NS: OMG! She's updating?! WOAH!
...yesh. And now that you're over the shock of that... Uhm, dunno what to really say about this chapter other than I think I've fixed all the mistakes and crapola, and that the content here used to be split into three chapters..:sweat:

OMG I DON'T OWN NARUTO! ...DUH. :)

As the sun was still rising, I shrugged along a few blocks to where Kakashi lived, the fur jacket draped over my left arm. It was still early, and not many people were up yet, but I knew Kakashi would be. I came to his apartment building and ran up the three flights of stairs to his room. I reached it quickly and knocked on the door. His speed surprized me, for as soon as I had knocked once, he had his head poked out the door. He smiled and leaned in close to my face as I backed away.

"Yeeessssss?", he asked with a grin. I pinkened slightly at the sudden closeness of his face to mine. Close enough together to feel his hot breath on me. I gulped and thrusted the jacket out in front of me, turning away my head.

"I brought back your coat.", I choked out in a relatively smooth voice. I felt Kakashi's gaze as he studied me momentarily, then he slowly took the jacket. I felt him, again; eyeing me suspiciously.

"Thank you, Sasuke. Oh and before I forget, Sakura wanted to talk to you about something She asked me to tell you to go and see her at her house. I don't know what it's about, but she made it sound really important." I took on a sudden look of seriousness and nodded.

'Oh, yes...I know JUST what it's about...and I don't really want to go.'I thought to myself.

"I'll go, now." I assured him and turned to leave. Kakashi stared hard at my back for a few moments as I walked away before he closed the door. Just before it closed I barely heard him murmur,

"It's awful...I suppose he still doesn't know, then..."

As I shuffled down the stairs and huffed down the street to the Haruno house, I pondered what Sakura wanted with me. I arrived sooner than I realized and walked up the short path to her front door. I knocked and Sakura answered the door. She had a sad look in her eyes.

"Sasuke...I think you should come inside..."

Though it lasted only an hour, it seemed like a lifetime. In the short time I spent at Sakura's, I learned some of the worst news I had ever received. She put her hand on my shoulder and guided me in...and for whatever reason, I let her. She smiled slightly and waved to her mother as we passed her in the kitchen and headed towards her room. When I got there, my knees nearly gave in as Sakura released me and shut the door.

Sitting on her bed was the number one, knuckle-headed, hyperactive ninja...the dobe.

I balled my fists and tried to mantain a certain level of calmness. I was fairly certain I could contain myself...at least until I was alone. Naruto looked at me with sad eyes and a heavry heart. Cautiously, I went and sat beside him on the bed. Sakura grabbed Naruto's right hand and gripped it tightly, then motioned for me to come and sit down. I sat on the left side of our friend. Brow furrowed, Naruto looked at Sakura.

"Well? Aren't you going to tell him, Sakura? I don't think I can do it..." Sakura looked at her lap and grasped the bottom of her dress with her free hand. Short pink hair fell loosely around her face and I could see a few tears splash down onto her fist. As tension gathered in the room, I felt sweat beginning to gather on my brow. I wiped at it with my armband.

"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on?", I asked, tired of sitting in silence and watching Sakura cry. I waited for at least a minute and no one had answered me. I stood and threw my hands at my sides.

"Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?!" I screamed. I gasped when I felt something warm on my arm. When I looked over, I saw that it was Naruto's hand. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back beside him on the bed. He took a deep breath and sighed. Without looking at me, he finally spoke.

"I've been to the doctor," I looked quizically at him, then nodded for him to go on. "He says...I have something. They aren't really sure what it is, but...it's bad. Real bad. Dr. Nashya says...I might not even make it through Christmas." The last of his words slowly sank into me, melding into my soul and pouring over my heart. A chill ran up my spine, and I shivered. My body grew very cold and I nearly fell backwards onto Sakura's bed. She began to sob again, and I felt the warm moisture come to my eyes as well. I blinked it away and tried not to seem too fased by the news.

"What the hell do you mean, baka dobe?", I demanded with a scowl, "How can you be sick?! You're a ninja! Ninja are supposed to be able to last out through anything!" I screamed at Naruto like it was all his fault. I stood and kicked Sakura's dresser. I threw it to the floor. She winced and cried louder, squeezing Naruto's hand tighter. I crashed onto the bed and pulled Naruto away from Sakura. I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, hard.

"Why, Naruto! Baka! Why did you get sick? Why...?" I asked, voice gradually growing softer. Then slowly, I broke down and nearly cried, I pulled my dobe close to me and hugged him. He gently hugged me back.

"Naruto...don't die." I pleaded. He breathed out and lay on my chest.

"I'll try, Sasuke...I really will."

It was colder that day than the weather had predicted, but I walked around the rest of it absentminededly. Nothing could grab my attention and Kakashi might've had training, but if he did, I wasn't aware of it. I simply walked aimlessly around the village without a jacket. The sheer thought of my earlier conversation with Naruto made me queasy, and though I tried to forget it, I couldn't shake the thought. It had to be a lie. Shinobi didn't just fall over dead from some unknown disease! There had to be some way to save him, and damned if I wasn't going to figure it out! I halted in my steps as I recognized a familiar scent; Ichiraku's. I turned to walk away from the memory-filled place when a brilliant idea came to me.

"Sasuke, you are a genious!"Smiling to myself, I pushed the red curtain to the side and sat at the bar. "One miso ramen." was the order I placed. The owner flashed me an 'okay' sign and I rested my chin in my hands as I waited, watching the man dissapear into the back. I stared at my surroundings. So many times I had seen Naruto go through this curtain and place a huge order...which he was somehow always able to finish eating. Although I'm sure the dobe was completely unaware, I had never been too far away from him at one time, except when we had no missions and I would have to take my own way at night. This condition was only because Naruto lived on the other side of the village, making it hard for me to keep an eye on him at those times.

"That'll be 500 yen." I blinked, then nodded and handed him the money. The bowl was one I could take with me and was already in a plastic bag with a pair of disposable chopsticks for me to take. Though no one much knew it, I ordered here often, but always to-go. I picked up the bag by the handles and pushed out of the curtains. I shoved my free hand into my pocket and headed to the other side of the village. Naruto's house was there. He lived with Iruka, but he wasn't home very much during the day (due mostly to his job as a sensei at the acadamy), so the house was pretty much Naruto's to roam. As I walked, I remained deep in thought about Naruto, so I didn't notice that I had quickly come upon the Dobe's home. house. Coming upon the door, I drew my left hand from pocket and knocked. After a few moments, a young voice came from inside.

"Who is it?", It questioned. I took a deep breath and opened the door. Stepping inside the warm house felt good after I had been walking around for hours without a jacket. I closed the door and Naruto came around the corner in his orange pajamas with little green frogs all over them and that stupid walrus hat he always had. He rubbed his eyes and looked at me.

"Teme? What're you doing here?", he asked with a yawn. I smiled a little and held up the bag from Ichiraku's. He grinned, suddenly more awake, and ran to me. He brought his arms around my waist and I felt my face flush.

'It's just the illness affecting him, it's just the illness affecting him, it's just...' I repeated to myself. I pushed Naruto off me and shoved the bag in his hands. I looked away the tinest tint of pink dancing across the bridge of my nose. 'God, why am I blushing? This is so stupid... I shouldn't have come. Damn! Now he's sure to think something is up!' I cleared my throat and choked down the blush, managing to speak calmly.

"Miso ramen. I know it's your favorite." He eagerly hugged the bag with a grin, then looked up at me quizically.

"Ne, Sasuke-teme...why're you being so nice to me all of the sudden? It's not because I'm sick is it?" I sighed (the blush fighting its way slowly back up) and put my left hand on his right shoulder, then guided him towards the kitchen.

'You can handle this, Sasuke. You are a ninja! You've gone through worse! Pull it together, man.'

I had been in Irkua Umino's house twice before and could remember where most of the rooms were. He frowned at the fact that I had not answered him, but was quickly over it when he looked down and remembered that I had brought him his favorite ramen.

We reached the kitchen and sat at two of the wooden chairs Iruka had set at his wooden table. I watched in amazement as the wrappings on the ramen were something of the past in a matter of seconds. He did not seem to notice as I watched him eat, entranced in the senseless wonder of chewing and slurping noises. Never had I thought I could be so hypnotized by the eating habits of a rude little dobe. I reminded myself to ponder that later and when he had finished (which could've been no longer than three minutes), he looked at me with another one of those stupid grins of his.

"Baka Teme. What're you staring at?" I blinked away my hypnotic gaze and shifted my gaze just slightly to look his in the face. Again I was entranced, this time by the clear cerulean eyes staring on into nothing...into everything... "Sasuke! Answer me!" I blinked myself awake again. Damn! I have to stop that. Why the hell do I keep--?! Arg, better answer him.

"Nothing. Just thinking." I looked away, fairly happy with the very Sasuke-like answer I provided him.

"About what?" When I turned back to face him, he was right up against me, no more than two inches from my face. He leaned closer, his nose nearly touching mine and his chest pressed up against my left shoulder. I felt the burning sensation of none other than 'blush' come to my face once more and poor Naruto didn't have any idea. He looked just as clueless as always; that poor, stupid dobe. It had to be right around then when I realized what was going on with me and my body. My desires...but I suppose it must've taken him much longer to notice it...heh...clueless.

But...It felt good. Being that close to Naruto; being able to feel the brush of his chest against me and his soft breath against my cheek. But I had to push him off. Afterall, that's what 'Sasuke' would do, right?

"If you must ask, and knowing you I suppose you do, I was thinking about the future." Naruto frowned and put his hands on his knees, sitting back on his haunches.

"The future? But that's boring..." I took on a deliciously smug grin.

"But doesn't that all depend on what you depict about the future? What do you see?" Naruto put his hand on his chin and thought for a minute.

"I see you." I nearly fell backwards and my eyes shot open.

"Me?! Why in the world would you see me?!"

Naruto looked at me and smiled innocently. "I see you at my funeral." My gaze softened and I scooted closer to the edge of my seat.

"Naruto, why would you say something like that?"

He looked at me in clear shock. "You mean you aren't going to be at my funeral?" I groaned and stood, coming behind him, and brought my arms around his small, fragile body, shaking from being this close without having to expend chakra on him. I shut my eyes and closed in around him.

"That's not what I meant, baka dobe. I'm your friend and I don't want you to die." He closed his eyes and held my left arm, laying his head on it. I felt his warm tear slip down my arm.

"Please don't cry..." I pleaded, feeling the tingle coming to my own eyes as well; but I didn't cry. I lay my chin on his head and rested in the fur of the fuzzy walrus hat he still wore. Asking him not to cry had no effect however, because as soon as I had spoken the words, he began to sob heavily. Telling someone not to cry always seemed to make it worse, somehow, as if acknowledging their pain made it that more increasingly hurtful. And we sat there in the ever-growing darkness of the kitchen; a dobe and a teme, lost in their tears.

NS: Well? How was the third chapter? I went back and edited a lot of stuff from the way I had it before...that it, over a year ago. Actually, close to two years ago. ;; It was very sucky before, but I think I've got it all fixed up now! Anyways, yeah! R&R!