"Gaara wake up." Neji pleaded as he held his hand.

It had been three days. Three long days since the accident. The broken bones had been set. The cuts stitched, but Gaara had not woke up. The doctors said he might never wake up, or that he could wake up with memory loss or that he could wake up completely fine, remembering everything, but no one would know until he woke up.

So, Neji had been there, every day. From the earliest visiting hour to closing. Hoping for Gaara to open his eyes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke and Naruto sat across from each other at a coffee table in Neji's house. They had been staying there for two reasons. One was emotional support. Neji was a wreck. The other was because in terms of distance, Neji's house was closest to the hospital.

They had developed a pattern for the time when they would wait for Neji to arrive home at eleven. Study their glasses, take a drink, look at each other, and look at the clock. It was an uninterrupted pattern, broken only when Sasuke had tried once or twice to start a conversation.

There's something different about him. Sasuke thought as he watched Naruto glance up at the clock. Sasuke studied Naruto closely. His eyes…they're dark. He's lost hope, but why?

"Naruto," Sasuke asked softly," what's wrong?"

"My best friend's in the hospital, and you ask what's wrong? I didn't know you could be so stupid." Naruto replied angrily.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?" Naruto practically yelled as he stood up and walked over to the window in the room. He stood in front of it, running his fingers along the dark glass.

"I don't know, but something's different. Why?" Sasuke stood up and followed Naruto's path to the window. Standing next to him as he looked out into the darkness.

"It's my fault," Naruto said softly.

"What?" Sasuke said surprised.

"That Gaara was attacked, that he was hurt. It's my fault."

"How can you say that."

"I knew. I've known. I should've been there. I should've stopped it. I should have done something." Naruto said in tone rich in self-loathing.

"How can you think that?" Sasuke asked in quiet shock.

"How can I not? I've known for years and never done anything. I could have done something." Naruto said as he clenched a fist.

"What? What could you have done?" Sasuke asked softly.

"I don't know." Naruto replied shakily. " but, I sho-should have been able t-t-to…"

Naruto didn't manage to finish his statement as he broke down into tears. Sasuke caught him as he collapsed to the floor and half-carried, half-dragged him to the nearby couch.

Sasuke usually wasn't one for giving comfort, but for Naruto, he felt an exception could be made. As he sat there running his hand back and forth across Naruto's back, he saw a shooting star, and he, who had always believed wishes to be made by the foolish, made one himself.

Please let them be okay.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Neji looked up as the door opened promptly at eleven that evening. He stood up slowly, puzzled because the nurse had appeared carrying a blanket.

"You can stay here for tonight." She said softly as she handed him the blanket.

"Why?" He asked shocked.

"Because," the girl said simply," you've been here every day, dawn till dusk. The doctors figure letting you stay a couple of nights, especially when there is no school the next day, won't hurt anything."

"Thank you." Neji took the blanket from her and went to sit back down next to Gaara.

"Your welcome, kid." The nurse said as she closed the door.

Neji wrapped the blanket around himself and again took up Gaara's hand. He lay his head down on the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Neji felt fingers running through his hair. The hand was soft and moved slowly through the strands. Gaara's hand, he somehow realized subconsciously.

Neji shut his eyes tighter. Please, let this dream last. However, Neji felt the world's resolve for him to wake up, and slowly he began to open his eyes, but, the hand didn't stop. His eyes shot open as he sat up quickly.

"I was wondering when you were going to wake up."

"Gaara!" Neji lunged forward, embracing the red head tightly. "Don't do this again!"

"Neji…can't…breathe."

"Oh, sorry." Neji loosened his hug, but he didn't let go.

"Everything's okay now," Gaara said softly.

"Yes everything's okay," Neji echoed, and for once it was true.

Today, right then, everything was perfect.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

Okay, typed at midnight, and six in the morning, but I think it turned out okay, don't you? It's too early to check for typos, just ignore them.

I won't be able to update until Saturday. I'm going to the beach with my church this week. Sonfest 2006! Florida, here I come.

Sorry, I know it's short, but at least I didn't leave you with a cliffhanger for a week. Not that I resolved everything. Oh no, there's much more to come.