Konoha was in a state of disarray. Buildings that took months, maybe even years to build were turned into nothing but crumpled pieces of concrete slabs and dust. The people who were unfortunate enough to be in the way of the one that caused such catastrophe sported many wounds, most fatal and some dead.

That day was filled to the brim with angry-ing emotions and weeping bellos that seemed to echo throughout the whole village. And there was only one person to blame for all of this. The unfortunate child was born from Namikaze Minato and Kushina Uzumaki. The child that now harbored the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon. A Kyuubi of years of old. A monster created for destruction.

A child who, despite having a difficult childhood, still strived to be the very best and to prove all of the adults and kids his age wrong when they told him he wouldn't get far. A child who took pride in being the best and helping others. A child that harbored smiles that could rival the very sun. A boy who, despite not having anything, still gained something and everything at the same time in life.

A teen who struggled with the enemies that were after his life and the village. A teen that strove for victory in every battle and comes out on top so that he may see the next day again. So that he may see Kanoha strive once more. And so that he can see how the hate-filled glares turned into ones of admiration and love.

A child. A boy. A teen. One who went to great lengths just brought back one friend who, for once in his life, found to be just like him. One who knows the pain of losing family or not having any at all. Sasuke Uchiha was similar to Naruto Uzumaki. Both destined to walk the path together. They are two people whose fates are intertwined which will inevitably lead to demise.

But, despite all this child's accomplishments and the truth behind what happened. The people of Konoha refused to believe someone as strong as Naruto Uzumaki could be tricked into being mind-controlled by a jutsu which inevitably led to the injuries and deaths of many Konoha villagers.

They refused to believe that Naruto Uzumaki was human, just like the rest of them. Humans make mistakes in their eyes, but since Naruto holds the Kyuubi, they deem him not human, but a monster that can't make mistakes.

Oh, how this angered many. The companions of Naruto grieved his death while the villagers all celebrated the saving of Konoha and the final defeat of the Kyuubi. But what most didn't know was that not all were happy about Naruto's death because, after all, he was the one that kept Konoha safe from powerful enemies that threatened the downfall of Konoha and without Naruto, they were to face upcoming dangers that even most of the leaf-nin wouldn't even be able to defeat.

But, despite that, it wasn't the only reason why they weren't happy about his death. They admired Naruto. They looked up to him as a leader who would soon lead Konoha as the next Hokage. But now, as they wept and only could imagine what was to come next, they felt overwhelming helplessness. They weren't able to do anything but stick back and watch.

The companions of Naruto weren't well off either. They were grief-stricken. Frozen in overwhelming emotional pain that would stay there buried in their hearts for years to come. The helplessness they faced when they couldn't help Naruto out of that mind-controlled state and how he broke out of his confines and started to fight anyone that got in his way.

It was overwhelming. The emotions they felt and continued to feel even if most of them felt like phantom pains continued to make themselves known. They sobbed and wept. They punched and screamed. They locked themselves away for who knows how long until most accepted the outcome. And some wanted the one that started this whole shitty mess to pay. They wanted vengeance and it's what they would get.

Sasuke Uchiha wanted vengeance. But he also wanted to grieve for the loss of someone he considered family. A best friend. A soon-to-be significant other, but now that wasn't possible anymore. Naruto was no longer by his side. Because he killed him. His right hand pierced through his chest and into his heart like butter. And he hated it. He hated how that one simple misstep cost Naruto his life. He hated how easy it was for his hand to pierce warm skin and into the scorching hot cavern of muscles, veins, and tendons. Anything and everything. Including the heart that he once said he would love any time of the day. He crushed that heart with little difficulty.

He still felt it. The phantom feeling of muscles, tendons, and veins crushing and squelching as his hand pierced through with his Chidori. A just that Naruto loved oh so much. It made him sick to his stomach. How his brain can envision the feel and his ears can envision the sounds. It made him so sick that all he could do was double over and empty his contents of nothing but stomach acid.

He hasn't been eating. He is sure Naruto wouldn't want him starving himself but, he isn't there to chew him up now is he? And he is the reason why.

Despite gathering people who wanted to avenge Naruto and the scenario this whole thing put them in. The guy was surprisingly easy to find and easy to dispose of. It's almost laughable that someone like this mind controller got the drop on Naruto. But, it doesn't matter, not anymore.

Despite one not being adaptable in any given scenario or being strong and flashy, as long as you can do something to your enemy, you will always count it as something akin to a win, and this time, even though the mind controller was weak and barely had any Justus or experience, they still won because they lost some great to someone like him. This realization infuriated them to the point where they didn't come back with an intact body.

They tortured the guy and gave him an agonizing death, and with Sakura's ability to heal the guy was able to last a few more hours before dying of shock or maybe blood loss. They didn't know or care.

Having arrived back in Konoha, they didn't do much but drop the body off somewhere and go back to their homes to wallow away in the depression that weighed heavy on their shoulders followed by guilt and overwhelming sadness that just would not go away. But, some didn't want it to go away. They wanted it to stay there as a reminder of how they failed to help him. How they failed to protect and be on the same level as him. How they never got to surpass him. It would always be stuck in their memories how much they failed. And how they failed to ever get the chance to apologize for the wrongs they did to him.

They will never get another chance. A chance at seeing Naruto again unless it was beyond the grave. Beyond their world and time. All they could do now was to do nothing but grieve until their last dying breath.

And until then, Sasuke would keep reminding himself how he never got to tell Naruto how sorry he was for running away. And how he never got to say 'I love you' back. His mind and body would continue to remind him of the day he killed Naruto Uzumaki, the one person in his whole fucked up life that he considered a family, a best friend, and a love interest.

Anything and everything would continue to remind Sasuke of what he had done. How on his way back to his apartment he would pass the Ramen shop, the place Naruto always dragged him off to and the one he could bother to remember since eating so many noodles wasn't healthy.

Or like the flower stand that he and Naruto would continuously stare at for a few minutes to admire the beautiful flowers grown in Konoha.

Every street he walked down the path on, anything and everything reminded him of what he had done to the one person he thought was safe. The one person he thought was gonna stay in his life forever. But now he is just another star up in the sky followed by many others that he wasn't strong enough to save.

And sometimes, he wishes this was just a dream because no matter what you dream up, you know it's not real.

But, truthfully, it's mostly because you always, inevitably, wake up from a dream turned nightmare, no matter how harsh it is.

He just wants to wake up.

Let him wake up to finally see that bright sunny smile once again..

Please…let him wake up.

'I want to wake up'