It had been six and a half months since Sasuke had come back from Sound. He had been sick – slipping away into insanity. It had started as a small cold. A fever had formed. It had lasted three months. The women, Hinata, Sakura and Azura had tried to take care of him. But the more they tired to help him, the more he pushed them away and the more he would feed the insanity.
He pushed them all away. Especially Naruto. It was what hurt him the most – seeing his best friend, and lover fall into the darkness and insanity of his own mind. They had no idea what had happened at Sound. When asking Sasuke what happened, all the Uchiha heir would do was shrug, and whimper.
Sakura had been visiting him everyday. She was heartbroken. Sasuke's eyes, which were usually filled with emotion, were now void of any emotion. They were dull. Emotionless. Sakura would cry. The strong kunoichi knew that her friend, and team mate was never going to be the strong, over confidant Uchiha she'd known before he left. It hurt even more. Knowing that there was no cure – nothing to take away the ever-growing pain. Not even the morphine Tsunade gave him worked.
Naruto had been taking it harder than everyone else. He was loosing the man he loved. The strong teammate was gone. In his place was the shell of the man he once was –broken and falling. Detached from the world of the living.
Sasuke's home was quiet at night. Dark. He still lived in his family home. He lived alone, still haunted by the tragedy that had occurred there years before. He was alone at night. Sasuke never slept. He was too afraid – too afraid that he'd see what had happened in sound – that he'd see his brother murder his family again. He lay in bed clutching his stuffed fox – waiting for the morning to come. He kept the light on. Not wanting to be left in the darkness – prey to the monsters.
He was beginning to think that he needed an end, someway to get rid of all the terrible things he remembered. He did not want to cause pain to those around him, but he knew that it was too late. He'd already caused the people he loved so much pain. Sasuke just wanted to end this. He was afraid. Afraid of what his brother would say when he saw his brother. He was afraid that his brother would come back to finish him off while he was so weak.
Tucking his stuffed fox under his armpit, the Uchiha heir stared at his bandaged wrists. His fingers touched his forearm. A dull pain shot through his wrists. Ah, he remembered what had happened. He'd slit his wrists with a kunai knife – claiming that he hadn't meant to – that he'd been carving his initials into a tree, when he'd 'accidentally' slit his wrists. He knew it was a stupid excuse, but he used it nevertheless. He'd seen the look on Naruto's face – his eyes. His eyes were filled with worry and pain. Pain had taken over their lives. Pain was all they felt – all he felt.
After that, all his weapons had been taken away from him. Every sharp object – even blunt objects had been taken from the Uchiha manor. He'd been confined to his room anyway – his door locked. Only three people had keys to his room.
He couldn't use weapons. He couldn't use weapons, and his pride wouldn't let him hang himself.
He'd decided what he'd do to end his pain and suffering in the land of the living.
The youngest Uchiha fell against the bed. Just as the sun was starting to make itself seen. As he lay there dying, the Uchiha heir was wishing that the drugs would hurry and take his pain away.
His eyes felt heavy. His breathing laboured – slowing. His chest felt heavy – his mind fogging. He felt his mind fogging. He felt no pain. He felt nothing.
The light in his eyes dwindled, then went out forever. His eyes stared at the ceiling – empty and lifeless. He was finally free. Free of this world, free of his pain and suffering. Finally, Sasuke Uchiha could live without seeing or feeling the pain of his human flesh.
It was the first time the Uchiha slept peacefully -- the fist time since his return to the village hidden in the leaves. From hell.
It was the morning the shinobi found Sasuke dead in his bed. He looked peaceful as he lay there. His eyes staring above him – lifeless and cold.
Sakura found the note next to his bed. The heavily pregnant kunoichi read Sasuke's last words to the shocked, sad – hurt shinobi of the hidden village.
To whomever this may concern.
I know that by the time you find and read this letter, I would be gone from the land of the living. Forever free of my pain.
I know my passing would cause heartbreak and heartache, but please don't mourn for me. I don't deserve your tears. Not I who has cause so much pain. It is better that I'm no longer here.
I was only a burden to the village, and everyone in her. My life was meaningless. Loosing everything was hard. I lost my mother, my father, my entire clan, and even my life. My brother murdered them all, but he left me alive…all alone.
There were people I grew to care about after my family's massacre. My teammates -- my friends. They were the only ones I could grow close to. I know they'd miss me, I know they'd wonder why I killed myself, but I want them -- need them to understand that it wasn't their fault. It was mine. No, It was Itachi's.
I thought of killing myself days before I did…years, even. I tried to slit my wrists, but my blond dobe had prevented me from ending my pitiful life. After that, there were no sharp objects in my house.
I thought about hanging myself, but my pride wouldn't let me. So, I settled for overdosing on my medicine.
For many years all I could think about was revenge. My every thought revolved around killing my older brother. For many years I craved for power.. My thirst power destroyed the trust the village had for me.
I left for sound. I went to a dangerous many who just wanted to use my body and my eyes for power. I didn't care. All I cared about was power. Power I thought he would give me -- I thought he would make me stronger, but he made me weaker.
His methods of training were …disturbing, brutal and painful. I…Its had to talk about it, but for I'll try my hardest to tell you…
Everyday, he'd call me to his rooms and 'train' me. He'd let Kabuto experiment on me, then he'd rape me…sometimes Orochimaru's men would take me -- sometimes one at a time, sometimes two or three at the same time.
I tried to fight back, but they were always stronger than me…always. As punishment, he'd let his snakes have their way with me. I'd always be in trouble -- if I tried to escape, or if I did something wrong during sex, he'd let his snakes …rape me.
I just wasn't strong enough.
Sakura: I never hated you. I loved you, but not more than I'd love a sister. I'm sorry I couldn't be your knight in shining armor. I'm sorry I would miss the birth of your son. And I'll miss your little girl, Asuka. Tell her that I'm sorry. That I love her so much.
Azura: I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I left you. You were always there for me -- always taking care of me -- me whom did not deserve your love. Azura, please take care of yourself. I love you.
In my will, I've named you as my next of kin. Do anything you want with the Uchiha complex -- burn it, rebuild it. I don't care, just please don't let it rot.
Naruto: You're the most important person in my world. You've been there for me when I've been down. I know this is the hardest on you, but I want you to know that I'm in a better place, watching over you.
We both know you'll make an amazing hokage. Lead Konoha. Protect her, and her people like you protected me.
If there was one person I can't bare to see cry, its you, Naruto. I'm glad I cant see you cry dobe. The sight alone would make my heart break. Please, Naruto don't cry.
I'm sorry I let you down dobe, I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to fight Orochimaru. I'm sorry I left you.
I love you Naruto Uzumaki.
Goodbye.
Sakura's voice had been shaking as she read the letter, and when she'd finished, she'd broken down in tears. She just couldn't believe it -- her best friend, and teammate was gone -- gone forever.
Naruto fought back tears as Sakura read the letter. After hearing Sasuke's declaration of his love for the blond haired shinobi, the blond haired shinobi's heart broke into a thousand tiny pieces. He wouldn't cry -- he made a silent vow, promising his lost love that he would not cry. He had just stared at the cold, soulless body that once belonged to Sasuke Uchiha. Stared at the perfect pale skin -- the skin he wouldn't be able to caress, because the love of his life was gone. He'd sat on the bed next to Sasuke's body. He'd brushed back a bang from Sasuke's cold, pale forehead, he whispered one world: why.
After Sasuke's death, Naruto could love no one as he'd loved Sasuke. His teammates -- the rookies, and their jounin understood how he felt. He had taken Sasuke's death the hardest. He couldn't love again after loosing someone so close to him.
He became hokage, of course. The youngest. He would spend 60 years protecting Konoha and her people -- just like Sasuke had said he would -- in honor of his fallen comrade.
Sakura had her baby three days after Sasuke's funeral. To honor her fallen comrade, and best friend, she had named her baby boy after him. When her son grew, she told him about Sasuke -- the great man he'd been named after. So she never married Sasuke, never had Uchiha babies, but a piece of him stayed with her forever. Her son, Sasuke Naruto Lee.
A year passed. People began to move on, but they'd always feel saddened when they'd passed the Uchiha compound or the memorial stone.
With Sasuke's death came new life. A baby was born a year after his death. He was an orphan who'd been found on the steps of the Konoha hospital.
The only item of identification was a small index card. His name according to the index card was, Sanosuke. He had no last name, or any parents. His birth date was July 23rd.
It seemed as though this little boy was a gift from Sasuke. Sent from their fallen comrade to watch over, take care of, and love the people he'd left behind.
This little boy gave new meaning to Naruto's life – he meaning to his family's life. He reminded them of Sasuke. He looked like Sasuke – he looked like a child Naruto and Sasuke would create if Sasuke were still with them. He had black hair, which would later be styled like sasuke's, and soft blue eyes. Eyes that held so much innocence. His ivory skin was soft like sasuke's had been – he was perfect.
Sanosuke grew close to Naruto, his godfather. Sanosuke was the sole reason for his existence in the world. He was his light, his love. He reminded the young hokage of his fallen comrade, his love, Sasuke Uchiha.
A/N: My first attempt at tragedy. Naruto did not adopt Sanosuke, but Azura did.
Azura is, for you info, one of sasuke's only female friends who was NOT a rabid fangirl. She has sharingan, but is not full Uchiha. Her clan leader married and had a baby with Madara Uchiha.
Review please.