Don't Come After Me

This is the last chapter. Although it may not seem like it. There is a one-shot sequel that I hope to have out in the next few days.



Kyra: Thanks for the review. I hope this answers your questions.



msuzumaki: As someone who is depressed, I know why it seems like he was getting over it. He keeps a smiling face on the outside while he's slowing dying on the inside. Some people, just don't get over it. Thank you for the review.



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Kakashi was pulled from his trance by Sasuke screaming and then crying. It hurt to see that one of his students had killed himself and that another one was sobbing uncontrollably. He wiped his uncovered eye before moving. He knew he had to be the strong one, at least for now.



The older nin knelt next to the crying one and embraced him like a father would to console his son. Kakashi could feel the younger man trembling in his arms. Sasuke clung to him like his life depended on because in his mind, it did.



“Sasuke, I’m so sorry.” Kakashi said quietly.



Sasuke pulled away from him and turned back to Naruto’s body. He ran his hands through his hair and down face, the metallic taste of blood, the blood of his love, hitting his tongue.



He placed a hand on Naruto’s hair and ran his fingers through it. Sasuke knew it comforted Naruto at night and now, he could do it only for himself.



“Why Naruto, why? I’m sorry if it was anything I did. I would have fixed it had you asked me to. I would have done anything for you.



“I should have taken you away from here, away from these people that looked down on you for something that you had no control over. We could have gotten married and adopted a little baby just like you always wanted, a real family, all your own.”



A gasp from the doorway drew Sasuke’s attention. Sakura and Lady Tsunade had arrived.



Tsunade immediately checked Naruto for a pulse. She wasn’t expecting to find anything and she didn’t. Then she pulled a sheet from off the bed behind her and covered Naruto’s body with it.



The blonde sannin let out a choked sob as Sakura knelt next to, the now silently sobbing, Sasuke, startling him. He allowed her to hug him for a moment before shrugging out of her grasp.



“Sakura, I need you to get Shizune and a medical team here right away.” Tsunade said quickly and quietly.



“Yes Tsunade-sama.” Sakura replied. She gave squeezed Sasuke shoulder before swiftly standing and running out of the room.



“Kakashi, take Sasuke to my office please.” Tsunade said after a moment of silence for Naruto.



The jounin that had been standing near the door since Sasuke started talking to Naruto nodded and moved toward the grieving Uchiha. Kakashi gently gripped his bicep but was shook off and pushed away.



Sasuke slid away from the silver-haired nin and closer to the sheet covered body of his blonde dobe. “I’m not leaving him.”



Kakashi knelt down. “Sasuke you have to come with me. You can see him again after he’s been cleaned up and they’ve done the autopsy.” He said gently. “Right, Tsunade?”



“Of course you can Sasuke.” She replied softly.



Sasuke looked at Kakashi with wide, fearful eyes. He looked so young and lost. Then he took one last look at Naruto’s covered body and stood up. “Alright, I’ll go.”



Kakashi stood and placed a comforting hand on the younger man’s shoulder.



As he stepped over the threshold, Sasuke realized he forgot something and he froze. A gentle push and “Come on Sasuke,” tore him from his reverie and he quickly turned around. But as he went to take a step forward, a hand gripped his bicep and held him in place.



Sasuke quickly yanked his arm away from Kakashi and moved back toward Naruto.



“Sasuke, you said you’d come with me. You’re not changing your mind now.” Kakashi said, perhaps a little more angrily than he should have.



The grieving Uchiha turned on his heel and glared at the older man, his sharingan spinning wildly. “Just wait.” He said as calmly as any human being in his position could. Then he proceeded to Naruto’s body.



Before anyone could figure out what Sasuke was doing, he knelt next to Naruto and pulled the sheet off his head and torso.



“What are you-” Lady Tsunade started, but was quickly cut off by Sasuke glaring at her.



First Sasuke took a moment to have one last look at Naruto’s face. Despite the blood stains in his hair and on his face, he looked like he was at peace for the first time since Sasuke returned.



Finally he reached for the envelope in Naruto’s hand, which Sasuke could hardly believe was already so cold, and clutched it to his chest. Then, he ran his fingers through that unruly blonde one more and kissed Naruto’s forehead. “I love you Naruto.”



“What is that?” Tsunade asked Sasuke as he stood up.



“It’s none of your business.” He replied in a cracked voice. He had just read the outside of the envelope and he could feel the tears coming back.



“Why is it none of my business?” She questioned.



“Because, it has my name on it.” Sasuke said as the tears started running down his cheeks.



Clearly written in Naruto’s handwriting, was one word:



Teme



Had this been any other occasion, Tsunade would have called him on it. But everyone knew of the nicknames Sasuke and Naruto had for each other.



Sasuke then turned and walked out of the room, quickly followed by Kakashi.



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Naruto’s funeral was held three days later. After the autopsy, it had been confirmed that he bled to death. So many people had been hoping that he had been murdered, because at least that would have meant that he didn’t commit suicide.



As expected, there were many people there, mostly shinobi. The only civilians in attendance were Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku, and his daughter, Ayame.



The funeral had been over for quite some time now. Sasuke was alone and staring, just staring at the photo on top of Naruto’s casket. He was alone, staring, and wet, very, very wet. Sasuke’s gaze turned skyward for a moment. Why did it always rain at funerals?



Having been standing there for hours had Sasuke’s feet screaming at him. But there was no way he was leaving. He couldn’t, not yet. So, he sat on the hard, wet ground and continued to stare at the picture.



It was his Sasuke’s favorite picture of both himself and Naruto, mostly because they were both in it. Sasuke was standing behind his blonde with his arms around him and his chin resting on Naruto shoulder. Anyone who looked at this picture would know that they loved each other.



Sasuke woke with a start when a hand touched his shoulder. At some point he had fallen asleep. A quick look in front of him told him that Naruto’s casket was gone and probably buried.



“Sasuke, go home.” The man standing next to him said.



“What home?” He spat back.



“Ok, go to your house.” Kakashi said.



Sasuke sighed and buried his face in his hands. “I can’t. It’s too quiet there.”



Kakashi grabbed Sasuke’s arm and pulled him up so that he was standing. “Come on.” Kakashi said quietly and walked away. He could faintly hear Sasuke’s footsteps following him.



What seemed like hours later, Sasuke was standing, alone, in his bedroom doorway. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to hit someone. He didn’t know what he wanted to do.



He slammed his bedroom door shut and slid down it, crying. In his entire life, he had never felt so alone, even after his entire family was killed.



A crinkling sound attracted Sasuke's attention. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the still sealed envelope from Naruto. He hadn’t read it yet. He wasn’t ready and he still wasn’t, but he had to read it sooner or later.



A choked laugh escaped his lips when he read the name on the outside of the envelope.



Sasuke took a deep breath and opened the envelope as quickly and cleanly as he could.



It said:

Sasuke,



I’m sorry it turned out this way. I didn’t want it to, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I couldn’t take the looks, the whispers, the ridicule, and believe it or not, the beatings.



I know now you’re probably angry at me for not telling you and at the people at hurt me. I didn’t want you to do something stupid to get revenge. It didn’t happen very often and almost completely stopped when we graduated from the academy.



I know you would have kicked their asses if they had done it to you or had you known they did it to me. But I couldn’t attack defenseless people and still hope to be Hogake some day.



Being Hokage… seems like such a stupid dream now. Even if I did manage it, the people wouldn’t accept me. I know I’d end quitting because the elders would want to fire me. I would never have given them the chance though.



I know I seemed to be getting better, even after I didn’t have to take my medication anymore. But you and I both know that things aren’t always what they seem.



I know how many times I chased you and tried to bring you home. I also know how badly you’ll want to follow me into the afterlife. But as a last request, please, don’t come after me.



I love you Sasuke.

Yours forever and for always,

Uzum Uchiha Naruto



Sasuke read the letter over and over again until he passed out from exhaustion.



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A/N: 4-20-09
AH HA!!!! I figured out the htmls!!!!