(A/N: Hi everyone! This is just a little oneshot idea that I wrote for English class. It's based off a short story I read called "On the Sidewalk Bleeding" by Evan Hunter. This is sort of like a Naruto/On the Sidewalk Bleeding crossover. To anyone who has read "On the Sidewalk Bleeding", this is from Freddie's perspective (who is Sasuke here) and Andy is Naruto. To anyone who hasn't, I recommend it, it's pretty good.

Enjoy! :D)

The Right Thing

Is there such a thing as a perfect person?

Is there someone who is best at everything? Strong, smart, kind-hearted and who has the best possible future awaiting?

Is it possible for such a person not to mess all that up somehow?

Sasuke didn't think so.

Oh, he used too. He used to know someone like that. His brother Itachi was his hero, good at everything. He was captain of the football team, president of the student council, top of his class and the best-looking guy in his year. He had been class valedictorian, and had asked a twelve year old Sasuke to help with his speech.

It had all been going perfectly. If only Itachi's heart hadn't acted up.

Konan was attractive, popular and all around unattainable. Itachi fell deeply in love with her. It turned out her family was part of a notorious gang called the Akatsuki. So he did the only thing he could to win her. Itachi joined the Akatsuki.

Sasuke found him a month later, in an empty alley. He was covered in blood and had a knife, small and shiny, protruding from his chest. He was dead.

It was then Sasuke knew the harsh truth. There is no such thing as a perfect person.

There never would be.

"Sasuke?"

"Huh?"

Sakura glanced at her boyfriend. "Sasuke, what's wrong?"

Sasuke blinked. "What do you mean, what's wrong?" He asked

"You went all quiet." Sakura replied. "Did you even listen to what I just said?" She tilted her head, her pink curls bouncing. Her jade-green eyes softened. "It's the sixth anniversary of your brother's death, isn't it?"

Sasuke stared at her, his brown eyes widening in confusion. When had he told her that?

Sakura shook her head quickly "Never mind!" She let out a grin and grabbed the startled black-haired teen's arm. "To take your mind off things, I'm taking you to the park! Come on!" She giggled, racing off to the direction of the city park.

The park was usually where Sasuke went to calm his mind. He'd come here quite a lot "after". He also came here to get away from his parents. His mother was now an empty shell of a human being, and his father immersed himself in his work constantly.

It was at this park that he'd met Sakura. His brother had only died a month before. She had been laughing when he saw her. It had been love at first sight.

Although Sasuke wasn't sure what he had fallen in love with; Sakura, or her lifestyle. He desperately wanted a sheltered life like Sakura's.

Presently, however, Sasuke couldn't distract himself from Sakura's lively chatter, so he decided not to dwell on his thoughts.

On the way back from the park, it started to rain.

Sakura squealed when she felt the first drops of water on her face. Then the sky rumbled and the heavens opened, drenching everything with rain. Sasuke quickly tossed a newspaper he'd picked up at Sakura, who immediately lifted it to her head to protect her hair.

Sasuke then grabbed her elbow and ran to the nearest alley, looking for shelter. They staggered inside, laughing and slightly out of breath.

They were kissing when they heard the moaning.

"Sasuke!" Sakura squeaked out.

"What?" Sasuke asked, hoping she wouldn't make him look for the source of the noise. He really didn't want to walk around an alley in the dark. It brought back too many bad memories.

"I'm scared." Sakura whimpered.

Sasuke sighed in defeat "I'll go see."

Sasuke stepped into the alley, and froze.

Lying there, on the damp floor of the alley, was a blond teenager, maybe fifteen or sixteen years old.

Sasuke felt his heart drop down to his shoes. His mouth went dry, and he started to breathe quickly. "Not again, please, not again!" He thought desperately.

With a second look he saw, to his relief, there was no shiny knife sticking out of the boy's back. Regaining his composure, he knelt down next to him.

"You all right?" He asked

The boy didn't reply, instead staring at him with wide, pleading blue eyes.

Sakura started to ask Sasuke questions and he replied automatically, still staring down at the boy in shock. His eyes flickered to the boy's jacket, praying that it wasn't the red and black one of the Akatsuki.

It wasn't, he noted with relief. Then he saw the lettering across the boy's jacket. THE JINCHUURIKI.

"He's a Jinchuuriki." Sasuke stated

He immediately felt his heart sink. Here was another who'd thrown his life away.

He knew the repercussions of helping this kid out. He would be tracked down by the Akatsuki, and Sasuke knew first-hand what they could do to him.

However, if he didn't help him, the kid would die. That much was obvious.

The question was; what should he do?

An image flashed in his mind: Itachi, dead, with a shiny, silver blade sticking out of his chest.

Sasuke then realized that he never wanted what happened to Itachi to happen to him. He still had his life to live.

Mechanically answering Sakura's questions, he slowly backed away from the boy. The boy's eyes still stared up at him. "Please help me."

Sasuke felt sick.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. Then he fled out of the alley as fast as he could, pulling Sakura behind him.

After dropping Sakura off at her parent's place, Sasuke arrived home.

He felt empty. He supposed he was going into shock.

When he saw his mother's lifeless face, he couldn't take it anymore. He burst into tears. He broke down, and confessed all he'd seen that night to her.

As he finished his account, his mother spoke up.

"You left this child because you wanted to live?" She asked in a hoarse voice.

Sasuke nodded.

His mother looked at him. "What kind of life is that?" She asked him. "If you are going to live life, do what you think is right, regardless of what the consequences will be. I'm learning the hard way; what was your brother's life worth?"

She stood up, and left the room. Sasuke started after her in shock.

He slowly trudged up to his room, thinking of his mother's words. He sat down at his desk, his notes for his valedictorian's speech lying on his desk.

There was no such thing as a perfect person, but he could very well try to be as perfect as he could be.

Sasuke now knew what he wanted his speech to say. He picked up his pen and started to write.

(A/N: How was that? And yes, I made Itachi fall in love with Konan, but that was for the story to make sense. The Akatsuki and the Jinchuuriki are two gangs, to anyone who didn't get it. Also, to anyone following my other two stories, I'm working on them. Just saying.

Please REVIEW! They really make me happy! :)

See you all next time!)