THANKS TO

The Keeper of Worlds
Zatheko
Deadman19
KyuubiKid2468
EmikoSakura27

For reviewing last chapter.

Chapter 36

It was clear that when she woke up again she was in a hospital bed, but it was also clear that she wasn't admitted. She still wore her own clothes and she wasn't tucked neatly in bed the way that patients were. She laid comfortably on top of the rough blankets like she was taking a nap. She sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Have a nice nap?" Tsunade asked her.

She jumped a little, then allowed her eyes to rest on her sensei. Instantly the events that happened before she fainted came rushing back to her like a bad dream. "Tell me that wasn't true, Tsunade-shishou. Tell me that Naruto isn't dying," she pleaded, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Tsunade looked sympathetic. "I'm afraid so, Sakura. But don't sound so shocked. You knew that this was coming. Naruto must have told you that there was nothing we could do about it."

"But I didn't know it would be so soon!" Sakura protested, burying her face in her knees. "It's barely been over a month, shishou."

Tsunade sighed and climbed onto the hospital bed with Sakura. She sat cross legged and pulled the pink haired girl against her chest, rubbing her back. It wasn't long before she felt Sakura's heated tears against her shirt. "Sh, sh," she tried to soothe the crying girl, "Everything will be alright."

"No it won't," Sakura denied, words muffled against Tsunade's chest. "Naruto will be dead soon and I don't know if I can deal with that again. I don't think I'm strong enough."

Tsunade pulled Sakura away and looked firmly into her seafoam green eyes. "Well, you don't have a choice but to be strong, Sakura. It isn't just about you anymore. Naruto needs someone to support him now more than ever. He does not need someone who is just going to crumble when faced with adversity. You need to be there for him, when he needs you."

Sakura did know how to react. She knew that she was too weak to handle watching Naruto die again. In her short sixteen years, she had already had to live with that twice. Once at twelve, and once in Tanzaku Town while under the effects of a genjutsu. Any more and Sakura was sure that she would never recover. She was positive that she was only able to walk away mentally unscarred because Naruto had been there for her, in some way or other. But this next time... Still, she nodded her head slightly and replied, "H-Hai."

Naruto was in his room alone. After Sakura fainted, the room cleared out fairly quickly: Tsunade went to take care of her pink haired pupil, Ino went to finish her rounds, and Jiraiya decided to allow him to let the information of his impending doom sink in. Which was probably bad thinking on Jiraiya's part because who in their right mind would want to be alone after being told that they were doomed to die soon? And then, on top of that, his best friend - or former best friend - was dead, too! How was he supposed to digest all of that on his own?

"How long do I have?" he'd asked Jiraiya, terror creeping into his voice despite trying to hide it.

The old man sighed heavily like he'd been carrying a large load for many miles. "I'm not sure. All I can say is that it probably isn't long. To be honest, I'm surprised that you're still breathing."

He'd winced. "And Sasuke? How long has...?"

"No more than a week or so. Tsunade just recieved the news the same day that Sakura brought you to the Hokage."

Naruto groaned and pulled the pillow from the back of his head in order to cover his face with it. He felt like suffocating himself and getting it over with since he was going to die anyway. But he barely gave the fleeting thought any real consideration before he lifted the pillow off of his face.

"I'm guessing you're not doing too well," A voice spoke from the door.

Naruto jumped and sat up, looking over at the doorway and seeing Kakashi looking back at him. He forced himself to smile and waved at his former sensei. "Worse than you think, Kakashi-sensei. Way worse."

The jounin came fully into the room and took a seat beside Naruto's bed. "I heard about your troubles. I passed Jiraiya-sama in the hall. Want to talk about it?"

"No offense sensei, but I doubt you'd understand," he grumbled, laying back down.

"Oh really?" Kakashi mused. He leaned back in his chair, eyes never leaving his former student. "Let me give it a shot, eh? I'm guessing that you're feeling lower than dirt right about now. Worthless. You feel like you failed to save your friend and you deserve to die because of it."

"Well, you always said those people were worse than trash," Naruto muttered.

"You're twisting my words, Naruto. I said that those who abandon their friends are scum. You didn't abandon Sasuke. He abandoned you."

"You don't get it, Kakashi. He needed me. He was falling into the darkness and I wasn't even paying attention enough to save him. I did abandon him, and now he's dead because of it. I deserve what's coming to me..."

"You don't really think that, Naruto."

"Then why is this happening to me!" Naruto shouted so loudly that Kakashi actually flinched. "If I don't deserve this, then why is it happening to me? Why am I dying?"

Kakashi frowned, scooting his chair back a few inches. "I can't answer that, Naruto. I don't have all the answers."

"I told you that you wouldn't understand..."

"That's not it at all. I do get it. Look Naruto, I've lived longer than you. I know twice the pain of loss that you do. You and I haven't really been fortunate in life, but it could be worse."

"What's a fate worse than death?"

"Knowing that you're going to die and then knowing you didn't do a thing with the time you had left."

Naruto's eyes flickered to the single visible eye of his sensei. "What do you mean?"

"Many people never know when they're going to die until it happens. You're lucky, Naruto. You know and now you can use the time you have left to make things better for those that you're leaving behind." Kakashi leaned forward, into Naruto's face.

Naruto looked at his former sensei with raised eyebrow. "What things are you talking about?"

"Sasuke. You say that he needed you? Then go and save him."

"He's dead, Kakashi. It's too late for that."

"No, it's not, Naruto. Sasuke's been taken over by someone who is using his body. Do you think he wants to live that way? Would you?"

Instantly Naruto thought about how life would be if Kurai got a hold of his body. He shook his head. "No, I wouldn't. But even if what you're saying is true, Sasuke's still gone from this world. There's no saving him, just like there's no saving me," he muttered.

"Maybe he's gone from this world forever. I'm not sure that there's any way to get his body back for him. But there is a way to save him."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his sensei. "How? If I can't get his body back for him and he's basically stuck inside of his head, how am I supposed to save him?"

Kakashi leaned back in his chair. "Free the spirit from the body, Naruto. You said yourself that you wouldn't want to live that way."

Alarm flashed across Naruto's face. "You want me to kill him? Kakashi-sensei, I couldn't! Sasuke... He's..."

"He's your friend."

"Right! I can't kill my friends!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at him. "Would you rather him go through eternity without peace? Is that the fate you reserve for your friends?"

"W-Well, no but..." Naruto sighed, forcing himself to relax and gather his thoughts before he continued. "Kakashi-sensei, I don't think I could do it. I know I wouldn't. I can't kill Sasuke. I won't," he said with finality.

Kakashi sighed, suddenly standing from his seat. "Alright then. It seems like you've made up your mind. I can't force you to change it. But before I go, I want you to remember something. I never got the chance to save my friends. They all suffered and I couldn't do a thing to save them. When I die, I'm going to die full of regrets. Is that how you want to die, Naruto?" And then the silver-haired Jounin turned and left the room.

Naruto watched him go with a scowl on his face. Kakashi was right, he couldn't make him change his mind. It was made up. He wouldn't kill Sasuke; he refused to let his friend's blood be on his hands. If Kakashi wanted to save Sasuke so badly, he could do it himself.

''In the ninja world, those who break the rules are trash, that's true, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.'

Naruto closed his eyes and clenched his fists in frustration. No, he wouldn't do it. He couldn't do it. Even if he was to find Orochimaru and engage him in battle, there was no way to win. If he couldn't beat the real Sasuke, how was he going to defeat a sannin in Sasuke's body? He'd fail and probably speed up his own death.

'...those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash.'

Was that what he had become now? Was he trash?

'Deadlast.'

'Loser.'

Was Kurai right? Was he worthless?

'Worse than trash.'

[One month later]

Naruto was worried about Sakura. Something was wrong with her but he just couldn't put his finger on it. She didn't seem sick exactly. She only had some minor spells of nausea, in the mornings and sometimes when she smelled things that she didn't like. Unfortunately, ramen made her nauseas so he wasn't allowed to eat it in the house anymore or come straight home after a meal at Ichiraku's. He had to go for a walk and let the smell air off of him.

And Sakura was a lot more testy lately, which was killing Naruto slowly. She never had a very good temper to begin with, so now it was like living with a junior Tsunade on steroids. Most of the time, Naruto put himself on the couch at night just so he wouldn't have to deal with her yelling about his snoring.

But he still worried about her. So the first thing he did one morning after dressing was offer to walk Sakura to work.

"Excuse me?" The pinkette asked, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto shuffled nervously. "I um wanna walk you to work this morning."

"Why?" she asked suspiciously.

Naruto shrugged. "Nothing else to do."

Which made Sakura relent. She knew how bored Naruto was at home now that Tsunade personally took him off of missions. The most action Naruto ever got was when he volunteered to patrol the borders. And even that was boring to him. So they set out for the hospital together.

When they arrived, Sakura expected Naruto to leave and head back home. But instead he followed her to the front desk.

"Naruto, what are you doing?" she hissed, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at the blonde.

Naruto froze, fearing one of those scary moodswings she was prone to experiencing. He swallowed and scratched the back of his head innocently. "I just wanted to ask Ino something."

"What do you want with her?"

"W-Well I-I just... I thought..."

"Do you have a secret crush on her, Naruto?"

"What? No!"

"Do you think she's pretty?"

"Sakura no I-!"

"Is she prettier than me?" she asked dangerously, cracking her knuckles.

"No! No, of course not, Sakura-chan. I just -"

Thankfully, the blonde kunoichi in question appeared from around the corner. She noticed the exchange and quickly stepped in between the 'arguing' couple. "Hey hey, Forehead. Don't kill him. I did his check-up last week and he probably just wants to know the results," she excused.

Naruto breathed out in relief when Sakura's anger instantly dissolved. "Oh. Why didn't you just say that, Naruto-kun?"

"I was busy trying to decide whether or not to protect my face," he muttered, sweatdropping.

Sakura waved him off. "Tell me your results later, alright Naruto-kun? I have to run." She leaned past Ino and kissed the blonde boy's cheek, smiling. "Love you!" And with that she pranced off.

Once she pink-haired girl disappeared, Ino wiped invisible sweat off her brow. "Wow, talk about moodswings. Anyway, what is it that you really wanted to talk to me about, Naruto?" she asked, turning to face him.

Naruto pointed in the direction his girlfriend disappeared in. "Her," he whispered, voice frightened. "I think she's going crazy. One second she's happy, then she's mad, then she's said, and then she loves me. And some days she's puking all morning and then suddenly she's okay again. And don't get me started on the smell of ramen," he muttered, crossing his arms.

Ino raised an eyebrow. "You say she's sick in the mornings?"

Naruto nodded. "And when she smells ramen."

Ino frowned in concentration. 'Sounds a lot like...' Suddenly, she pushed Naruto towards the hospital entrance doors. "Alright, don't you worry Naruto. I'll take good care of her. Go home and relax. By the time she gets home tonight she'll be much better," she said mischievously. "Or she'll be crying. It all depends."

"On what, Ino?"

"On how she takes the news. Okay then, bye-bye!" she said, tossing him out of the hospital. Naruto landed outside on his ass, feeling more confused than ever. Was every girl in Konoha going crazy?

[The Hyuuga Compound]

Hinata sat on her bed, silent tears rolling down her face.

"Are you even listening to me, you stupid child?" Hiashi screamed at her like he'd been doing for the past hour and a half since the council left their home and she 'made a fool out of him'. In actuality, all that she had done was not speak like usual when Utatane Koharu asked her how she had been. She only smiled, which the councilwoman took goodnaturedly and moved on. But apparently Hiashi wasn't as forgiving as the old woman was.

Hinata lifted her chin to look at her father and nodded.

Her head whipped to the side and her cheek burned angrily as Hiashi slapped her. "Open your mouth and speak to me when I'm talking to you!" he shouted.

Hinata scowled in her own mind. "Why don't you make up your own mind?" she thought angrily.

A very similar memory flashed in her head. 'I never want to hear another word out of your foolish mouth as long as I live. You're an embarrassment to me and your clan! You make me regret the day you were even concieved!'

Another fat, hot tear rolled down her face at the unwelcome memory.

"You're so weak, Hinata. Why are you crying?"

'You just hit me, you bastard!' Hinata's thoughts screamed.

Hiashi rolled his eyes at her angry expression and silent mouth. He turned away from her. "I almost saw promise in you," he muttered, shaking his head. "But you're nothing but a regret to me." He walked out of her room.

Hinata grit her teeth and tried to make the anger go away but for some reason this time, it wouldn't. This time, her anger wouldn't be ignored or pushed down. It needed an outlet. For the first time, Hinata needed to vent. With teeth still clenched, she grabbed a pen and paper and climbed out of her window in order to avoid running into her father again.

A/N Early update! This chapter is kind of a filler so I decided to post it early and (hopefully) update this story again this weekend like I'm supposed to. Hopefully. But so I know that people read this chapter and updating again so soon won't make people lost, a review or two would kind of give me the go-ahead to add the new chapter.

And I know the Hinata thing at the end was kind of... random. But I didn't want to put it off for another chapter. So there ya go :)

Also, the Sakura thing that most of you probably assumed about is very necessary. Naruto needs it as his catalyst to get better. You want a healthy Naruto, don'tcha? :)

Anyway, any more questions? Comments? Any concerns? What about CONSTRUCTIVE criticism? Let me know and REVIEW!