DISCLAIMER: Naruto does not belong to me. This is a work of fan fiction and no money is being made.

AN: This is, by far, not my greatest work, but I sort of like it anyway.

//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\

At first, they tried to make me understand calmly, believing that if they told me enough times in that soothing, understanding way they knew so well, I'd be ready to let go and allow them to comfort me.

But I didn't

What once was soothing, reassuring words became desperate pleas, begging me to let go of him. Those soon turned to screams, Sakura shaking me, crying, while she screamed at me telling me he was dead, only being held up by the life support I refused to allow them to cut, bodily attacked them if they so much as moved towards the plug.

"He's dead, Sasuke! Dead! Why can't you understand that, why can't you let him go!"

Those had been her words, harsh and desperate to get through to me. I under stood her, understood her reasoning. Thing is, she didn't understand mine. She couldn't grasp the very simple concept that he was simply playing dead. His brain worked quite well, he just wouldn't wake up because he didn't want to deal with reality. He didn't want to deal with Gaara's death, or the counsel's outright refusal to allow him to become ANBU. He didn't want to deal with the death of his dreams.

He was being a passive little bitch, and it was pissing me off. How could he be my greatest rival if instead of training and sparring, he spent all his time laying here like a cold dead fish? What happened to all that fire, passion? What happened to Kyuubi?

Surly the demon wouldn't be put down so easily, yes? Of course, Naruto doesn't think that I, his fiercest rival and closest friend, would believe that something like that hit to the head would really throw him out of commission, right? He can't really believe I'm that stupid, the idiot.

Of course, he seems to have both Tsunade and Sakura quite convinced, and they both more then excel at their respective medical training.

Perhaps they simply want to believe it. But… why would they?

But, then again, why would he pretend like this? the first few days maybe, but it's been nearly a year and still, he's exactly the same as before, if not a bit more pale, and his face a tad sunken around his eyes…

It disappoints me, really, that he would allow this to go on so long. That he would want to continue this way, allow his body to fall apart.

"Maybe you're better off this way." I finally say to him one day, frustrated with his silence and stillness. "You've chosen to hide from the world and now… now you're barely capable of walking let alone fighting. How will you convince them to make you Hokage now? How will you prove them wrong like this? You're just giving them what they want, when have you ever been like that? When have you ever simply given in? They told you I was a lost cause, and still you came after me. They told you Gaara was dangerous, and you still loved him! How could you give up now! How can you give in to them!" by then I was more the frustrated, I was angry. I was enraged by the notion that he would give into the village idiots that were running this place.

I thought he was better then that… but apparently I was wrong.

"Fine! Stay that way! Then one day, maybe I'll let them pull the plug, and let you really die! You fucking disappoint me, Naruto! You make me sick! How could you just give in like that!"

How can someone I love so much, become so weak?

//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\//\

AN: That is it, that is the end. In light of my previous piece, I must make this very, very clear. DO NOT ask me for SasuNaru fics, or any fics of any pairings. It's aggravating, and pisses me off. KTHNXBAI