Disclaimer: Don't own these characters. Belong to M. Kishimoto.

Warning: Angst, lots of rapid POV changes toward the end, cliche ending (iApologise).

A/N: Just a quick note before I begin the final chapter (yes, you heard me right – this is the last chapter). You'll all have probably noticed that the first 9 chapters were all in past tense. This one is in present. Yeah, I've done it on purpose. The first 9 were the past – as if they were looking back on their lives – this is the present.

This is happening now.

Finale

Today. Today is the day.

I cannot believe three weeks have past since my last encounter with the blond. Three weeks has been too long. Three weeks without my blond dobe. I can't stand it.

Three weeks has also been long enough for me to realise my mistake. The biggest mistake of my life. The most painful mistake of my life. I thought that by brushing the blond away it would make things easier, make things better for him. He would move on. He would be fine. It turned out to be the opposite.

But then again, that always happens, doesn't it?

Yes. I had had most of Uzumaki's friends visit me in my prison during these three weeks. All had the same thing to say. I was mean. I was selfish. I should die. I didn't deserve Naruto after what I had done to him.

Naruto.

That very name brought me so much pain. I wish I hadn't done it – I shouldn't have been so cruel. I understand now that brushing him away did not make things better. Things were made worse. His friends told me he hadn't left his room at all. Refused to eat. Refused to talk. And it was all my fault. That cut me deeply. Now, all that I wanted was to hold him and tell him I was sorry. Tell him that I had lied. Tell him that I loved him with all my heart – him and only him. Forever. But I can't, can I?

I can hear footsteps echoing – closer and closer towards me. I am then reminded that it is Today. Today is the day.

"Any last wishes before your punishment?"

I look up into Tsunade's lifeless and dull eyes. She's hiding her emotions. I bet she's happy. Pleased that this is happening. She always was close to Naruto. She probably blames me – I deserve it, it is all my fault.

"Yes," I force myself to make my voice heard. This is my last chance. Last chance to correct my mistakes. Mistake. I fight to hide all emotion from my voice, as always. Uchiha traits. Got to love them.

"What?" again comes her harsh voice from the other side of the bars.

"I want a phone call."

I see her pause. She is considering this. My breath catches in my throat as I plead to God – if he exists – that she may grant me it. A face-to-face conversation would have been better, but I don't trust myself. There are a few moments of silence before she tosses her mobile phone through the bars at me. My arm shoots out and I catch it before it has chance to bounce off my skull. Fingers trembling, I dial the numbers. I'd never forget those numbers.

"Hello?" comes a quiet, nearly inaudible voice.

"What I said wasn't true," I blurt out. It is silent.

"Sasuke?" his voice is angry. "I'm hanging up," he starts, but I interrupt him.

"No!" I yelp in a panic. This is my last chance. I can't mess this up. "Please. Just hear me out. I won't waste more than a few minutes of your time and then you'll never have to hear from me again. Please. Please just let me explain myself," it is silent again and I pray to God that he hasn't hung up on me.

"Fine. Make this quick," he snarls. I sigh in relief.

"What I said wasn't true. None of it. It was all a lie. I wanted to protect you. Didn't want my punishment to hurt you. Thought that cutting our relationship off would make it easier for you," I spoke in small incomplete sentences to make it quicker. I can hear Tsunade demanding her phone back; obviously realising I was talking with her darling Naruto.

"Why? Why would you do that?" he whispers.

"Give me my phone back!" Tsunade's angry voice slices through the air and sends chills down my spine.

"I just told you. I wanted to make it easier for you. Tsunade's about to take her phone back. I just wanted to let you know, I can't rest without knowing that you know the truth. I regret what I did. I hope you can forgive me."

"Wait – Sasuke!" he sounds panicked. "What's your punishment?" I am angry. He doesn't need to know this. This is the one thing I don't want him to know. I can hear Tsunade opening the bars to my cell, screeching at me. I realise that I forgot to say the most important thing.

"Naruto, I lo-" I start. The phone is gone from my hand.

- - - - -

I can feel panic rising in my chest, coursing through my entire body, as Sasuke is cut off.

"Hello, Naruto," comes Tsunade's cold voice. "I apologise for that. I tried to get my phone back from Sasuke but I couldn't get it sooner. If I'd known it was you he was planning on calling he wouldn't have done so." I am extremely confused now.

"Why was he using your phone?" I ask, puzzled.

"Last wish," is all her reply is.

"Wait! Put him back on!" I yelp, not understanding her answer. She pauses before talking.

"No."

"What? Why?" I snarl.

"I can't let him do this to you. Not while you're in this state. The state he put you in. It's cruel. I can't let him." The line goes dead. I try to call her back. The phone is switched off.

Calmly, I sit down on the floor and rest my back against the wall. Calmly, I run a hand through my blond hair. Calmly, I hurl my phone at the wall and allow a hysterical sob to erupt from my chest. I grit my teeth, angry at my weak self. What the fuck is going on? I replay bits of the short conversation.

"What I said wasn't true. I wanted to protect you. Thought cutting our relationship would make it easier for you. I can't rest without knowing that you know the truth. I hope you can forgive me."

Wait. Does that mean he still loves me? God, I hope so. It sounded like that. That would make sense.

But, no. I don't see what could force him to say those hurtful words to me. I love him and I could never say those things to him. Was this his last attempt at an apology? Sympathy? Trying to get me to forgive him, yet again? Or simply an attempt to make me start living again, give me false hope?

I need to know.

Pulling on my coat, I rush out the door and slam it behind me.

- - - - -

Tsunade's hand moves as quickly as lightning and strikes me across my cheek. Of course I saw it coming – I just didn't see the point in blocking. If slapping me satisfied her, let it be.

"How dare you," she snaps.

"What?"

"Talk to him. You are not good enough for Naruto." I wince at his name.

"I don't care what you think."

"It's not nice to mess with people's minds. And hearts." At these words I snap.

"I didn't want to mess with him," I snarl, resisting the urge to slam her against the wall. "I wanted to make it easier for him."

"Whatever," she waves her hand in dismissal. "I don't care. I just want you out of his life forever. Which will happen soon. Once you are gone he will forget about you and move on. You are nothing but a phase."

"God, I hope so," I grind out through gritted teeth. I sincerely hope so, with all my heart. Her words cut me deep, though. I can't stand the thought of being without Naruto, but even less the thought of him with someone else. I immediately banish the thoughts from my mind as Tsunade nods to the two guards accompanying her and each grabs one of my arms, marching me out of the cell. I don't look back as I am led outside into bright daylight – it must be early in the morning. My sense of time is all screwed up thanks to the artificial light and many weeks in that cell.

I can feel my eyes burning from the sunlight as the guards drag me out of a large, black metal gate and away from the building in which my cell had been situated. The first thing I notice outside the gate is the stage. And then the masses of people stood in front of me.

- - - - -

My feet pound the pavement loudly and my heart slams against my chest painfully as I throw myself down the streets toward the town centre. I am going to see Sasuke and Tsunade. I need to know his punishment.

"This is my last chance, I can't mess this up. You'll never have to hear from me again. Didn't want my punishment to hurt you. I wanted to make it easier for you." I hear the snippets of Sasuke's conversation in my head.

"Last wish." Tsunade's voice rings out loud through my head.

This doesn't sound good. Rounding the corner I get that awful feeling of déjà vu as I almost run into the same group of my friends as before. Before, on that night when I found out about Chouji. Instantly, all eyes are on me. I can tell they are surprised. I mean, after all, I haven't left my house in three weeks.

"Naruto!" comes their voices. They are strained though, something is wrong and I can tell.

"What's wrong this time?" I almost growl.

"We're just upset about Sasuke...Such a shame that..." Kiba starts, but Shikamaru slaps a hand over his mouth before he can continue. Ino and Sakura instantly start the waterworks again and cling to each other, wailing.

"What's wrong with Sasuke?" I ask in a strangled, panicked voice. What is it with these people being the bearers of bad news? I almost don't want to hear the answer to my question, but I need to know.

"You...don't know?" comes Shikamaru's hesitant voice.

"No!" I yell. "Tell me already!" I snarl.

"This isn't something for words," Shikamaru begins. Sakura and Ino increase their wailing. "It's something you should see. Come." He grabs my hand and yanks me along behind me as he bolts down the road. The other three are following.

"I've never seen you move so fast before," I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"Never had to. We don't have much time," Shikamaru's lips tighten into a thin line and he increases his pace.

- - - - -

Ah. So this is what it is like to be famous – to have all of those adoring fans stood in a big crowd before you, cheering and clapping you on.

Except these people weren't clapping and cheering, most wore scowls and expressions of hatred on their faces.

The guards escorting me pulled me over to the side of the creaky, wooden 'stage' and haul me up the few short steps. The stage is empty except for a wooden beam, a trapdoor and a microphone stand. I am led past the microphone to stand next to the trap door. A quick escape, I joke to myself.

I can't resist speaking four words as I am pulled past the microphone quickly.

"I didn't kill Chouji," my words were slightly rushed as to fit them in, but the crowd seems to have gotten the message. Half seem to be confused and slightly panicked – an Uchiha isn't usually one to lie. No. Uchihas word their sentences carefully so they can get around promises without breaking them. This sentence was blunt and to the point.

However, the other half of the crowd seemed even angrier.

Either way, now the entire crowd had their eyes trained on me.

"Ahem," Tsunade coughs politely into the microphone; half to test it is working and half to get everyone's attention.

"I do not have much to say, except for my apologies. I understand that this is...extremely old-fashioned, but as I have already explained to many of you, this crime has not been committed in many, many years and therefore the punishment has not changed. It will be changed accordingly soon, although I hope to God that it will not be broken again."

She pauses to glance at me and to let the crowd's whispers come to a hush. She begins again, this time looking at me.

"Sasuke Uchiha. You are here today to face your punishment for the murder of Chouji Akimichi, as you have been found guilty. Do you have any last words?" she narrowed her eyes at me, as if in warning. Seeing my last chance, I seize it and nod. I need to get this off my chest. I need to tell him.

I slowly walk over as Tsunade beckons me. I clear my throat before speaking into the microphone for everyone to hear.

"I am not trying to deceive you all. I have had over three weeks now to realise and accept my punishment; I understand that there is no way around this. I do not care what anyone thinks, but I did not murder Chouji. He was my friend," I pause. "Also, Naruto, wherever you are, I just want you to know that I-" I begin, but Tsunade has anticipated my actions and has snatched the microphone out of reach. There are hisses of disapproval from the crowd at her, but I can see she won't change her mind. Those words are to go unspoken.

"Let the punishment be carried out."

- - - - -

Shikamaru suddenly stops and I almost crash into the back of him. I can see why; the road in front of us is complete blocked by a huge crowd of people, all facing away from us. We seem to be at the back.

I wonder why he brought me here.

"What's with all the people?" I ask him, wondering if someone important was in town or something. He is silent.

"Where's Sasuke?" I snap.

"Try using your eyes," he hisses, pointing directly ahead of us. That is when I notice the old wooden structure at the front of the crowd. I see Tsunade stood on it, and Sasuke. Sasuke. My breath catches in my throat.

"Let the punishment be carried out," comes Tsunade's voice, sending shivers down my spine.

Punishment. What is his punishment? He said he was leaving me. He's leaving Konoha? No. Why's he on that wooden thing? I then notice it. The trapdoor. The beam. I gasp, putting 2 and 2 together. I grab Shikamaru's arm tightly, ignoring his wince.

"They're going to..." I trail off. Shikamaru nods. I let out a cry of anguish.

"No!" I croak out. "No! No, no, no, no, no!" my voice escalates until I am screaming, pushing my way through the crowd roughly to get to the front. People are turning to look at me, giving me crazy looks. I don't care. My eyes are fixed on Sasuke, barely registering the apologetic gaze Tsunade is giving me, and the look of pure hatred she is directing at Sasuke.

I watch in horror as Sasuke is led over to the trapdoor and his hands are bound.

"No!" I scream at the top of my voice, clenching my fists and punching my way through the crowd. He turns his head and looks at me.

- - - - -

That voice. Is it...? Oh God, it's Naruto. I search the crowd for him and spot him quickly. Who could miss that bright blond hair? That hair I love so much.

I smile weakly at him as I feel the guard behind me tighten the knot around my wrists. He then reaches up and grabs the loop of rope, noose, hanging from the wooden beam. The gallows. I had only ever heard of these from history lessons and old books.

I feel the noose around my neck. It is loose and hangs down. The rope is so thick and coarse I can feel it scrubbing the skin from my neck as I gulp. I glance down at the floor, seeing the outline of the trapdoor beneath my feet. Shifting, I can hear it creaking and I wince, knowing that the only thing between me and my death is a flimsy panel of wood. I look back up at Naruto. I deserve this. This is my fault. All. My. Fault.

Yet, this is also my last chance. My last chance to correct the deadliest mistake of my life.

"Naruto!" I scream out unexpectedly, ignoring the shocked expressions from people in the crowd.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! Please, forgive me." I yell at the top of my voice. He can hear me. I think. He's still looking at me.

- - - - -

My chest constricts and my throat tightens as I see the noose being hung around his neck. He doesn't even look scared. Although, he's always been the best at hiding his emotions.

This isn't right. He didn't kill Chouji. He told me so. He wasn't lying – of that I am sure.

His words slice through me. I don't know how to react. Does this mean he still loves me? I realise the lack of time I have.

"Of course I forgive you, moron!" I scream at the top of my voice, fists still clenched. Everyone seems to be staring at me now. I don't care.

- - - - -

I feel my heart aching painfully as I gaze at Naruto's face, knowing that this is the last time I will see him. I am going to miss him. I wonder if God really exists. Now I am sure that he doesn't.

"I love you!" I shout. "I LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH!" I scream, louder than I have ever spoken before in my entire life. My throat burns but it is worth it. He heard me. I can die in peace now. My wrists itch.

I let out a strangled yelp as the trapdoor beneath me is triggered. My feet plunge through it and I am left dangling from the floor, the only thing holding me up is the noose around my neck. My natural reaction is to kick out with my feet, trying to get a grip on something, anything. I panic, even though I know my attempts are useless, it is over.

I can't breath. I can't take this. It's time to die. I lean forward, pressing my neck tighter against the rope rather than the natural reaction of pulling back.

- - - - -

His words take a huge weight off my chest. He loves me. I knew it.

"I LOVE YOU TOO. MORE THAN ANYTHING!" I shout back. He can't, I won't, let him die without knowing that. Suddenly, everything fit together. He wasn't leaving Konoha. He was leaving this world. He wanted to end our relationship in hope that I'd forget about him. No fucking chance.

I feel like screaming as I see the rope go tight and I watch his struggling body. I don't want to look, but I can't help but watch in case he wants my attention. I can't bear to pull my eyes away from him. I swear I see him smile faintly before he goes limp.

- - - - -

Thank God. He did hear me. He knows I love him, and he still loves me. Thank fucking God.

My throat is screaming at me, my lungs feel like they are going to burst and my head is light from lack of air. I force out a small smile in Naruto's general direction – I couldn't tell, my vision was blurred from my watering eyes – before everything started to fade.

I welcomed the blackness.

- - - - -

I could see from here that he is dead. Ah, well. I smile and close my eyes, tilting my head toward the sky, enjoying the breeze running through my hair.

Sasuke was my world. Is my life. He's gone now. I don't see any more point. I see no point in anything anymore. He is gone.

My right hand slips into my jean pocket.

He's gone.

My fingers grip the holster of my gun.

He's dead.

I slowly pull the gun out.

He's never coming back.

I place it against the side of my head, eyes still closed. I understand now.

"Sasuke. I'm coming."

My smile widens. My finger pulls. The gunshot echoes around the town square.

- - - - -

Like I said...Life's hard. But death's harder.