"Yesterday is a memory

Tomorrow is a Dream

Today is reality...Make the most of it"

-Unknown

Okaasan Chapter 2

Here Without You

// Am I dreaming again? It's definitely different. I'm in a room; it looks like its night.

"Wahh!" the shrill sound of what seems to be a baby's cry is heard coming from a bassinette in the corner.

Walking over to the crib I reach my hand out to try and sooth the distraught baby only to have it pass right through him.

I heard a 'click' and as I turn around I come face to face with a silver- haired boy. He takes no notice of me and reaches into the crib and picks up the baby.

He coos softly to the fussing baby and rocks him back and forth. My heart nearly stops when I hear what it is that this boy is saying, "Shhh, you're ok, Naruto. You're just fine."

This boy couldn't be more than 14 tops, in fact he was very skinny and looked no more than ten, but it was his eyes that made me look again. He had the eyes of a child that had grown up too fast, just like me.

Now that I look at the boy, he seems so familiar. Maybe it was the silver hair?

He had a slight tan line starting from the bridge of his nose and it went across in a curved line to the ends of his ears. It was as though he wore a mask that covered his face except for his eyes and the top of his head.

His skin was pale so the tan line wasn't all that bad, but you could still tell. He had the prettiest dark blue-gray eyes. They were shinning with something that I can't quite place.

"I know how you feel, they left me too." The boy said as he picked up a bottle from the nightstand. The baby greedily latched onto it, suckling loudly. Then he started to hum a tune. The weird thing was, it sounded familiar to me.

This kid had called that baby my name; perhaps this is what happened when I was little. But who is this kid, and what happened to him?//

*******

"Rinnnnngggggg!!!" the shrill sound of an alarm clock could be heard breaking through the quiet morning atmosphere.

A loud moan and a rustle of blankets could be heard from a lump underneath the covers.

"Awww, I don't want to get up." He rose up and stretched, the covers pooling at his waist, "Oh well, now that I'm awake might as well get the day started."

Despite what people may think, he wasn't all that bad of a housekeeper. He didn't own a whole lot, so it's kind of rare for anything to be all that dirty.

Maybe unclean dishes here and there and the occasional misplaced sock, but other than that there wasn't any messes worthy of notation.

Naruto slowly poured himself a bowl of cereal. It crunched in his mouth as his thoughts drifted back to his dream.

'Who was that kid? I think I know who the baby is but...the kid seems so familiar...this was probably more than a dream, I think it was a memory. I just wish I knew what it all meant...would it have been different if...'

"Awww, shit! I'm gonna be late!" cursed the boy as he glanced at a clock. He quickly finished his breakfast and ran to put on his usual attire. In his frantic search for his orange jacket, Naruto didn't even notice the door to his small apartment being opened.

"Oi, Dobe!" came an annoyed baritone voice from the doorway.

*****

The streets this morning were not too crowded, but Sasuke found it difficult to maneuver through the web of people scattered here and there. And while he wasn't entirely sure of where exactly he was headed he knew he was hungry.

So, now what? Well, he was tired of getting bumped into and pushed and shoved around. Then he spotted a clear space near a rickety old building, which looked like it was on its last legs, literally.

Looking around Sasuke saw that he recognized this dusty, narrow street-way. This was where Naruto lived. Though he had only been here once before Sasuke found himself climbing the shaking stairs of the two-story apartment as if he did it everyday. He remembered every loose step and which ones would be able to support his slight weight.

Reaching the top, he knocked on the burgundy colored door. No answer. Knock again, hearing some noise behind the closed door, Sasuke reached his hand towards the knob and found that it was unlocked.

He opened the door only to reveal Naruto himself in only his usual orange pants and a black t-shirt. Apparently he was trying to find something.

What was all the more bizarre, was that despite Naruto being a dead-last he was always able to notice when someone was near him, but now, he didn't even acknowledge Sasuke.

So he decided to make his presence known to the blond boy still obviously oblivious (lol try sayin that 5 times fast!) to his teammate.

"Oi, Dobe!" he spoke loud enough for Naruto to hear.

He saw the smaller boy start and then quickly survey his surroundings before coming to rest on him. Then Naruto's eyes widened, "what the hell are you doing here?!"

Now that was a tough question, what was he doing there of all places? "Just making sure you get to practice on time, Dobe." There that's a good explanation. Sorta,

"Would ya quit callin me that!" Naruto yelled, but Sasuke noticed, the tone seemed to lack the normal vigor it usually carried. Oh well the Dead-Last was probably figuring out that it was true and had just accepted it. Thought Sasuke with a smirk.

"I have to find my jacket ok, just give me a minute." He said to his teammate.

"Whatever" was the only reply he received.

Surveying the small house Sasuke was surprised to find it relatively clean. That brought on a question. "Oi, Dobe, how hard could it be to find it?"

The only problem was that it was lost on the person it was directed to, for he, at the had shouted, "I found it!!" which effectively drowned out the inquiry made by the stoic black haired teen.

Said teen promptly sweatdroped. Oh was it gonna be a long day.

****_***_*** Author's Notes

Yeah, Yeah I know it wasn't much, but it does have some kinda pupose other than mindless drabble. To tell ya the truth I had no intention of making this anything past a one-shot. But then a sudden idea hit me and I had to make it a chapter. Promise there's more to come and yatta. But anyway let me know what you think and what I need to improve on. Hopefully I'll have the next chapter out soon. Till then,

-Hagen

* oh and if any one can tell me how to get italics to work I'll be in their debt 4 ever. The story looks sooo much better with the italics in certain places. So please anyone T.T I'll write quicker....