Hello everyone. This is a story I have decided to write in honor of a friend of mine. He committed suicide recently, and well, it's been hard. Suicide is a serious thing, and should never be considered as an option. People are hurt when someone does this. They do it to escape, but what about everyone else? The people who care? Please, don't take your own life, there's always something you can do. Don't cause grief to other people. They will cry and cry and wish they could have stopped you. Wondered if there was something they could have done, wonder if it was their fault.

Talk to people if you need to, ask for help, there's always someone there to help, always. If you want to talk, even I'll be here, but please, don't do it. For the people that care, don't do it.


Please, Don't Do It!

Naruto stood in his bathroom, looking in the mirror. His eyes were bruised, his cheek swollen, jaw probably fractured. He scowled, or tried to anyway. This is terrible, he thought, this is the second time this week. People just won't leave me alone! Why won't they just leave me alone?!

He punched the mirror, shattering it to pieces. The day had started alright, but by noon, the people of the village had sought Naruto out, as they usually do, and beat him. Today though, was extremely painful, as it was the anniversary of the day the Kyuubi was sealed inside of him.

Naruto decided he would go see a doctor and get his injuries attended to, and left his house. He stealthily made his way across the rooftops of Konoha, towards the hospital. As he landed in front of the door, he entered and saw a few of the nurses look up. Naruto saw it immediately, the scowl, the look of disgust, the look of hate. Naruto ignored them and made his way to one of the small offices in the back.

Sitting there was Hinata, she looked up and gasped. "What happened?" she asked.

"I...uh...had a run in with some of the villagers," he replied.

"Again?" she asked, the tone of her voice showing that her sincerity was pure.

"Well, what can you do when the entire village hates you?" he said angrily, taking a seat. He gingerly touched his jaw which was starting to swell up.

Hinata got up and took a look at his jaw first and frowned. Blue flames engulfed her hand and rested it on Naruto's jaw. Naruto immediately felt the pain disappear, and gave a sigh.

After a few minutes his wounds were, for the most part, healed. He thanked Hinata and left her office, feeling depressed.

This time he walked back to his apartement. As he was walking, he thought about his life, his depressing life. His parents had died when he was born, not to mention the fact that he didn't even know who they were.

He found out about the Kyuubi about a year ago, and had kept it a secret from people up to this point. There were some who knew, those that were old enough to be there when the Kyuubi was sealed. Those people hated him, and taught their kids to do the same, even though they had no idea why.

Naruto's pace slowed further as a thought crossed his mind. There was a way out of this, a way to be free of the pain, of the hate, of the sorrow. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier? No one would miss him, they hated him, no one would even care.

To Naruto, this was the answer, to escape fifteen year's worth of pain and sadness; he had found the answer he was looking for, suicide.

Naruto felt happier, lighter somehow. Was it because he had thought of a solution? He didn't know, all that he knew at the moment was that he had a solution, the answer he was looking for and he would use it.

But he had to tie some loose ends, make things right before he did it.

He stopped and turned around and smiled. The day seemed happier to him, for some strange reason. He raced back to the hospital and again went to Hinata's office.

Hinata was surprised to see him walk in again, and asked, "Did you get attacked again? Is something wrong?"

Naruto shook his head, "No nothing's wrong, I just wanted you to know that you are the most important person to me. That you were always there for me and thank you."

Hinata frowned, "What's going on Naruto, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! In fact, everything is fine. I'll see you later Hinata, I just wanted you to know that."

Hinata watched him curiously as he walked out of her office. Something was wrong with Naruto, Hinata knew, how couldn't she? She loved him for crying out loud! She felt so sad for him everytime he came in for treatment, the hurt look on his face. Hinata wished she could do something, help him, and she did the best she could.

But there was something she could do for him, tell Naruto she loved him. Tell him how much he meant to her, but she couldn't, she was too shy to, to scared that he would turn her down.

OoOoO

That night, Hinata's phone rang. She closed her book and set it on the nightstand beside her bed. He picked up the phone and said, "This is Hinata, what can I do for you?"

"Hey Hinata, it's me," came the familiar voice of Sakura.

"Oh, hey Sakura, what's going on?" the lavender eyed doctor asked.

"Well, I'm not sure. It's Naruto, he's acting strange. He went around to everyone today and either apologized for something or told them that they were important to him," Sakura replied.

"Well, maybe he just wants to say sorry."

There was a pause, "He said sorry to Sasuke and told him that Sasuke that he was better."

Hinata's brow furrowed. What could this mean? she thought, Was something wrong with Naruto? It's like he's...he's...seeking closure...oh God no. Oh please God no! He's making peace with everyone because...because...I've got to get to him!

Hinata dropped the phone and rushed from her house leaving Sakura worried on the other side of the line yelling, "Hinata? Hinata?! What's wrong?!"

Naruto was in his apartment sitting on the edge of his bed, a rope in his hands. He tied a noose, then untied it. Did he really want to do it? Was this the answer?

He put his hands in his face and cried. He thought back to everything in his life. The beatings that had happened daily, the teachers at the academy treating him badly, the whispers behind his back that nobody thought he heard, and most of all, the lack of a family.

He slammed his fist into the bed. Those bastards! Treating him like crap his whole life, Naruto didn't want to forgive them, to forget. He just wanted to run, to get away from it all, and he had found his answer. He retied the noose and set it up hanging from the rafters. Tears rolled down his face as he set a stool up underneath the rope and stood up on it.

He took the rope and slid it over his head. He pulled it tight and looked down. He let out a ragged breath and knew what had to be done next. He decided that on the count of three, he would kick the stool out from under his feet.

One...Hinata saw the apartement come into view...

Two...Hinata jumped up to Naruto's floor and rushed to the door...

Three...as Naruto kicked the stool out, Hinata rammed the door down and screamed. Dangling there, wide eyed, was Naruto.

She pulled a kunai from her pocket and threw it at the rope. It cut it and Naruto fell to the floor gasping for breath. "W-Why...Why did you do that?" he asked weakly.

She ignored him and gave him a hug, "What were you doing? Why did you try to kill yourself?"

Naruto lowered his head, "Because I'm not wanted. Nobody wants me here. I'm not loved, not cared about, and hated. This is the only way out."

There was a loud smack and Naruto blinked a couple times, his cheek stinging. He stared at Hinata in shock. "What do you mean that's the only way out? That's not true! That's a coward's way out! Are you a coward Uzumaki Naruto?"

Again, Naruto looked away from Hinata, tears in his eyes. "What do you know," he whispered, "you don't know what it's like to be hated."

"Yea, yea I do," she replied.

Naruto looked at her, "Yea right, the most popular and most beautiful girl in Konoha, hated? I don't think so."

"My father hated me, no, hates me. He thinks I'm a disgrace to the Hyuga name. You know I thought about doing exactly what you were about to do."

"Why didn't you? You could have been free from your father's hate," Naruto said angrily.

"You, you stopped me. That day from about a year ago, remember? The day you called me beautiful, an said that you were glad I'm here. It was March 19, I remember that day perfectly. Those words stopped me, they caused me to think over my decision." Hinata smiled and cupped Naruto's cheek, "You need to here those same words, Naruto, except a little differentely."

Tears rolled down Naruto's cheeks and onto Hinata's hand. She wiped away the tears. "Naruto," she began, "I want you to think of all the people that you have met in your life. Picture them, do you see them? They love you Naruto, they care for you. Forget the village, these people are the one's who are most important. Did you think about what would happen if you died? How much pain you would cause, the sorrow you would create?

"All these people, hurt and crying, mourning you, for you. You would have left all of them with gaping hole's in their hearts, ones that couldn't be filled. Iruka-sensei, Sakura, Sasuke, Lee, Kiba, and all the others. They care Naruto, they are here for you.

"Nothing is that bad, nothing is so bad that you decide that living isn't worth it. There is always something to live for, always."

Naruto frowned, "What is there for me?"

Hinata hesitated, "Me."

Naruto didn't understand, he was confused, "What...What do you mean?"

Hinata took a deep breath, "I love you, Naruto. Ever since the day you saved me from suicide. I loved you and...and I should have said so sooner. Maybe I could have stopped you earlier."

New tears fell from Naruto's eyes, "Love as in..."

"Yes, I want to be with you forever," Hinata replied, crying herself.

Naruto embraced her and didn't let go for a while. He cried, cried into her shoulder and Hinata stayed with him the whole time.

There was a crash and Sakura fell into the apartement along with rest of Naruto's friends. She smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, We didn't want to interrupt. We were worried and decided to come check up on Naruto."

Naruto had a look of bewilderment on his face, "You were really worried about me?"

Sasuke folded his arms and sneered, "Of course we were dobe, you're our...friend."

Naruto couldn't help himself, he jumped up and gave Sasuke a hug, and went down the line of his friends, hugging them and thanking them. They all decided to spend the night at Naruto's that night and were up half the night laughing and joking around. Naruto enjoyed it, every minute of it.

When they all started falling asleep one by one, Naruto grabbed Hinata by the arm and dragged her out to the balcony. They stood there and looked up at the stars and moon. Naruto turned to Hinata and smiled.

"Thank you, Hinata, you saved my life today. You were right, you made me see what I would have done to people, the grief I would have left behind. I'm sorry, sorry for even considering suicide. You gave me something other than my life back, you gave me a reason to live. I love you Hinata, more than anything."

He leaned down and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. They stood like that for what seemed like a lifetime. The moonlight shining down on them.