Naruto Uzumaki- of the Land of Fire

Kakashi and Naruto

After seven years, my team had been asked to find and speak to Naruto Uzumaki, son of the fourth Hokage and jinchuuriki to the nine-tails. Although I had thought of the nineteen year old boy over the years, nothing could've prepared me for the man before me.

By the time we'd reached the room he was already sitting up, which sent his smaller friend into a tizzy. His erratic breathing and shaking didn't help anyone feel calm. Looking over at Gaara, his face was a white sheet but I couldn't tell if it was out of worry or anger, and I could feel Sakura inching up behind me, drawing closer to Naruto as she observed him.

His arms, hands, and feet were heavily bandaged but blood and puss were seeping through. The seal on his stomach was well pronounced, and along with a tattoo on his upper arm, a scar on his neck, and a brand across his collar bone his body was well decorated. His shaggy hair was matted to his head and neck with sweat, and his blue eyes were clouded with pain... but still, he was obviously his father's son. He spoke softly, directly to his friend who kept insisting he lay back down... it wasn't going to happen.

"Shima, what the hell did you give me?"

"Sorry, you needed something for the pain and you wouldn't stay calm otherwise..." Apparently, Shima stated. Naruto did his best to glare at the boy but his gaze slipped as he went into a fit of shaking.

"The narcotics will start to wear off soon, but I need to know where your pain medications are."

"Under the third floor board from the sink, quarter a capsule."

Ah, that explains things. The shaking and sweat weren't related to his injuries... his body was going through withdrawal. The taller man, Yuu, left momentarily and returned with a pill bottle after sounds of scrapping and rustling from the kitchen. Taking a quarter of a pill, Shima dissolved it into the tea and handed the mug over to Naruto who, regardless of the heat, chugged it. That was when, after turning his head to address Yuu, noticed us in the doorway. Whatever emotions he held in his face drained away, leaving him stone cold.

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I didn't have the energy... nor the mentality to deal with them at this point. After Shima's slip up, I was already craving another hit and my herbal meds weren't cutting it. If the situation had been different, I probably would've bolted... but my feet were barely hovering on the ground and already the pain was unbearable- I couldn't imagine walking.

Yuu wasn't acknowledging the ninjas in the room, he kept staring me down while Shima kept checking my vitals and babying me. Where was Quinn when you needed him? Someone to help me strangle Gaara.

Shima must've slipped something else with my pain killers into the tea because it was getting harder and harder to keep my eyes open. Slowly the pain was receding... this wasn't right... it wasn't normal. Someone was talking.

"What do you remember?" Shima, doctor questions....

"Waking up, bad dream... then Yuu busting down the bathroom door and you pushing a needle into my neck." That was it, everything else was black. But the dream I remembered, it was always the same, more like a memory.

"How long--- dreams been waking--. Are--- worse?" Shima?

"C-couple a wee-" Darkness.

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For a few minutes, Shima had him talking, but that stopped once Naruto abruptly fell back onto the bed out cold. Secondly later Yuu had Shima by the collar.

"What the hell did you give him!? More narcotics?"

"Oxycodone and some sleep aids." Shima stated. "We need him to stay calm and he can't do that if he's in pain! Plus if he's not moving he'll heal faster." Reasonable... but also stupid.

"Dammit, Shima. He's an addict, and you just loaded him up with his drug of choice!"

A barely audible gasp came from Sakura behind me, while Sasuke just blinked and Tenzo just looked more so at the boy on the bed. Gaara made his way to the bed, sat down by Naruto, and started running his hand through the boy's hair. The blonde immediately responded, tilting his head towards Gaara and opening his mouth slightly, earning a chuckle from the red head.

"Pathetically predictable." The voice came from behind me. I was caught unawares as another man stepped through the doorway, passed me, and went to stand by Shima and Yuu. I thought he might be talking about Naruto and Gaara, but with the way he was looking down at the other two I was beginning to think that wasn't the case.

 "Two hours, I can't leave you alone for two fucking hours. You've made him an addict, again. His fever is worse, there's too much stimulation, and there are damn Leaf ninjas in the house!"

It was Gaara who answered, "Quinn-kun, calm down... they're my fault. They want to talk to Naruto."

Quinn scoffed, "Good luck with that."

After that, things seemed to get settled. The new guy and Gaara got Naruto situated in bed before Shima checked him over again. After a few minutes, a sigh escaped his lips.

"Quinn's right, his fever is worse... and he isn't healing like usual..."

"The nine-tails isn't doing anything?"

"His wounds could be infected..." That was Sakura, her voice startling the men in the room.

After a few seconds Shima spoke, "There's a chance... but with his metabolism I'm afraid there isn't anything I can give him."

"What about cutting away the dead flesh and cauterizing the wounds? I'm a medical ninja, I could assist..." There was an exchanging of looks between Quinn, Shima, Yuu, and Gaara. Secret messages passed from one man to another, a few hand gestures here and there and finally someone said something.

"He's out cold, he wouldn't even know..." Quinn.

"Right, and how do we explain the sudden medical treatment? He'll know if you use medical nin-jutsu." The way they were talking, there was something they knew that we didn't... I was dying to find out. Since the subject began, each of them were slightly, instinctively standing closer to the sleeping blonde.

"We can work around it... she'll just assist, I assure you."

And with that it was decided. Everyone, aside from Sakura and Shima were ushered out of the room. With all the tension in the living room it was difficult to keep up a conversation. I mostly listened as Gaara, Yuu, and Quinn spoke in undertones while Sasuke mulled over the desk in the corner.

"This was just out of the blue? No warning?" Gaara to Yuu.

"None... you got in contact with the boss?" Yuu to Quinn.

"Yeah, sent off a bird an hour ago... he won't be happy."

That was it. For the next forty-five minutes the room was silent, the whole situation was beyond confusing... but I was beginning to get the gist of it. After some time, Shima and Sakura emerged from the back room. Both looked rather dejected.

"We've done what we can... but- and this is coming from me- he needs a hospital..." If looks could kill, Shima would be dead on the floor in three different ways.

"No way in hell." Yuu stated blatantly.

"We were able to get the most of it, but he isn't healing and the infection is just getting worse. I don't have the right drugs here and Sakura's ninjutsu can't stand up against the nine-tails chakra... even knocked out, Naruto's still fighting."

There was silence for some time, then Quinn spoke... "Alright, he needs a hospital... the Leaf's is the closest one. I'll track down the boss, Shima will go with Naruto, Yuu will go to the base and when Naruto wakes up... we will be prepared for his inevitable wrath and our likely murders." He said it passively and with  a chuckle... but the other men in the room looked like their death certificates had already been signed.