Chapter 10

Sakura came running into the room and straight to Naruto. She placed a plastic mask over his mouth, which Sasuke assumed was to help Naruto breathe more evenly.

"What's happening?" Sasuke wasn't even hiding his fear and desperation from his voice anymore.

"His body can't take this any longer... It won't be long before it shuts down completely" Sakura said in a soft voice. This time it was Sasuke's breath that was quickening. He had known it. It had been him who had kept saying they shouldn't hope for anything, so why was it this felt like such a surprise.

"Kakashi said they would soon have an antidote" Sasuke said lamely, as that meant he would miraculously be saved. Sakura's face softened, she had dealt with many relatives to people who were about to die. She had gotten a lot of experience, but this time it was so different. This was her friend which made it hard for her to be professional but also because she had never thought she would have to treat Sasuke like all the other grieving relatives.

"First they have to storm the place, then they have to apprehend everybody, find the laboratory, and then look for the antidote. If we're lucky they will find it, if not.. They have to use a lot of time to figure out how to make one themselves. And... I'm not sure he would live that long" Sakura almost physically hurt seeing the look on Sasuke's face after he heard that. What the hell had Naruto done to this man? Made a love potion..? No, probably not. She had tried that before and it didn't work, so Naruto wouldn't be able to do it.. He wasn't really the brightest student in the academy. She had studied together with Naruto and Sasuke in the first couple of years before they got split up into nurses and fighters.

"I'm sure they will find one.. Imagine if they somehow poisoned themselves? They should have an antidote lying around" She tried to comfort Sasuke, but she wasn't sure if she did a good job. She didn't even knew if it was possible to comfort a person like him.. should you speak to his emotions or logic. He had never been an emotional person, so she hadn't any experience with how to treat him when they were in these situations.

"If something happens just.." She wringed her hands. "Give him CPR until I arrive and ehm.. We'll see if I can do anything for him at that time.." Sasuke felt like someone punched him in the stomach. If I can do anything sounded a bit too final for his taste. It felt like Naruto was already slipping through his fingers.

"CPR? Why?"

"His heart will most probably fail soon.." She quickly turned around, she felt so uncomfortable being in the same room as Sasuke. It was so obviously that he was slowly falling apart and the sight disturbed her, this wasn't the Sasuke she knew. He was always cool and above everyone else.. This Sasuke wasn't the most clean person anymore since he hadn't left Naruto's bed for a long time, he was panicking and worrying over another person. It just felt so weird. She softly closed the door and went towards the stairs at the other end of the corridor. She looked inside the open doors to the other rooms as she passed to see if anyone needed any help but luckily they didn't. She reached the stairs and began walking down.

Their laboratory was situated under the hospital to keep it close, but not close enough to let it get contaminated by all the sick people. She knocked on the heavy door and waited for someone to come and open it. She crossed her fingers and hoped she would receive some good news for once. She couldn't bear to go up to Sasuke again and just tell him to wait a little longer. A young girl came out and looked questioningly on her.

"Is there something you need?"

"Is there any prog-" Sakura quickly turned when she heard a person almost jumping down all the stairs to get down as fast as possible

"I might have to antidote" Kakashi yelled. The girl grabbed the container Kakashi held and slammed the door in their faces.

"You might?" Sakura felt relief, but was still a bit wary by his wording.

"It's not like there is a sticker on it with the words "This is the antidote to the really dangerous, genetic-modificated snake venom that we used on that blond guy". I don't think we should give him something we're not completely sure about right now. I'm sure his body can't take much, and I won't risk this more than necessary"

"I guess you're right". Sakura decided to stay outside the door and wait for the lab technicians to test the container they had just gotten.

Sasuke was standing close to the bed, ready to do something if Naruto's condition worsened. His heart will fail soon.. How soon was soon? Was it sometime today? Tomorrow? In a few days? Why couldn't anyone tell him these things? He needed control. He needed to know the precise moment his heart would fail, this waiting, just standing there unsure if it would happen the next second or the one after that.. It was unbearable. He moved the covers a bit to the side and sat on the bed beside Naruto's hip. It wasn't fair. It shouldn't have been Naruto lying there. Sasuke slowly touched Naruto's hand, he didn't feel the same warmth he did the first night they had stayed at Tazuna's mansion.

Naruto had taken Sasuke's hand at that time and held it for a while. He remembered how he had panicky removed his hand, but now he wished he could feel it again. He wanted to feel the warmth and the fingers wrapped around his... not this limb, cold thing. Sasuke tightened his hold on Naruto's hand. He remembered Naruto telling him he had always wanted to hold hands like the other children, to feel someone was beside him. Sasuke sighed. He just hoped that maybe Naruto would somehow feel it and come back.

"You said it was alright to feel sometimes, you said it would be sad if I was emotionless all the time.. I'm feeling something now, so you have to wake up and see it. You wanted this to happen, so wake up and tell me it will be alright. You can't just start this, you can't just make me feel something and then not be here to help me through it" Sasuke felt something wet slid down his cheeks. "So please just do something. I can't be left alone again"

Suddenly Naruto's hand twitched in his before his whole body began convulsing. The beeping from the heart monitor quickened and Sasuke wasn't sure if he should do CPR or just wait for Sakura. Sakura rushed through the door and ran to Naruto.

"Hold his arm still" Sasuke quickly did as she told him and watched as she pushed a needle through Naruto skin. A clear liquid got pushed into Naruto's blood stream, but the convulsing didn't stop. The beeping got quicker and quicker until it just stopped and only one long beep could be heard. Sasuke stumbled a few steps back. Why? This didn't make any sense. He watched as Sakura kept pushing and pushing on Naruto's chest. He had gotten the antidote. He should be fine, he should be well now. Sasuke couldn't understand this feeling, it felt like everything was falling apart. His vision got more and more blurry as the constant beep from the heart monitor grew in strength.

Far away he heard someone say his name, but he couldn't place the voice and then everything faded to black.

I know I'm super evil to stop it right here.. But you will just have to wait and see what will happen next :P