Note: I'm dedicating this one shot to a friend who has lost their long battle with cancer. So please no flames as this is a memorial to him. May he rest in peace and may the pain not burden him anymore.
As he lay in bed sick and dying, his team and Kakashi's team looked upon him, sadness permeated the air and their eyes showed hope but it was faint, overrun by the sadness and grief. He wanted to speak but the thing inside him gave him pain beyond any physical ones he endured and the tubes prevented him from speaking. They all spoke to him both one on one and in groups until they left for their homes. As life continued for them, Gai continued his time in the hospital alone, tired and waiting. They all wanted him to get better soon and he wanted it too. But, like some dreams this one mocked all of them from far away. Gai contracted a bacterial infection so no one could visit him despite protests.
R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P. R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.R.I.P.
3:50 A.M.
He was in the hospital alone, tired of waiting. He only heard the beep of the machine recording his slowing heart and the patter of the raindrops hitting the window and the occasional rumble of thunder. Through blurred eyes he saw an occasional burst of white light. As he turned away and looked towards the hallway, he saw nothing outside. He finally turned to the ceiling, sighing in sadness. 'How much longer must I suffer through this? Everyone wants me better, but even I won't know when or if I'll bet better.'
3:58 A.M.
He gasped in pain as the thing in his heart spasmed and the beeps quickly got faster. It hurt beyond any of the previous ones. 'Maybe now is my time to go. I've told them that it if it comes to my time, I will accept that fact. But still, is this what dying feels like? I imagined it would be much less painful but I suppose it's not the case every time.'
3:59 A.M.
The pain increased for him until it finally went away, but not without almost killing him. As he struggled to breathe, he saw a bright light. Unlike the flashes he saw, this one was steady and grew in brightness. He saw a silhouette of what looked like his grandmother. She smiled at him and silently beckoned him over. He tried to say that he couldn't move, but she said to him, "What are you talking about? You look fine to me. Come over and give grandma a hug."
He was surprised at the sudden vitality that lifted him and he walked over into the light. Outside a flash of lightning ghosted over his unmoving face.
4:00 A.M.
The machine beeped faster until only one tone was heard. The doctors and nurses quickly went over to Gai and tried to revive him but it was too late. The machine continued on its one tone. Outside of the hospital the sky cried and roared as another loving person was taken into the afterlife.
I was not in the hospital when he passed away. As for the name, it was one me and my friends called him since he was so full of life and always went past his limits. As I said before, please no flames on this one as this is a memorial to him. May you rest in peace and may you be in no more pain.