. Now get out of my sight!" Sasuke roared.
Naruto just sighed and left the room.
-The Next Day-
Naruto stood at team seven's meeting spot waiting for Sakura. Soon, enough she came into view. Thinking that she was going to thank him for bringing Sasuke back, he put on his trademark grin and walked to greet her.
"Hey Sakur…" was as far as he got before she lashed out at him with a left hook, straight to the side of his face. His head reeled back as an expression of shock contorted his features. A shaking hand reached to hold his stinging cheek.
"How could you do that to Sasuke-kun?" She screeched "I asked you to bring him back and what do you do? You almost kill him!" She yelled, breathing heavily, glaring daggers into his eyes. "It's a miracle that he's still able to recover for active duty after what you did! I thought you were his friend." Sakura proceeded to punch and kick him for ten minutes before her rage ran its course. Naruto, being Naruto, sat there and took it. Never once raising his fists to defend himself or strike back.
Sakura looked down on him and spat at him. "I hate you, Uzumaki Naruto. You're nothing but a monster. I don't ever want to see you again." she turned and stomped away. If she'd stayed any longer, she would have heard his heart breaking and seen the tears fall from his eyes.