Naruto Shippuuden: Altering Time

Chapter Two: Visiting Sasuke

A/N: This chapter centers on Naruto (and a bit of NaruSaku) and how he tries to deal with the loss of Sasuke. He then gets the idea of time travel. I think this'll be a short chapter, or maybe not as short as I may think. R&R and give me your comments!

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The rain was especially heavy today. Everyone would be rushing into their homes and take shelter, but not for Uzumaki Naruto. He stood in front of the grave of Uchiha Sasuke, letting the rain drench him completely. He felt numb and empty. The body of Sasuke lay beneath the soil which he was standing on, and it didn't make him feel any better. Soon the memory of Sasuke would fade away gradually, like all the other dead ones, including Jiraiya. Naruto didn't want to forget Sasuke. He didn't even want to lose him in the first place. Naruto realized that all his life, after the incident at the Village of Mist, he never thought about how hard it was if Sasuke had really died, and wouldn't be coming back. Now there was no one for him to argue with, compete with or even fight with. It was all too much to take in. Naruto lifted his head to the sky and closed his eyes. The raindrops landed on his face, but as cold as they were, Naruto could never find a way to wake up from this nightmare. The grave seemed to be getting even more depressing the more Naruto looked at it.

Even under the heavy rain, Naruto could sense that Sakura was behind him, holding an umbrella, waiting for him. Naruto sighed and turned around and said, "You don't have to do this for me, Sakura." The pink-haired kunoichi smiled and shook her head as she sheltered Naruto. "I know I don't have to," Sakura murmured into his ear, "but I just want to." Before Naruto could protest, Sakura lifted her head and kissed him tenderly on the lips. She gradually let go of the umbrella and fell into his arms, just as Naruto caught her lips gently and kissed her back. He loved her, and still loved her, but he didn't think that now would be the great moment to kiss and express his love for her. It just wasn't the right time. Sakura was trying to make him feel better, he knew, but what he wasn't sure of was whether she really loved him. Naruto pulled away, but said nothing as he looked into Sakura's green eyes. "What is it?" asked Sakura, her arms still around his neck, weighing him down slightly. Naruto shook his head. "I was just … wondering, if you … really love me," muttered the blonde. Sakura was taken aback. "I mean … why now of all times?" asked Naruto. "Why didn't you … come to me before Sasuke …" Before he could finish, however, Sakura put her finger to his lips.

She brushed the hair away from the face and said, "I just didn't think he'd die."

Naruto frowned. "What was that supposed to mean?"

"I thought maybe," Sakura said, "maybe there was another day for it, but I realize, life's full of twists. I just didn't want to lose you like I lost Sasuke-kun."

Sakura was now as drenched as Naruto was as she said, "I'm worried, Naruto." She hugged him tightly and hoped that he would embrace her in turn. Naruto closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer. He was emotionally overwhelmed right now, but all he saw was Sakura. He cared deeply for her and loved her. He didn't want to lose her too. The pain was already unbearable after Sasuke's death, and he didn't know how he would handle it if Sakura was lost too. "I … love you, Naruto," whispered Sakura. Naruto squeezed her tightly and nibbled at her neck softly. Sakura closed her eyes and let out a long sigh as Naruto continued to kiss her lovingly on the face, and then proceeding to her lips. It was weird how they could kiss each other in front of Sasuke's grave so easily, and yet, refrain from doing it all in front of him when he was alive. Sakura guessed that she was still emotionally attached to him at that point, and when he died, she was left with the remaining choice: Naruto.

But this was true love, she knew. "Let's go back before we catch a cold …" suggested Naruto suddenly. Sakura nodded and held his hand tightly as they left the grounds.

Naruto and Sakura both stopped in front of the kunoichi's home and gazed at each other for a moment. It still was a gloomy and freezing night, and it was still raining, but luckily Naruto had bothered to pick up the umbrella before they left the memorial grounds. He held it high, and made sure that Sakura got most of the sheltering. Smiling slightly, he stepped closer and gave her a light peck on the lips before saying, "Goodnight." Sakura whispered a goodnight and turned for the door. However, before she even slid open the door, she turned back to Naruto and smiled sweetly at him. "Hey wait," Naruto said suddenly, "you forgot this." He walked towards her and handed her the closed umbrella and grinned cheekily. Sakura took it and let out a soft giggle before entering her house.

Naruto sighed and disappeared back to his apartment. 'Great, just what I need. A wet floor to deal with,' thought Naruto, glaring down at his wet and slippery apartment floor. "Hey dobe," called a voice from behind. It sounded too familiar. Naruto turned around, and saw no one, but within a split second, as a result of spinning around to fast, he slipped and landed hard on his ass on the hard, and unluckily, wet floor. 'Ow,' thought Naruto with an annoyed expression plastered on his face. Shaking his head, Naruto knew that it was his imagination yet again. It always attacked him whenever he was alone. It sickened him. It made him become angry at Sasuke sometimes, angry because he didn't want Sasuke to leave so fast. "It isn't fair," murmured Naruto to himself. Clenching his fist, the rising anger mixed with sadness caused him to be in a state of pain. "IT ISN'T FAIR!" roared the Jinchuuriki as he smashed his fist into the hard wall. Naruto groaned in pain and rubbed his knuckles.

"This just isn't my day."

Is it ever? The voice of Uchiha Sasuke started to float in his head again. Control yourself, dobe.

Naruto frowned and headed into the bathroom. Turning on the shower, the naked teenager stood there under the rushing water, his thoughts still centered on Sasuke. You know you can't be like this forever. He hated the voices. He knew he was to go crazy one of these days. Naruto turned around and saw the worst mental projection in his entire life: Uchiha Sasuke. "Sasuke …?"

"Yeah, dobe, it's me."

Naruto rubbed his eyes and opened them again. Sasuke was still standing there, his arms folded. He didn't seem to be getting wet though. "Are you real?" asked Naruto, hoping for him to be very real indeed. "I'm only real when you think I am, but I'll always be dead," answered Sasuke smugly. He grimaced and walked out through the closed bathroom door. Naruto, in a panic, turned off the shower and grabbed a towel and rushed out the bathroom, with his hand holding the bath towel, which was poorly wrapped around his waist, leading down to his knees. Sasuke was gone. Naruto gritted his teeth and turned to the wall. He didn't want to hallucinate, not now. "Why'd you have to go?" breathed the blonde, tears streaking down his face.

Naruto lay motionless in his bed, looking up at the ceiling. The cold night wind rushed into his room and caressed his face gently, sending shivers down his spine. The moonlight shone dimly into the room, only showing silhouette of certain objects, which Naruto was trying to guess which was which. It was a feeble attempt to get Sasuke out of his head.

"Shelf …" whispered Naruto, his eyes half closed. "Pencils …"

There was a sigh that came from beside the shelf. Naruto saw no silhouette. "How the hell are you going to get through life if you're guessing which objects are which, dobe?" taunted Sasuke, revealing himself to Naruto. "Get out of my head," growled Naruto. "What would you do to get me back?" asked Sasuke, his tone a sly one. Naruto raised his eyebrows and turned to the hallucination of Sasuke.

"Would you do anything to get me back?" Sasuke asked, with a satisfying smirk on his face.

"What are you talking about?"

"Now you're talking to your projection, aren't you, dobe?" mocked the imaginary Uchiha.

Naruto sat up and faced Sasuke with an empty stare. "What do you mean anything?"

"I'm your best friend, dobe. Do whatever it takes to changewhat was done."

Before Naruto could respond, Uchiha Sasuke disappeared into the shadows. After a short while of thinking, Naruto finally thought of an idea.

Time travel.

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So how's chapter two?

Next Chapter: The Forbidden Chamber