Sasuke's POV

I yawn lazily and toss the remote beside me. It had started raining about an hour ago so there wasn't shit to do except for maybe see if Naruto and Sakura were on their way back from their mission and maybe train.

I tried watching this movie I came across on one of the TV stations but I just couldn't pay attention. My mind was still reeling from the aggrivating argument I had with Itachi. It was probably stupid anyway. I was never into the 'romantic comedies' or anything dealing with any of the sort.

I get up and I'm about to head to my room when the sound of water stops me. Come to think of it - it had been running for a while now. I was too busy trying to absorb myself in the movie I hadn't been watching to pay any notice.

At first, I don't think anything of the situation as I make my way down the hall. Itachi could have just forgotten about his bath water and fell asleep in his room. Suddenly though, a thought crosses my mind that should have been obvious to me five minutes ago.

Itachi is never careless with anything and he never forgets about anything.

The next thing I know I'm busting through his room, not caring about things like privacy before scanning the tidy area. I try to ease myself by reasoning that maybe Itachi did really forget. My hand tightens its grip on the doorframe when I realize he's not in there at all.

I know he didn't leave or else I would have seen him; not to mention the water wouldn't be running so carelessly. "I need to look in the bathroom." I think to myself and run towards my destination only to feel cold water rise from the thick grey carpet and across my toes.

"What the hell …" I mumble and brace myself for whatever I could possibly encounter. Just as I am preparing to open the door, a truck load of thoughts begin to force its way through my head. I pale and wrench my eyes shut. What if Tsunade's medicines weren't strong enough to keep his sickness stabilized? What if his heart failed and that's why the water is overflowing? I know that I shouldn't be caring so much.

When I finally calm my nerves enough to crack the door, I feel like I'm six years old again about to walk into my house on that horrible night.

I suck in a deep breath and step in. My eyes automatically dart over to the water source. I see Itachi slouched inside the tub, arm dangling off the edge and blood falling to the floor only to blend in with the water. I can no longer move. It's like my knees are locked up; feet frozen in their tracks. I will myself to do something: move, talk, scream anything. My body is shaking. My heart is beating so loud and fast it sounds like drums banging in my ears. I'm starting to sweat and I can hear my mind hollering, "Just make a sound! Say something; anything! Save him damnit! Why in the hell are you just standing around like an idiot?!"

I open and close my mouth, trying to find words that make sense but nothing comes. My heart is beating faster as I realize that Itachi could very well be dead. "Dead" The word repeats itself over and over in my brain. I continue to stare at my aniki's unmoving figure; his lifeless, bleeding wrist and I know that he's killed himself.

My mind wanders back to a time when Itachi and I first moved into this apartment:

flashback

"So, it's true then." Itachi forced himself to breathe evenly and sat on the floor legs tucked underneath him. "You already knew which means I must have forgotten." Using his pointer and thumb he pried an empty eye open and then proceeded to do the same with the other.

Sasuke kneeled down. Itachi's breathing was steady, long locks of black hair carelessly falling on his shoulders. "You're blind. After our battle, Zetsu ate your eyes out, remember? They're gone." "Tsunade-sama said she might be able to fix it." Sasuke finished up watching Itachi's hands fall limply in his lap.

Itachi bowed his head, seeming to be trying to remember. Then, his mouth opened and closed. As if he was finding something to say. When Itachi nodded the younger male let out a sigh and plopped down next to him.

He didn't know what deity possessed him to do this; but the next thing Sasuke knew he was pulling him into an all too awkward hug. It confirmed last night's thought that he didn't hate Itachi as much as he said. Maybe he just hated seeing Itachi look helpless and … lost. He didn't know the reason. It just seemed like the most effective thing to do at the moment. The sudden action must have been a surprise because Sasuke felt the raven stiffen. Shit, it surprised him too. He couldn't really blame him for it either because they stopped being close a long time ago. That is, Sasuke stopped being close a long time ago. Itachi never quit.

"This would be a perfect time; my defenses are down." The older male spoke with a soft tone.

Sasuke blinked. "A perfect time for what?"

"To kill me, to avenge the clan."

"I stopped listening to you a while ago."

/end flashback

I gasp as the flashback ends and I feel something wet cling to my eye lashes, blurring my vision. I'm struggling with a decision. Should I save him? Should I avenge my clan? "Baka!" My mind screams at me. "Save him!" I can't decide. "Don't just stand around! Save your brother!" I let out a choked sob as I try to tear my gaze away from Itachi. He's just laying there; dying. And it will be all my fault. For the first time in years I struggle to breathe as my indifferent disposition crumbles. Tears fall down my face for the third time in my life as I'm faced yet again with a difficult decision and overwhelmingly unrecognizable emotions. "Itachi's dying …" I want to save him so bad but it feels wrong. It feels like a terrible thing to do after what he's done.

Saving him will be like saying I never cared about the deaths of my parents.

It shouldn't be this hard.

My parents are already dead. My clan is already gone. But Itachi is still living, even if it's only by a string.

"Let the dead take care of themselves, Sasuke." I remember Kakashi saying that to me at one point and time. That saying used to piss me off. Maybe it's time to let go of my dead family. I try to reason with myself between sobs and I know time is not on my side. Maybe ... maybe it's time to let them go. Naruto, that dobe, would think it's the right thing to do too.

"All you have to do is make a sound for starters. Call for help." Taking a deep ragged breath I fight the urge to back away from my decision. "Itachi!" I finally manage to say his name. When I do, I surprise myself with how hysterical I sound.

My legs begin to work again too. I race over and shut off the water. Then, with more effort than needed, I tug my brother out of the round tub and lay him on the flooded tiles, his hair splayed and sticking to his face. The water is ice cold. I'm soaked now; my khaki shorts and black Uchiha shirt drenched not that it mattered.

"Itachi!" I shout again as if that would magically wake him up. It didn't. My throat constricts even more. I jump up and hastily snatch the first aid kit from the medicine cabinet, knocking over his pills, floss, our tooth brushes and other condiments. I shouldn't be saving him. Dumping out the kit in the sink as to be sure none of the items get wet with water all over the floor, I grab the gauze, a needle and thread, and one roll of bandages.

Hopefully I'm not too late. The thought to check is pulse didn't even cross my mind until I kneeled on the floor again. I needed to get him out of these wet clothes too before he caught pneumonia but first; stop the bleeding. "Don't die you idiot … or I'll hate you forever." I whisper and wipe furiously at my eyes and gently take his wrist in my hand. I really shouldn't be saving him. I'm applying pressure with my other in an attempt to stop the bleeding. My knowledge in medical jutsu isn't enough to handle damage this extensive without the risk of causing more harm than good. When the bleeding continues and begins to form clots around the wound I squeeze some more and bite down on my tongue. I refuse to 'lose it' again. "Get help you moron!" I mentally chastise myself. I'm acting like an amateur.

"Sasuke!"

My head snaps up at hearing my name and for a moment the pressure I'm applying falters. I recognize that voice.

"Sasuke!" She shouts again and I can hear the feminine voice coming closer.

I want to say something back to her but I can't.

The konoichi appears in the bathroom and I can hear her loud gasp.

"Sakura" My voice is hoarse from yelling and crying.

"Move out the way!" She appears next to me in less than three seconds and I let her take over what little bit I managed to do. "Damn it … Sasuke, you … what the hell happened?! Why would he do this Sasuke? Why didn't you call for help from the ANBU instead of waiting for them to no longer detect his chakra? Were you trying to kill him?!" She fires off, immediately getting to work with reattaching the median nerve and then a few minutes later, the radial and ulnar arteries to the best of her abilities.

I examine her dirty face, dingy pink hair and battered body. I can tell she just got back from a tough mission. I sit back on the cold surface floor no longer caring about how much water got on me and watch Sakura work. I feel embarrassed.

"Do you hear me Sasuke?!"

"No, I just didn't think-" I begin pathetically only to have her cut me off.

"Yeah, there are a lot of things you don't think about." She's gritting her teeth at the excess chakra she's using and it doesn't take a genius to know she's pissed off. "You should have gotten help! We're lucky he isn't dead!" Wiping sweat off her brow, Sakura angrily takes the needle and thread.

I see her taking a couple deep breaths so I know she's trying to calm down enough to stitch him. A lot of people think medical jutsu fixes everything like magic but it doesn't. If the wound is deep and your chakra is depleted you still have to stitch or staple and bandage.

"Then you just left him on the floor. Between you and your brother … I can't figure out who's the bigger dumb ass."

I frown at her words and close my eyes. "Gomen" I don't know if she hears me or not because next thing I know Itachi is bandaged and an ANBU is standing at the door.

"Take Itachi, change his clothes and situate him in his bed please. He doesn't need to go to the hospital anymore." Sakura tells the lean ninja in her most professional voice.

He doesn't say much but responds with a, "Hai" and nods before pulling my brother up off the floor.

Soon it's only me and Sakura now. I can feel her emerald eyes boring holes through me. The atmosphere is tense. "Sasuke" She says softly and crawls up to me.

For a moment, I think she might punch me for being so stupid but instead of a fist, I feel a pair of slender arms take me in. I don't push her away like my mind is begging me to. Instead, I sit and let her. It's okay since no one's watching.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun." She isn't apologizing for what she said though. She's apologizing for what Itachi did.

I nod. Once again I can feel my throat thicken and tear stained eyes water again. I don't want to cry anymore. I'm tired of that.

"Um, Sakura-chan?"

"You can come in now." I hear Sakura say.

I lift my head up slightly then burry it in the crook of Sakura's neck when a heavy hand rests on my shoulder. Normally, I wouldn't let them get so close to me at times like these. But today I don't give a shit. They won't tell anyone.

"Naruto …" I start and I can hear my strong voice cracking. "Sakura …" I can't finish as my aching throat begins to burn. I can't hold it in anymore. Before long I'm coughing, shaking, crying, and speaking sentences that I know my friend's aren't able to understand. They don't say anything, just comfort me over things neither of them could even begin to identify with. I feel Naruto's hand on me tighten. He wants to cry too. They both do.

We sit like that in the large puddle of tub water for a while until my cries finally die down and my shaking subsides.

Naruto smiles empathetically which turns into a small grin. He knows I hate feeling pitied so he stands up and stretches out his arms; Sakura and I follow suit. "All out of water works, teme?"

I flush and glare. "Shut up, dobe." I look mad but secretly I'm glad for lighthearted joke.

Sakura just shakes her head and giggles at the two of us. She had caught on to Naruto's attempt at trying not to make me feel embarrassed the moment he stood up. "What a mess …" She says more to herself than us and shifts most of her weight to one leg, hand on her hip. "Hey Sasuke, why don't you change and take a nap? Naruto and I will clean this big mess up, ne Naruto?"

"Yeah!" Naruto grins and gives me a thumbs up. "We'll have this space completely clean by the time you get up, teme!"

I smile gratefully and head to my room.

TBC