Author's Note: I wrote this a couple years ago and finally finished it. I have no idea what the inspiration for this was. Feedback is appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but this story. The italicized lyrics belong to the song Never Too Late by Three Days Grace.

Title: Never Too Late
Genre: Suspense/Angst/Drama
Rating: T
Pairing(s): None
Summary: Because when you find your best friend in a suicidal death, what is it you're supposed to do?

Agonizingly slow, the door creaked open, a loud screech ringing throughout the empty manor.

He walked inside, slowly, with the lightest of steps, using the subtlest of stealth. Cerulean eyes shifted around the area, as though searching—as was his purpose for being in the disturbingly quiet chateau. The night sky penetrated through the large glass windows, the moonlight glow the only source of light throughout the abode, highlighting the hauntingly dark navy blue walls surrounding the district.

This world will never be

What I expected

And if I don't belong

Who would have guessed it?

Further in he walked, strolling leisurely as his feet carried him across the polished wooden floors. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as it quickened with anticipation. Something was wrong, he could feel it. His intuition alone was what brought him to the large house, as it carried him through the seemingly never-ending hallways.

Then his feet suddenly came to a halt, at a lone door with fine carving embedded in the rich texture of the mahogany wood.

I will not leave alone

Everything that I own

To make you feel like it's not too late

It's never too late

His hand slowly rose from being idle at his side, grasping the doorknob. Long blonde locks fell in front of distinct azure eyes as his head titled downwards. His grip tightened on the handle. He gave it a twist, willing to jerk open the door to reveal what was hidden inside, to distinguish what exactly about the room before him was making his insides twist with uncertainty.

He rose an eyebrow upon finding that the door was somewhat locked. It wasn't completely fastened with a bolt, though, as when he turned the doorknob it would twirl somewhat, but not the full unlocking way. From this fact, it seemed as though the lock in side was halfway turned… almost as if someone had been in haste to lock the door.

Uzumaki Naruto swallowed uncertainly.

Normally his headstrong self, he normally wouldn't be so cautious and hesitant, let alone be as quiet as he was, when he entered the large estate—especially when the very domain was widely renowned and recognized as the Uchiha manor.

The dark blue walls around him seemed to be watching his every move, following him everywhere he went.

After all, no one dared step on the property of Uchiha.

((SFX: creak…))

Sending chakra to his hand, as far as the base of his fingertips, the blonde shinobi finally managed to open the door. His palm was flat against the door as his arm extended, slowly opening the entrance.

The inside was pitch black. There was no light whatsoever. An uncertain blonde eyebrow rose at this. Azure irises continued to peer further inside. He could see the faint outline of curtains against a windowpane—ah, that was what was blocking the natural moonlight glow from illuminating the room.

As his gaze continued to shift around the large room—with natural furnishings, such as a bed, desk, dresser lined with drawers, and a bathroom installed inside—until, his eyes fell upon something.

That was when he saw it, caught a glimpse of the very thing that had his heart pumping with anticipation, his gut twisting with the sixth sense of something dire going to occur.

It was then, when his blood ran cold.

"…Sasuke!"

Even if I say

It'll be all right

Still I hear you say

You want to end your life

Instantly, the blonde sprinted inside.

Sasuke lay sprawled against the ground, his blood seeping into the floor. When Naruto reached him, he fell to his knees, lifting his friend. His wrists were both slit deeply, as though he were trying to saw his hands off.

The blood was warm, thick and sticky. At the sight, Naruto ground his teeth roughly against one another.

"You bastard, why would you do this?" he cried, picking up Sasuke's unconscious body as he saw the Uchiha's skin grow paler with each passing minute.

Now and again we try

To just stay alive

Maybe we'll turn it all around

'Cause it's not too late

It's never too late

Naruto ran to the bathroom, grabbing a couple towels as he fastened them securely around both of Sasuke's bleeding wrists. Once tight, he hovered over Sasuke's face.

"Stay with me, Sasuke!" he shouted. "Open your eyes, damn it!"

His heartbeat raced with worry when his best friend remained unresponsive, only continuing to lose color and grow colder.

Picking up the Uchiha's limp body, Naruto dashed out of the residence towards the Konoha hospital. He pumped chakra in his legs to increase his speed to that where he was a yellow and blue blur. Once reaching the hospital, he burst through the doors, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Help! I need help, now!"

The nurses and patients gasped at the sight of the bleeding shinobi in his arms.

"Quit gawking and do something!" the blonde demanded, his throat growing dry from the volume of his voice.

Quickly a gurney arrived as the nurses pried the Uchiha from Naruto's arms. They rushed him towards the emergency room as doctors crowded the gurney to assist the dying man.

Meanwhile, a nurse with short brown hair approached Naruto. "What happened?" she asked, her voice soft and gentle.

"I—I don't know, he didn't show up for a mission, I went to see him, to see what happened, why he didn't show"—Naruto spoke so fast his words jumbled together into incoherent nonsense—"it's not like him to not show, he always shows up, even if he thinks it's worthless and pointless—"

"—Sir—"

"—I went to his house and something seemed wrong it was too quiet even for him and I walk in and found him bleeding all over the floor and I tied towels to his wrists to help stop the bleeding but it wouldn't stop it just kept flowing and flowing and he was getting pale and cold and he wasn't answering and oh god why, why would he do that—"

No one will ever see

This side reflected

And if there's something wrong

Who would have guessed it?

"Sir, calm down," the nurse stated, placing a soothing hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Breathe. We're doing everything for your friend right now. You've done all you can. But what about you? Are you injured at all?"

Naruto followed the nurse's gaze, looking down to his traditional white t-shirt that was wet and soaked in Sasuke's warm blood. At the sight he shut his eyes and winced as though in pain.

"No," he answered. "I'm not hurt. The blood is his, not mine."

"I see," she replied, a sad frown marring her features. "Would you like a change of clothes?"

"No."

"Okay." Her voice was almost motherly. "We'll let you know as soon as we can about the status of your friend. I'm sorry you had to experience this."

And with that, she stood up and walked towards the emergency room.

Naruto stared emptily into the cold, white tiled floor. He rested his elbows on his knees, slouched forward and buried his face in his hands. He could feel the sting of tears forming at the corner of his eyes, finding himself uncontrollably letting them slip as they slid against his hands.

And I have left alone

Everything that I own

To make you feel like

It's not too late

It's never too late

He hadn't felt the hours going by. Time seemed to be frozen as he sat in the empty hospital room, silent like the sound of death. He didn't move, just kept his stare on the floor. He felt no hunger, no thirst, only his heart thumping wildly against his chest, wondering the outcome of his closest friend, a million questions racing through his head as he waited.

Why didn't I notice sooner? What if I didn't get there fast enough? How long had he been there? Why didn't he say anything? He could he think he could get away with this—?

He was brought out of thoughts by the soft voice of the same nurse he had spoken to hours earlier.

"Sir?"

Seeing her, Naruto nearly jumped out of his seat. "How is he? Is he okay? Can I see him?"

She blinked. "He is alive, but he is very weak. He lost a lot of blood. It's best for him to rest right now."

The blonde frowned. "Is he awake?"

"No, but we suspect that's because of how much blood he lost. It took away most of the oxygen to his brain. I know you want to see if your friend is all right, but you can't stay here all night. Come back tomorrow, I'm sure he'll come to then."

"Tomorrow?"

The nurse nodded. "Yes. Go home, change your clothes, rest. You don't have to worry anymore, he's alive. Come back tomorrow."

It took a moment for the words to register in Naruto's mind.

He's alive, he thought to himself. That's all he needed to know.

Even if I say

It'll be all right

Still I hear you say

You want to end your life

He had done as the nurse suggested. He went home, rested, cleaned himself up and returned back to the hospital as soon as he was done.

Once in the hospital he found the same nurse he had been speaking to the day before. She told him Sasuke was awake, but he did not want any visitors. But Naruto paid no heed, walking past her into the Uchiha's room.

Once inside, he found the raven-haired shinobi sitting upright against the bed. He was dressed in a hospital gown and his neck was turned, looking out the barred window. His hands rested in his lap where Naruto could see tight white bandages around his wrists. He also noticed several layers of bandages around the his best friend's wrists, indicating Sasuke had tried to take them off only for them to be reapplied again and again.

The two sat in silence for what seemed like hours. For once in his life, Naruto found himself at a loss for words.

"What are you doing here?" asked Sasuke, his voice blank, lifeless.

"I'm here to check if you're all right," Naruto answered.

"They told me you were the one who brought me here," replied the Uchiha. "Why did you?"

"How could you ask that? Did you honestly think I would leave you there?"

Sasuke turned to look at the blonde. His eyebrows were pulled together fiercely, his dark onyx eyes bleeding to the blood red Sharingan.

"It was none of your business."

"None of my business?" Naruto shouted, scowling. "You tried to kill yourself, Sasuke! How is that not my business?"

"You had no right to interfere."

"You're my friend, you cold bastard! I wasn't going to let you die, not if I could help it!" Naruto took a shaky breath to calm himself, lowering his voice. "What happened, Sasuke? Why would you hurt yourself like that?"

The tomoes in the Sharingan swirled hatefully. "You don't have a fucking clue," answered the Uchiha. "I lost everything. My family. My clan. My clan's reputation." He looked at his hands, lifting them up as his eyes shifted left and right between the two. "These hands are too weak to kill Itachi, and they never will be strong enough. They're useless to me."

That's why the cuts were so deep, thought Naruto to himself with a frown. He was actually trying to cut his own hands off.

The world we knew

Won't come back

The time we've lost

Can't get back

The life we had

Won't be ours again

"So you were just going to end everything? Without saying goodbye? What about Kakashi-sensei or Sakura-chan?"

"They would be better off."

"Sasuke…" the blonde shinobi began. "You're not weak—"

"Spare me. I don't need a pep talk."

Naruto scowled. "There are ways to get stronger. I could show you! Pervy sage taught me lots of useful things for how to increase strength." His face softened. "It's not too late. You can still get stronger."

Sasuke scoffed. "Pathetic. An Uchiha to receive help from the likes of you."

"You forget who you're talking to, Sasuke. I can see way past your insults."

Sasuke averted his gaze. "…"

"Besides, it's not help. It's an exchange. I'll teach you some moves and you teach me some." A small grin appeared on Naruto's face. "I've always wanted to learn how to do the chidori." He could see the Uchiha remain silent, but he knew he was contemplating the offer. "You don't have to find strength on your own."

Finally the Uchiha met his gaze. His dark red Sharingan eyes returned to the normal onyx color.

"You can leave now," he state monotonously.

Naruto inwardly chuckled. At least Sasuke was becoming his old self again.

"I'll be back tomorrow," the blonde said as he turned on his heel to leave.

Just as he reached the door, he heard Sasuke call him.

"Naruto."

Said male turned around. He was met with silence, but Naruto knew what the silence meant. He grinned in return.

"No problem."

Maybe we'll turn it all around

'Cause it's not too late

It's never too late

It's not too late

It's never too late