Back to the past, Believe it!

Someones thoughts is someone elses treasure.

Sasuke looked up, and luckily, the room was empty. He had been awake for a few days now, but on his chart, it says he is in and out of consciousness. Which isn't true, he has been awake since the day after getting put in the hospital.

If he remembers correctly, he was being carried by Shisui to the hospital, then he passed out. He doesn't have the heart to face his family, not in the state he is currently in. He also unintentionally eavesdropped on a couple of conversations, the more notable being one between his father and the Hokage, as well as his brother and Shisui. Both set him slightly on edge.

He had known Itachi and Shisui knew about the coup but hearing them talk about it is almost surreal. It lets him know that this is real. That a problem that he's long regretted not being able to do anything about, that he can do stuff about now. The talk between his father and the Hokage were upsetting, his father was trying his hardest to get his police force to guard the walls, to be more involved. But all Hiruzen could say was that "I'd need to talk to the elders." Sasuke scoffed, he used his hand to rub his forehead and groaned.

His hand as he expected wasn't better yet, but he could tell he would be able to do meniscal tasks with it. He knew to lay off any hand output related jutsu though. "You're awake?" Sasuke looked up to see his brother standing in the hall. His lips were pulled tightly together, as if he was trying to diffuse a bomb. He had been caught a couple of times, being awake, but quickly after he'd fake being unconscious again.

He almost did again, all so he didn't have to see his brother. But he didn't. He has never seen his brother like this. Not even in death. His eyebrows were knitted closely together, and he was clenching his hands so hard his knuckles were white.

"I am." Sasuke admitted, he let his bangs cover his eyes. It mostly covered what he was hoping to hide, his grief. Itachi took a few steps closer before observing his brother. "What happened?" Sasuke looked up at the window before shrugging.

Itachi remained silent, from what he was aware of, his brother activated the sharingan, he saw the horrors he wanted so much to protect him from. "I'm sorry I wasn't there." Itachi finally said. Sasuke looked up at his brother quickly. "No." Sasuke's eyes widened as he said it, he didn't know, why would Itachi blame himself? He was at a mission, there was nothing he could have done, it's not like he could have known.

Itachi looked up with furrowed eyebrows and looked at Sasuke for the first time in weeks in the eyes. Neither of them were ready for it, they both stayed silent. "I... was dumb." Sasuke finally said. Itachi's eyes widened.

"This wasn't your fault, Sasuke." His voice was low, it was like he was whispering. Sasuke shook his head, "I don't know if you've heard from Naruto or Shikamaru, but we chased them, the other ninja." Sasuke felt his hands squeeze the other under the blanket. He resisted the urge to grimace; his hand was probably black and blue right now.

Itachi stared at Sasuke for a moment before shaking his head. "All that matters is that you were doing what you thought was right." Sasuke didn't respond, he would have said the same thing to Naruto, he had said the same thing to Naruto. A couple of times, when he'd act to save one person, but another would die instead. It was an inevitable cycle they simply couldn't escape from, not during a war.

Sasuke nodded after what felt like hours of silence, "OK" he admitted. Itachi looked at his brother fondly before sitting in a vacant chair opposite his bed. "Mom has a bone to pick with you." Itachi said, trying to alleviate the mood. Sasuke frowned, "I know." Itachi almost asked but shrugged it off, it's a rather easy thing to guess. After pulling a stunt like that, who knows how long he is going to be grounded for.

Shikamaru was effectively discharged a few days after he was admitted to the hospital. Much to his father's disagreement, he was getting increasingly angrier and angrier as each hour passed by with no new information from Shikamaru. He couldn't understand why Shikamaru refused to speak to the Hokage, why he couldn't speak at all.

Shikamaru's guess was that his father didn't think it was as serious as it was. His father knows it's serious in the sense of being dangerous enough to break the barrier, but not in the sense of literal time travel. And with all common sense in mind, Shikamaru can't blame him.

But he's not letting his father take any of this information to the Hokage. Hiruzen by all means can accomplish what they want to, but in the end the elders will get greedy for the future sight. For power.

If the first step includes them taking down Danzo, who knows what his response would be. For all they knew Hiruzen knew all about ROOT and what he was doing. But another part of him acknowledges that Danzo is Hiruzen best friend and teammate, and that would make him hesitant to stop his friend or do anything more than a lecture.

The elders know, and that's all Shikamaru is sure of when it comes to Danzo and his schemes. His secret alliances that can tear the village apart. Perhaps not the whole Orochimaru business, but regardless, the elders know about ROOT and there is no way they don't. And as much as he wants to get rid of Danzo, he knows he needs to talk to Sasuke.

Shikamaru was going to ponder the whole coup some more but was interrupted by a knock on his window. Shikamaru was slightly relieved that it was Naruto, he had told Naruto his plans to tell Shikaku about the future, and Naruto quickly reassured Shikamaru that if he thought it was for the best, it was for the best. Shikamaru looked around, he could feel his father in the building which means he could barge in at any moment, and he doesn't have a secret third eye or anything, but he knows that's exactly what is going to happen.

But if he is going to tell his father about it anyway, who cares if they catch Naruto near Shikamaru.

Naruto let himself in a few minutes later, "I would have been happy for some sort of OK to come in." He scoffed as he landed on the ground from the windowsill. "I tried to get you to come to the roof, it would have been easier." He said as he grabbed a chair. Shikamaru shrugged, "I dunno, I just didn't want to." Naruto frowned but rolled his eyes a second later, "Its like your younger self is starting to show again." He muttered before shaking his head.

"Whatever. Sasuke finally decided it was time to wake up, so get ready to be ready." Naruto said as he began grabbing the chocolates Ino was religiously giving him. Shikamaru was always awed by the flowers she would bring in; they always came in such different varieties. But he never outwardly complimented them. He doubted he ever would, Ino would be flattered for one second them fun of him the next.

Naruto frowned before stretching, "I know I've had it better, but we seriously need to get back on track, OK." Shikamaru nodded his agreement when Naruto was serious so was he. "I'll be missing for a bit, talking to my father about...." He trailed off, just as he had guessed. The door opened somewhat wildly before it was caught by his father.

Naruto stood still a moment before he looked at Shikaku with furrowed brows. "I know I basically hopped through the window, but I think your entrance was more dramatic than mine." Shikamaru gave Naruto a dirty look before sighing. "Everyone knows the Jinchuriki, everyone knows the head of the Nara clan, is there really a need to introduce the two of you." Shikamaru said as he slumped into the comfort of his hospital pillow. 

He already knows, he is going to get discharged in an hour or so.

Shikaku looked at Shikamaru incredulously before he shook his head with a sigh. "Its one thing after another with you." He groaned as Naruto laughed. "These things are just going to keep coming, don't worry about it." Naruto snickered as a received a perplexed look from Shikaku, it wasn't often you could draw out a reaction from him like that. For Naruto it was like a lifelong accomplishment.

"I hope Sasuke isn't grounded for the rest of his life." Naruto said with a grim expression. Shikaku looked at Naruto questionably but figured it was best to forget about it. "Go out the window already." Shikaku groaned, he even opened the window for Naruto. In response Naruto shrugged, "Well, I'll definitely see you around." Shikaku didn't bother replying, most likely because he didn't realize the full extent of what Naruto meant when he said that.

"We are going to leave now; I don't care what the nurses say." Shikaku said as he tossed a bag of clothes at Shikamaru. Shikamaru looked at the clothes for a moment before nodding, "I'm shocked you didn't do this earlier." Shikaku was quiet as he left the room, perhaps luckily so.

They were in for a very long talk in half 'n hour.