Author Note: Unbelievable, when I looked in my archive on what I had to work on I discovered that this story is coming to an end. In fact this is the final chapter on this story. I can hardly believe it, 15 chapters (if you count the sad ending). Since it's been so long since I updated anything I will save the chit chatting until afterward. So without further presentation I give you the final chapter of What You Left Me.
Pairings: Mainly SasuNaru, shounen-ai, boy x boy. If you for some reason don't like homosexual relationships what so ever then don't read this story, if you still do read it and don't like it, don't come screaming at my door.
Disclaimer: Kishimoto Masashi is the rightful owner of Naruto.
Read, Enjoy and Review. All reviews of tears, smiles, joy and happiness are welcome.
What You Left Me
Written by Monkan
Part 14 - The Red String of Fate
It's raining! Why is it raining? I hate the rain. The rain makes me sad, I don't like it. When it rains I start to remember all sorts of things. Things I don't want to remember! I wish it could all end!
Wait!
Is someone crying?
Over there, someone is sitting by the lake in the rain. Who is it? I thought I was the only one crazy enough to go out in the rain like this!
Hold on, isn't that me? What am I doing here?
NO WAIT! What am I doing? If I go out in the water I can die! Don't do it! Is there no one here to stop me?
I don't want to die; if I die I won't be able to see... whom? Why can't I remember anyone? Is there no one I care about? Is there no one that cares about me? Why am I alone? No, I don't want to be alone! If I'm alone I will go crazy, I can't stand being alone. I hate being alone. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Wait why am I the one in the water now? Its cold, it's freezing. I don't like it. I don't want to be here but I can't make my legs stop from moving further out into the water.
No, some one stop me! I don't want to die! Somebody, help me!
The water is choking me! My limbs are starting to go numb.
Cling
Huh? What was that?
Cling
What's that sound? Why is the water turning red? This isn't water, it's ...blood. Why did the river water turn into blood? I don't like this? Why did it suddenly turn into blood? This isn't happening, arms and hands are grabbing me and they're red from the blood.
Cling
They are pulling me down. I don't like this, I don't want this. Go away, leave me alone. What is that light? I don't like it, it's too bright but I don't want to stay here. It's raining there too, I don't like the rain. Can't it stop raining? Stop raining!
STOP RAINING!
-o-o-o-o-
Both Naruto and Sasuke were rushed to Konoha's hospital right after they entered the gate. Not long after did the rest living members of the team arrive, Shiichi was with them and without a second to spare he asked where the two others had been taken to. He followed them and was now giving his skills to help Naruto.
Outside closed doors in the hospital sat Satoshi along with a few adult friends to his dad. Hinata was fiddling with her shirt as she kept glancing at the red lamp above the double doors that said; Operation in Progress.
The minutes ticked by slowly and painfully. Satoshi sat with his hands grabbing the edge of the cushioned bench he sat on. His whole body tense as he waited, for what he wasn't to sure.
Footsteps echoed through the hall and around the corner came Sasuke walking. His right arm was in a sling that hung around his shoulder. The dirt in his face had been cleaned and there were some small scratches on his face that had stopped bleeding. He was limping slightly as he walked.
As soon as Satoshi saw him he stood up and ran over to him, hugging his dad around the waist when he got close enough. The little boy bit his lower lip and hugged even tighter. Sasuke rested his left hand on Satoshi's head before letting it fall to the boy's back and pushed him closer. He felt an unspeakable sense of relief and gratitude.
Now all he could do was to wait.
For hours he sat on the cushioned bench with Satoshi in his lap waiting. Satoshi had fallen asleep while people around them came and went. But Sasuke couldn't sleep and he didn't talk to the others, he was in his own world, thinking about everything that had happened and what would happen from now on. But sometime now and then when someone opened a door close by he would look up and see who it was. He didn't show much of what he felt but the truth was that he was scared.
Scared that Naruto would forget about him, forget everything that concerned them, forget his brief reunion with Satoshi. Scared of what would happen if that happened? Would they take care of him, would he even let them? Would he disappear on them again? Was he even all right? Was he alive? He hoped by God that he was but at the same time Sasuke had a bad feeling growing in his guts that it wasn't over yet.
Then the doors to the operation room opened and Shiichi came out with Tsunade and Shizune. Sasuke reacted to it too and he stood up while holding Satoshi in his arms securely, totally ignoring the fact that his right arm was broken. As if sensing the change Satoshi snuggled closer to Sasuke's chest but didn't show any other sign that he would wake up. He walked over to them slowly as the others with him waited where they stood or sat for the news.
"How is he?" Sasuke asked in a low voice both so he wouldn't wake Satoshi and because his throat felt hoarse.
Shiichi hung his head a little and held up his hands with the remains of the crystal in his hand, "It's unclear to say now. Half way through this crystal broke and his heart stopped for 10 minutes."
Tsunade took over the explanation, "We got his heart moving but we don't know what state his mind is in but it's probably trying to heal itself right now. What we know at the moment is that his mind is in chaos right now. Either he will find the way back to you two or he will face something worse."
None of them like that last part.
"What do you mean by that?" Sasuke asked but he was afraid he already knew the answer.
"If," Shiichi continued, "the worst should happen. He won't wake up at all or if he wakes up he will be forever stuck in a nightmare and go crazy. In that case he will be send to a mental hospital."
"You're lying!" whispered Sasuke.
"I'm afraid that this isn't a lie. The meaning of this crystal was to control him and to link his mind to it. Whatever happened to the crystal would reflect on him."
Sasuke looked down at the hand that held the shattered crystal, some fragrance was blue, some red, the rest was green or even some colours that he wasn't sure what they were. "This is how his mind is like now?" he asked in a whisper.
All three of them nodded sadly. Tsunade walked past him with Shizune right behind her. "There's nothing we can do now, all we can hope for is that his will and memory is strong enough to pull him through this." Tsunade didn't say anything more as she walked away. When they were further down the corridor Shizune flinched slightly when she realized that Tsunade was actually crying. Even with her back toward her assistant Shizune could tell that the old woman was crying.
Sasuke stood still where he was and no one of the others dared to move as they had found out once more that reality wasn't so kind.
"You can go in to him if you want!" Shiichi said to the dark haired man who strangely after finding out something as grave as this felt numb in his whole body. He didn't show any sign that he heard Shiichi but he walked through the doors nevertheless. Inside he found Naruto in a hospital bed once again but this time he was linked to a strange machine by his side that beeped now and then.
For several minutes he stood there not moving with Satoshi still in his arms. He slowly walked over to Naruto's bed side and stood there as he watched the blond man sleep. He was sleeping right? He had to be! He was just sleeping and in a few hours he would wake up and they could start all over again. His mind wasn't shattered, he was simply sleeping. Right. Right?
Without realizing it, tears started to drip from his dark eyes as he looked down at that peaceful face. "Right, Naruto! You're just sleeping!" the tear fell down his face and he still didn't realize that some part of him was crying.
-o-o-o-o-
Who's laughing? Is someone there? I think I know that laughter, who is it now again? I think it's a guy, wait. He isn't alone. There's someone else with him. Who is it? Dark hair, dark eyes, dark clothes. Do I know him? I don't remember his name.
Is that me with him? Is he someone important to me? Who is he? Eeh, why the hell am I kissing him? I'm not homo, there's no way I'm homo. Being a freak is good enough but being gay, there's no way that that can be me. Who the hell is posing as me? Can someone answer me that? No way, that guy kisses my-look-alike back.
There's no way that I'm staying here. No freaking way. I'm out of here. I'm not returning.
-o-o-o-o-
It had been two days and Naruto still didn't show any sign of waking up. Sasuke had stayed with him all the time, even sleeping in the uncomfortable position right next to Naruto in the chair. There had been the few exceptions when he took Satoshi to kindergarten for the day. He knew that a hospital wasn't a place for him to stay at all days long. But that was the only times Sasuke would leave Naruto's room, when it concerned his son.
-o-o-o-o-
Where am I? What is this place? What's with that freaking big gate? What could possible be on the other side of that that is so dangerous.
I don't see anything on the other side, but I hear... snoring? What the, is there some kind of huge beast on the other side?
How did I get here anyway?
-o-o-o-o-
One week had passed and still no change in Naruto's condition. Sasuke was sitting by the bed once again and peeling an apple for Satoshi who was sitting on the bed next to them.
The bed had been moved there since Sasuke seemed to sleep in the chair every night so they decided it would be best to just move another bed in. Sasuke carefully cut the apple in pieces and handed them to Satoshi who ate them in silence.
-o-o-o-o-
There are voices, many different voices. I don't recognize anyone of them. Who are they? They are talking but I don't hear what they are saying...
-o-o-o-o-
Sasuke sat with his head buried in his hands. He was feeling despair and anguish for Naruto to wake up. His shoulders were shaking and he could feel how everything was pilling up inside of him. It had been two and a half week now and still no change. The stress was getting to him. He stood up and grabbed a hold of the front on the blonds' gown.
"Naruto, you idiot. Why are you taking so long? WHY? Come back to me! Come back to me now! I'm sick of playing these games with you." He was now shaking the unconscious man roughly. "If you don't wake up now I'm going to kick your ass until you wake up. How dare you make me go through all this?" He was now screaming but he didn't realize. "Are you just going to leave me alone again? Do you like torturing me so much? What the hell have I ever done to you to deserve this? This isn't even funny you asshole!"
Nurses started to rush inside and in panic tried to push Sasuke away from Naruto. They managed pretty well but Sasuke was so distraught that he didn't notice what was happening around him, he was just struggling against some force that kept him from punishing that idiot until he woke up. He also didn't notice when some doctors grabbed him from behind and how Satoshi was standing by the doors as he looked on in fear as he saw his dad had snap from his sanity. Sasuke also didn't notice that he was once again starting to cry, warm tears ran down from his eyes but he didn't notice them at all.
"Why you idiot? Why? Why are you punishing me like this? Wake up you freaking idiot!" he had to stop and take a deep breath in his ranting of questions and demands. He broke free from the ones holding him back and his eyes flashed red. Sasuke was just a few inches from Naruto when he closed his eyes tight and screamed his final words with all his might.
"I LOVE YOU, DAMN IT!"
-o-o-o-o-
I love you
I love you
I love you
Where does that echo come from? Who loves me? Is it true? Is there someone to love me? Wait, there's that person again. The one that has dark hair, dark eyes and dark clothes. What is he doing here?
Wait, I'm back in the water. That guy is going in after me, he's... he's pulling me out? Why? Why does he go so far for me? Why? ... I... remember now, I did try to drown myself once. I was so tired of living that I just wanted it all to end. I didn't plan it or anything, it just looked welcoming when I was walking around aimlessly. I longed for death but then he came and saved me.
The scene changed from that on a rainy day at the side of a river to an apartment. His counter part was now sitting on the bed and wore dry clothes, a towel around his neck as his wet hair was dripping. The guy that saved him was sitting on the floor in front of him; he too wore dry clothes and was drying his hair with a towel.
Naruto watched as his memory played out in front of him. He was starting to remember it and...
"You maybe will be disgusted with me and hate me from now on but... I love you."
That's right! He told me that. I didn't know how to love back then but for the first time in a long time I didn't feel alone. He saved me from drowning and he saved me from myself. His name was... Sasuke.
-o-o-o-o-
He was sitting on a roof top with a child beside him. The kid had blond hair just like him and he seemed to enjoy the view and he was at ease in his company. This child was...
"If you meet daddy you don't have to be alone anymore!" Satoshi said.
"Huh?" Naruto looked at Satoshi with big eyes.
"I'm sure daddy can teach you how to love! That way you don't have to be alone any more." The smile on his face grows bigger with each word he said.
"Learn... how... to... love?" Naruto said slowly.
-o-o-o-o-
"Naruto." Sasuke was crying and smiling at the same time, "This is Uchiha Satoshi." Sasuke looked down at the small boy for a moment before he once more looked up at Naruto's face. "Naruto, this is our son!"
-o-o-o-o-
That's right... I... W-we have a son. Sa-to-shi... Sa-su-ke.. I have a family.
-o-o-o-o-
...Sasuke...
I may... not know what love is right now... but if you give me a chance I promise that I will try to love you back!
Yes, that's what I said to him after his confession. And... a little less than a year after that...
...Sasuke...I...
I truly love you!
I told him that and I meant it. I really fell in love with that bastard against all odds.
I love you
Sasuke is calling me...
I love you, dimwit
I have to go back to him now...
I love you
I can't stay here anymore... I can't hide away!
I love you, come back to me!
I want to see my family!
-o-o-o-o-
Sasuke felt how somebody tried to push him back when suddenly a new sudden pressure grabbed his wrist. He looked down and saw Naruto holding his wrist as he slowly tried to sit up. When Naruto leaned forward toward Sasuke it was so much that he started to fall of the bed and that was all that Sasuke needed to snap out of his trance and managed to catch Naruto and held him so he didn't fall from the bed. Naruto reached up with his hanging arm and grabbed Sasuke's arm. Sasuke pushed Naruto slowly back until he could safely loosen up his grasp on his still bed bound lover.
He looked down at Naruto's face and into those blue orbs that he had missed so much. Naruto in turn looked up and into the dark orbs that he had seen so many times in his confused mind but didn't remember who they belonged to.
Neither of them spoke a word nor did he need them, Sasuke knew that Naruto remembered him. Slowly as if he was afraid he would break him as Sasuke wrap his arms around Naruto He felt how his embrace was returned and for the first time in six years he felt that everything would be all right from now on.
Everything would be alright from now on.
Everything was alright.
-o-o-o-o-
Among the houses left behind by the Uchiha clan there was one house that was traditional built Japanese style. It was not the largest house among the clan houses but it was a little bigger than some of the other houses. There were a large garden with it and it surrounded the house, most of the trees and flowers were on the backside. Over the grass was paths laid out with flat grey stones and grass that grew between the stones, one that lead to the back and another that lead to the street in front of the house.
Suddenly there was a shout from inside the house.
"Satoshi, you're going to be late!"
Running footsteps in the house and out through one of the open slide door came a 12 year-old blond boy with striking blue eyes.
The boy swung his school bag over his shoulder as another figure appeared behind him. A man with dark black hair with a hint of blue in it and dark brown, almost black eyes.
Satoshi said a fast good bye before he ran down the path of stones and began his first school.
"Good luck." Said Sasuke after him before turning around and walking down the hall inside the house. He stopped outside the open door to the living room. His face softened as he looked inside.
The room was bright from the morning light that slipped through the windows and on the only couch in the room laid Naruto curled up with a little girl, not older than two years, beside him. Both of them was soundly asleep and Naruto's arm was loosely draped over the girls small frame and her small hands held onto Naruto's wrinkled pyjamas shirt. The sunlight was starting to warm up the room but the girl had however, rather unfortunally on Naruto's part, stolen most of the blanket and for how long was anyone's guess.
Six year! That was the thought that first went through Sasuke's head. It was now six years since that day and they had a life that could be called normal now. Satoshi had turned 12 years two months ago and was now doing the final test for graduating from the academy. Somehow it didn't seem like six years had passed, but it had and Sasuke wondered if the next years would feel the same.
Relations with the mist country were fragile and the incident had given the smaller country a bad face. The raikage was replaced by the people and the old one was banned. No one knew what happened to him after that because he disappeared. The mist villagers that were left became almost desperate to beg for forgiveness for everything that happened.
So much had happened since Naruto had woken up. It had taken Naruto almost half a year before he could leave the hospital and they had discovered that he had some holes in his memories such as names, faces and events. So he had to learn some things again.
To start over and live together had been difficult in the beginning because they had changed over the lost years, even if they didn't want to admit it, and to have a five year old son to take care of was hard on Naruto. He was sad that he had missed the first years of Satoshi's life and basically didn't know the little boy. Over time that had changed, they grew close over the months and both accepting each other and what happened was something that belonged in the past now.
But the question of what would happen now to Naruto remained strongly in Sasuke's and others mind. He had been a threat toward Konoha. He had been missing for almost six years and despite that all the old resentment toward him was still there. During two years, from when they brought back Naruto and forward, rumours floated around the village about him and what would happen to him. But in the end nothing happened to him, mostly because Tsunade too was very happy to have him back and alive.
Shiichi became Naruto doctor and after he recovered Shiichi had written Naruto as unfit for duty as a shinobi. Mainly because he was weaker physically now and because of it Naruto couldn't find any other work in Konoha. They had come to depend on Sasuke's salary but they made it somehow, in their most desperate times with help from their friends. Now, Naruto was taking care of everything at home, cleaning, the garden, cooking. He felt that he at least could do that for his family. Because he was weak made Sasuke worry about him but it was something that he couldn't help, somehow Sasuke learned to live with it but that didn't mean it stopped him from worrying when Naruto would collapse and gasp for breathe or cough violently.
Sasuke walked over to the couch when he noticed that the girl was starting to wake up and lifted her up in his arms. He made sure to cover Naruto with the blanket before he walked outside and into the light. The girls light brown hair reflected the light as it fell around her face in soft waves.
Her name was Rei, almost two years old. Shiichi had forbidden them from trying anything even remotely to altering or changing place of Naruto's hormones again because he would defiantly die within hours afterward. A year and a half ago he and Naruto had finally been granted to adopt another child and at the same time Rei was brought to Konoha. Her parents were travelling when they were attacked and killed. So their family had adopted the little infant girl. Satoshi had been overjoyed to get a little sister. They didn't know much about her origin or her parents but if they had been concerned about that and what others thought about them their family wouldn't even exist now, neither Satoshi. Rei may not be their blood related family member but they all loved her as if she was.
Sasuke stood there with the little girl as she snuggled against Sasuke's chest and continued to sleep. A mild wind travelled through the garden and the leaves rustled in it.
With Satoshi on his way to the academy and Rei sleeping in his arms and Naruto sleeping on the sofa it was quiet except for some random sound from some birds and the wind.
This was a life Sasuke wouldn't want to change. He was happy now, more so than he could have imagined. He had his lover back and two children. There was probably nothing else he could hope for at the moment. From now on and forever, he would do everything to protect his family.
Because at this very moment... his life was complete.
The End!
Author Note: This is the end. I hope you've enjoyed this story just as much as I had writing it. It was an unforgettable experience that put my imagination to test once in a while. As you probably from the errors in the grammar Asaroth didn't help me with this chapter, she is busy with real life and can't help me for many weeks to come so you have to suffer from my bad grammar but since I've gotten much better there should only be minor mistakes, hopefully. I will do my best and update as much as I can now with what I have but I have loads of essays I have to write too and my own real life that always gets in the way will continue to do so. As a finish speech to this fiction I want to thank all of you once again that have followed this story and given me your support to continue. I hope you will continue to give me your support on the rest of my works so I can finish them and give you more wonderful tales and stories. Now I bow and take my leave for now. Take care!