Final Chapter to "Help Me" by JadeDragon927

Epilogue

The day's events took the energy from everyone involved.

The search team that was looking for the boy couldn't believe what they saw when they had entered the surgical room. All of them bore witness to something that very few ninja had to see in their career.

The masked Jonin was taken to his living space by a close friend to rest, his friend never leaving the man's side in fear of what would happen.

The brute of a Jonin stayed with the kids and the fallen boy, he had to make sure someone was there to give a verbal report and make sure the kids were all okay. Most of them were really shaken up by the sight, he ended up having to get their parents to pick them up from the building. Something they thought was childish, but as soon as the adults arrived, they nearly broke down.

Although very few people actually knew of the boy, and fewer liked him, the people that did know him couldn't believe it. Something like this just never happened there.

Many of the ninja involved had taken time off from their duties to process what had happened. The masked ninja didn't even leave his house, or even his bed, for days on end. He always had company, but he never once spoke a word to them.

The rain had eased up through the days, it wasn't a downpour, just a steady drizzle. The entire village was going about their days normally, not knowing the devastation some of its soldiers went through. All of them ignorant to the travesty.

Upon hearing of a small service for the fallen boy, the masked ninja finally moved from his position on the bed. It was slow, grief did terrible things to people, but he was able to get properly dressed for it.

This was something he couldn't be late for.

A pineapple-haired boy had gotten ready for the service as well, his parents following his actions. They knew their son was grieving for a lost friend and wanted to support him, they too knew the loss of a comrade.

Many of the other rookie Genin had made their way to the services, this was the first time any of them, except for a very few, that had felt the loss of someone close to them.

The services went on for the fallen boy, many older ninja attending held solemn looks on their faces while many younger held tears. Most of the attendees held flowers of some kind in their arms to pay their respect to a fallen comrade.

The masked Jonin stood closest to the casket, something that was made too small for someone that passed. It was horrifying, just the thought of having to make it at that size was too much. The man stood there completely still, a lone tear travelling down his cheek and meeting his mask. His hands shook with anger, grief, and sadness.

The services ended with the leader of the village giving a speech while everyone laid their flowers on the wooden box. After the speech was over, a few ninja had left the area. All of them wishing to grieve in their own home.

Some time passed and more people left the area until only one was left remaining.

The masked ninja.

He stood alone, alone with his demons, alone with his thoughts, alone with his fallen student.

The man stood there and stared at the gravestone for a long time, reading the words that were engraved onto it. After some time, his closest friend came by and took him home.

Before completely leaving the area, the masked Jonin gave the gravestone one last look. One last look before his student was truly gone from him.

Naruto Uzumaki

856 A.W.S.E - 868 A.W.S.E

Age : 12

Ninja Rank : Genin

Loved by few, cherished by all. Always a light in the darkness

Your light will be forever remembered

Your light will be forever cherished

Your light will be forever missed

At the bottom of the stone lay one picture, one picture of Team 7 together and happy.

1:58a.m - 5 Days After Naruto's Death

The dark room held a suffocating arua, one that would make many of the strongest of men question their existence. Only one man lay in the room while the moon shone through the windows, surrounded by his demons, his mistakes, his regrets.

Another, healthier, man stood outside the room. Watching, waiting for the befallen ninja to do something. He wanted to make sure his friend was safe physically, unfortunately there was nothing he could do for his mental health.

Kakashi stayed there for most of the day and nights after the services, he couldn't bring himself to go outside anymore. Not after his failure.

Gai sighed and shook his head, Kakashi, I know this hurts you but you must get up. Your friends can't bear to see you like this. The man pushed himself off the wall and walked down the steps into the living room. He would sleep on the couch for a few hours to get rest and for part of the day he would send someone to take care of his Genin team while watching Kakashi.

Kakashi heard the floorboards creak as his friend walked away from his room but the man didn't care. He couldn't bring himself to care about anything anymore. All he could do was wallow in his depression.

When you lose something you love and is close to you, you feel empty. Like something is missing from your life. When you lose something or someone close to you and you feel as if it was your fault, you feel pain, you feel guilt, you feel despair. But most of all, you think you deserve punishment for your wrongs.

Kakashi laid in his bed with his thoughts swarming him, everything from his past and present coming to life. The man slowly began to sit up, his body aching and moving slower than it should. Staying in bed for five days will do that to you.

The man sat up, staring at the floorboards under his feet with his arms on his legs. His eyes slowly travelled to his hands.

Kakashi wasn't shocked to see blood on his hands, but it did hurt him. The blood that never washed away, never disappeared. The blood of Rin.

A light tremor filled Kakashi's hands at the sight. Long ago the blood had disappeared, but with recent events it seems as if his old demons are haunting him once more.

Kakashi sighed and stood up, slowly making his way to his bathroom. His hair no longer standing up, no longer defying gravity. Normally it shone a shiny grey during the day and a dark silver in the night. Now it was a dull grey throughout the day and hung down.

The light flickered to life as Kakashi stood in front of his mirror, his eyes barely focusing on himself as the light shone through his eyes. The man looked horrible.

Kakashi's face held small wisps of facial hair that hadn't been shaven and his mask looked dirty. Tears stained his cheeks and the top part of the mask. He wore a black long sleeved shirt and dark blue sweats, the shirt was the same one he wore on the day of the ceremony.

Kakashi turned on the sink and ran his hands under the cold water as he fruitlessly tried to wash away the blood. New and fresh tears built up during the process and after a few seconds his shoulders slumped, his hands resting on the edge of the sink.

Kakashi looked up and almost cried out when he saw more blood on him. Blood covered his arms and parts of his chest, Naruto's blood.

"No, no, no, no! Please no!" he cried out.

Kakashi took a step away from the mirror and fell to his knees, his hands shaking as he brought them to his head.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't save you Naruto. Please, just come back to us. To me!"

Footsteps thumped on the floorboards followed by pounding on a door, "Kakashi! Let me in, what's going on! Kakashi!"

Gai's words didn't register in Kakashi's mind, all he heard was thumping. Thumping and… light footsteps.

"Kakashi."

Kakashi's cries almost made it where he didn't hear the voice, but he caught a faint whisper of it. Upon registering it, the man's cries slowed down until only tears flowed down his face. His eyes were wide with shock.

"Kakashi"

The man's head snapped up upon hearing it a second time, his eyes searching each spot within the bathroom.

"N-Naruto?"

Silence enveloped the space as Kakashi desperately waited for an answer, Gai's pounding on the door not being registered by the masked man.

Kakashi shakily stood up, his left hand on the wall for support as he walked out of the bathroom. Upon looking in his room, shock filled Kakashi's entire body as he froze.

There stood an image of Naruto at the end of his bed wearing a white shirt and blue shorts, in the middle of said shirt was a small flame with the leaf symbol. The boy looked both happy and sad at the same time, but he looked better than before.

Kakashi's mouth was agape, he couldn't believe the image before his eyes.

"Naruto" he whispered.

Naruto's eyes shone with a sad happiness, something that hasn't been there in a while Kakashi realized.

"Hey Kakashi, long time no see eh?" he chuckled nervously.

Kakashi walked forward to the image of Naruto slowly, the boy just standing there waiting. When Kakashi finally made it to him he fell to his knees, now both of them were the same height, both of them looking each other in the eye.

"I-is it really you?"

The corner of Naruto's mouth moved up in a half smile, he leaned forward and hugged the still shocked Kakashi.

Upon contact, Kakashi gasped. He didn't expect that the image before him would hold a physical form. Barely a second passed before Kakashi wrapped his arms around the young boy, the man's entire body shaking with grief.

"For now I am." the boy said.

A choked sob escaped Kakashi's lips as he hugged Naruto tighter, his right hand was on the boy's back while his left was on his head. The man's fingers were interlaced into the boy's bright golden hair.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you." Kakashi said while barely keeping his voice straight.

Naruto rested his head in between Kakashi's shoulder and neck, closing his eyes, he said. "I know Kakashi sensei, I'm sorry too for putting you through this."

"Then why Naruto? Why leave us, why leave me alone again?"

Naruto sighed, "I thought you didn't care about me, I thought no one did. Everything was just becoming too painful, the taunting from the villagers, from Sasuke and Sakura, from the Kyuubi. I just…" a tear ran down Naruto's face as he remembered. "I just couldn't take it anymore. It was too painful."

Kakashi shook his head, "I'm so sorry that you had to go through all of that alone Naruto, you should have come to me."

Naruto broke the tight embrace and looked Kakashi back in the eyes, a look of shame evident on his face. "I know, I just… I just thought you wouldn't care."

"No Naruto, I would have cared! You were the only thing that tied me to my previous family! If you had come to me for any help I would have made sure you got it, no matter what! I'm… I'm sorry you didn't think so." Kakashi hung his head down in shame.

Naruto looked down at Kakashi sadly, "I-I didn't know that. I just thought you looked at me as if I was a pest because of how good Sasuke was."

Kakashi looked back up at Naruto, fresh tears streaming down his face. The man once again pulled Naruto into a hug, one that was tighter than before. "No Naruto," he said in a soothing voice. "I never thought of you like that. I always knew you were a brilliant child and an even more brilliant ninja."

Kakashi began rubbing Naruto's back again, "Even though some of your ideas were a little off," he let out a light chuckle, "you always followed through and got what you wanted. You were amazing and had such a bright smile all the time, even when Sasuke put you down you always shot back with twice the tenacity. You would have made a great shinobi."

Naruto buried his head in Kakashi's neck as his own tears began flowing anew, "I-I'm sorry Kashi sensei," he said in muffled sobs.

Everything Kakashi said filled the void within the boy more and more, everything he needed to hear previously. If only he waited, if only he had more time.

More sobs continued as Kakashi rubbed Naruto's back, the two of them sitting there in each other's arms. Both of them not wanting to go away from each other.

After a while Naruto spoke up, "K-Kakashi sensei?"

"Yes Naruto?" the man said in a soft tone.

"Can… can you forgive me, please?" Naruto sounded desperate, something that did not go unnoticed by the older man.

Kakashi's throat tightened up for a second by the question, he knew what it meant, and he didn't want to say goodbye just yet. But the man knew it was needed.

Kakashi nodded his head, "Yes, yes Naruto kun. Only if you can forgive me for not helping you soon enough."

Naruto nodded his head as he swallowed nervously, "I-I do. T-thank you... Kashi sensei."

Kakashi closed his eyes and hugged Naruto tighter until he was holding nothing. The man gasped and fell forward, the room now becoming filled with the banging of a door.

Kakashi's frame began shaking once more as cries filled his body, the door quickly gave way revealing Gai and Asuma behind it. Gai's gaze immediately found it's spot on Kakashi that was laying on the ground, the man quickly went next to his friend's body.

"Kakashi, are you okay?! What's going on, what was with the do-"

"He's really gone. He's really gone now, Gai, Minato and Kushina's child. He's gone!" Kakashi cried.

Gai looked down upon Kakashi solemnly, the man slowly helped Kakashi sit back up where he was leaning on the back of his bed. Asuma stood in the doorway awkwardly, not really knowing what to do.

Gai motioned his head back and Asuma nodded, the larger man made his way back downstairs and into the living room.

Once the footsteps disappeared, Kakashi spoke again. "Gai, what do I do? The last trace of Minato and Kushina are gone, my old family. I feel lost without him."

Gai sighed and put a hand on Kakashi's back, "Kakashi, even if you did lose your previous family, you still have your current one. You must grieve for the ones you lost, but also never forget the ones you have now. As shinobi we must move on, but we must never forget the ones we have lost. For once that happens, then they are truly gone."

The two became silent, and in time Kakashi calmed down once again. Silence once more overtook the room, the only noise was that of nature.

A few more moments pass and Kakashi let out a deep breath, "O-okay, I'll try."

Gai nodded his head, the two helped each other up, Kakashi taking longer than Gai. "Good, I'll be downstairs if you need me, Kakashi."

Kakashi slowly nodded, the man felt worn out and more tired than he ever has before. He turned around and slowly made his way back in bed, taking care to get under the covers.

Gai took one last look at his friend and turned to leave the room, but before he closed the door Kakashi spoke out.

"Thank you Gai, for being a good friend."

A smile found its way onto Gai's face, "Never a problem Kakashi. Never a problem."

The green clad ninja turned around and closed the door to retreat back downstairs with Asuma.

Kakashi turned on his side and looked at the Team 7 photo, his gaze resting on Naruto. Thank you Naruto, I promise I'll never forget you. The man's heart filled with pain and sadness, but slowly it was becoming easier to forget the pain and replace it with comfort and happiness.

With that, the Hatake household became silent once more. Over time, the pain from the past events would heal and be replaced with happier ones. Over time, the new Team 7 would become stronger together and never forget what happened to their comrade. Over time, Sasuke and Sakura would remember to think of others and become stronger together. Kakashi would lead his new team to greatness and be known to have the greatest Genin team the Village Hidden In The Leaf would create. None of them would forget about their lost teammate, none of them would forget the happiness he brought upon them. All of them would strive to become better shinobi and better people for their lost comrade.

End of the series "Help Me" by JadeDragon927

"There are times when explanations,

no matter how reasonable,

just don't seem to help."

Fred Rogers

Always remember

"You are strong.

You are beautiful.

You are resilient.

You Are Loved.

You are capable.

You are not weak.

You are not defected.

You are not weird.

You are Not a lost cause.

You are not different."

RealAnxietyMan

Suicide is never the way to happiness or peace, there is always someone that will listen or be there. You have a spark within you, do not let it die out.

A/N:

For those of you that don't know, I kinda just made it up too, A.W.S.E means After Warring States Era. I couldn't find anything that gave a date for the birth of Naruto so I wanted to make it as close to the fiction as possible.

So, this isn't the most fleshed out story I'm working on. This was a side project that has been bugging me. I wanted to work on it some more but I do have other projects to work on and life so I was quite content with how it ended up. I am really glad many people enjoyed this story, but I don't want this to glorify the subject. I can't say this enough, but suicide is never the answer to your problems.

I will admit, some of this I resonate with. Part of the reason that I was able to writ it so well. I also wrote it because some people need to know that there are people there for you but you may not be able to see it right away. Just like how Naruto misunderstood Kakashi, you may misunderstand someone that is either close to you or not. You may not think so, but remember that you're not that person. You don't know what they're thinking, you don't know what they feel about you. Don't think you're alone, because you're not.

Rant over, hope everyone has a good day and life. Thanks for reading my story.

Anyway's,

Ja Ne!

P.S. Special thanks to Sommernacht for beta reading this for me!