Under the Desert Night Sky *Completed*

A Page from Naruto's Journal:

Page 3:

I know that I never write in this while Sasuke writes in his obsessively. I sort of want to go in and read it, but I don't want to die! I think I make up for it that my pages are longer than his little shorts. Maybe I have a lot on my mind to say at once, rather than a little something every day. Every day, I watch Sasuke. I guess maybe even more than I use too since we became...together. Lovers? Is that the right word for it? I always loved the guy, sure,  but ask me three years ago if I would say that my first 'kiss' , a guy, I would end up spending my life with him? Well, I guess maybe I made up my mind about that a long time ago too.

Once I stood in front of Sasuke, on opposite sides. Exchanging blows with him, I had no clue to what was going on in his head. No matter how much I hit, yelled, punched, kicked, and cried, I couldn't see what he was thinking. The second time I stood in front of him, he put his arm around me telling me that he was going to kill me. The third time, we exchanged blows again. That time, I saw it. I saw that if we were to fight again, both of us would die. If he killed me first or I killed him, it didn't matter.  We'd be dead together. It was then I knew that no matter what I did, dead or alive. I'd always be with him.

When I said at first, I don't remember what happened at the end, that's not really true. I remember up to a point. I remember fighting Sasuke, I knew we were going to die together. We wouldn't stop. We couldn't stop. I wasn't the only one who knew that either. Madara jumped in, trying to kill Sasuke in our final hit. This one last attack would have killed us both, but I saw it. I saw Sasuke in danger and chose not to strike. I pushed him out of the way, the surprised look on his face I'll never forget. I took Madara's attack for him, happily.

Madara had to stop short of killing me, just because he needed me. I exchanged my life for Sasuke's. Back to the cave, I laid down on the slab willingly, my life ready to end. All I thought was, 'Ah, Sasuke lives.' I knew what was going to happen. I saw it with Gaara.  The demon was being sucked out of my stomach. Just before my seal broke, I saw him. Sasuke had come for me...well..maybe. He was just there because Madara had pissed him off. That sounds about right...

I remember telling Sasuke to run. My seal broke...everything went black. Last thing I remember, I was being yelled at to wake up. Sasuke's annoying, bossy voice in my ear calling my name. I saw his eyes. His bleeding eyes.  After that, I woke up in the  hospital. I had a breathing mask over my face, everything was blurry. I was wrapped up more than a mummy. Sasuke had his arm wrapped up, a few bandages on his face. Looking at me with those grey eyes, he smiled and bragged that he had won this fight too.

What a guy. He said I fainted like some girl. Asshole.

There was this huge trail that ended with Gaara defending the both of us, and a decision to be exiled. Sakura was in tears. I turned to Sasuke, smiling. I remember saying something stupid like, at least we're alive. He smiled back and told me I was right.

We took the train to this little town, both of us griping about the house they gave us. Somehow though, it worked. It just worked. I keep remembering what Itachi said to me, what he did, whatever that was. I had a feeling that Itachi didn't hate his brother, and I was more sure of it when I met him that time. He put his feelings into me, trusting me to take care of his little bro. I kinda hope I made him proud. Not just him, but my parents too. I hope that, where ever they are, they are proud of me. I promise, I'll do whatever I can to take care of Sasuke.

Even if he doesn't want me too.

WOW, I wrote a lot! I need to get back to work! Sasuke forgot his lunch, AGAIN. That guy, I swear. I think he does it on purpose.