Disclaimer: nope, still don't own it…

Enjoy~!

Naruto felt himself stir. 'Am I dead?' He cracked one eye open. White walls, white ceiling, tubes, white sheets, uncomfortable bed, open-backed gown. 'Damnit, I'm in the hospital. That means I survived.'

Naruto attempted to lift himself up off the bed, but winced so violently the second weight was put on his arms, he fell. 'Oh, that's right, my arms are sliced open.' He looked down to see blood-soaked bandages. 'I must have ripped my stitches.' He just stared at the stain spread across the bandage covering his arm.

A nurse walked in, a male one. "Naruto, you're finally awake!" said a familiar voice. "OH GOD, YOU RIPPED YOUR STITCHES!" the voice became agitated.

Naruto looked up to see Sai, in scrubs no less. "Damnit Sai, how many jobs do you have?"

"Well, I'm doing my rounds for my nursing degree right now, the concert hall is my only job." Sai replied while gathering the necessary items to fix Naruto's stitches and redo the bandages. "Naruto, I have you ask you, what the hell were you thinking? When I saw you at the concert, everything seemed to be fine!" Sai had pulled on a pair of gloves and pulled out a needle and looped the medical thread through it.

Naruto remained silent as Sai peeled the soiled bandages off his arms and disposed of them. Sai watched as Naruto almost seemed to fall into a trance while watching the blood ooze from the broken stitches. "Naruto?"

"What Sai." he answered, never looking up from the blood.

Sai sighed and pulled out an alcohol swab and washed the area on Naruto's first arm. He grabbed the sterile needle and placed it at the edge of the long wound. Naruto watched as the needle entered his skin, fascinated by the fact that in order to fix a puncture in the skin, they had to make more punctures in it.

Once Sai had completed the length, he placed the needle in the biohazard bin. He grabbed another swab to clean the wound again and rewrapped it with bandages. He leaned down to gently kiss the bandage, before looking up at Naruto who had a bewildered look on his face.

"I saw a mother do this to a child, she said it was magic that would make it feel better." Sai said, a light blush covering his pale face.

Naruto simply grunted and presented his other arm to Sai. "So when can I get out of here? I hate hospitals."

Sai took Naruto's arm and began to peel the bandage off. "You attempted to kill yourself, you are on a 48 hour suicide watch." He disposed of the bandage and threaded a new sterile needle.

"Why 48 hours?" Naruto asked, thinking it to be a random number.

Sai began stitching the second arm. "Studies show that after a failed suicide attempt, patients are likely to try again in the next 48 hours." Sai finished stitching, disposed of the needle and cleaned the wound again.

"Really? They aren't going to just stick me in a psych ward?" Naruto asked, his eyes growing wide in surprise.

Sai grabbed some new bandages and wrapped Naruto's arm. He leaned down to lightly kiss that one as well before standing and disposing of his gloves. Sai turned and looked at Naruto seriously. "Do you feel the need to be in a psych ward? We can arrange that if you would like."

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I just thought they would do it against my will." He said, looking at the wall.

"Well, they will probably send you to a psychotherapist, and if that person feels you need inpatient care, then you will be sent." Sai stated. "I've got more rounds to make, but I'll come back and check on you in a bit, ok?" Sai turned and started heading for the door.

"Sai?" Naruto said softly.

Sai whipped around at hearing his name said so intimately by the blonde.

"Has anyone come to see me? You know, while I was unconscious?" Naruto asked, eyes glued to the bedspread.

Sai's eyes filled with tears which he fought to keep inside. "Naruto, you weren't allowed visitors while you were unconscious. But there has been several people coming in to try, and one person who never left."

Naruto's head shot up. "WHO?" he yelled.

The sheer volume of hope that filled Naruto's eyes had Sai jealous. "A boy named Shikamaru." he said curtly.

Naruto's face lit up, and immediately saddened. Sai was intrigued by this. "Do you want me to tell him you're awake?"

Naruto laid back in the bed, silent, and turned away from Sai.

"Naruto?"

No answer.

Sai left the room, deeply saddened by Naruto's reaction. He walked out to his next patient, and found he had to pass the waiting room to get there. He saw Shikamaru sitting there pathetically, and made a decision. Walking up to the brunette, he looked him in the eye and told him. "Naruto is awake, you can see him now."

Shikamaru bolted out of the chair. "Where do I go?" he asked frantically, eyes wide.

"Room 111, just down the hall." Sai pointed in the correct direction.

Shikamaru took off running, stopping only when he saw the room number 111. He put his hand on the handle, and stopped; took a few deep breaths before finally pushing the door open. He saw Naruto, lying on his side, facing away from the door. "Naruto?" he probed quietly, thinking he might've fallen back asleep.

Naruto's lithe body shifted as he turned over, "Shika?" he inquired groggily. "Why are you here?"

Shikamaru laughed. This was the perfect chance, the words were getting caught in his throat. 'Maybe if I lead into it.' he thought. "Why did you do this to yourself Naruto?"

Naruto sat up. "Why?" he asked incredulously. "Why the hell do you think? My grandfather is dead and it's all my fault!"

Shikamaru had heard the story from the police about Sakura. "It was not your fault! Sakura is a sociopath! You can't take blame for her going crazy!" Shikamaru all but yelled at the blonde.

"She was jealous of nothing, therefore my grandfather died for nothing."

"What do you mean she was jealous of nothing?"

"I AM NOTHING! DON'T YOU GET IT? No one could possibly love me!" Naruto's voice steadily got quieter. "I am nothing." he whispered. Shikamaru watched as Naruto looked up at him, and that's when he saw it. Naruto's eyes were completely dead. They held no life. Tears spilled out of Shikamaru's eyes, and Naruto saw it. "Why are you crying?"

"Because you have no idea how much I love you! How much my heart aches when I see you like this. There are so many people that love and care about you, and you are so unaware!" Shikamaru collapsed to the floor. "You are not nothing, Naruto! You are everything! You are the most incredible person I've ever met!"

Naruto's face morphed into one of shock. Looking down at the bed, Naruto whispered so softly, that Shikamaru almost didn't catch it. "Say it again."

"You are not nothing, Naruto."

"No, not that part. The part where you said you loved me."

A smile overtook Shikamaru's face as he picked himself off the floor and walked over to the blonde angel. He wrapped his arms around Naruto and whispered in his ear. "I love you Naruto."

Naruto broke down in tears, for once, they were tears of joy. "I'm so happy to hear you say that Shika." Naruto looked over at Shikamaru, allowing their lips to connect.

"ahem" came a sound from the door. Both young men looked over to see Gaara standing in the doorway. The pair giggled.

"I got a call that you were awake Naruto, and I was going to come here and tell you how much we all care for you, but I see now that I was beaten to the punch." Gaara said, eyeing Shikamaru approvingly.

Naruto laughed. "It's still nice to hear." Naruto kissed Shikamaru lightly before turning back to Gaara, beckoning him over. The two friends embraced, Gaara being mindful of Naruto's sore arms. Naruto sighed contentedly.

'Maybe there is something to live for.' He looked at the two before him. In his heart, he knew there were more. Kiba, Sasuke, Temari, Kankuro, hell even Hinata. 'There really are people to love and care about me. I am not nothing. I am loved.'

*sigh of relief* Can you believe I got this done so fast? I really wanted to get it done before VBS started so it didn't seem like I abandoned you all. And look! I did it! I just realized that I use this hospital scene waaaaaay too much…..Oh well, it's one of my favorite plot clichés! I hope you enjoyed this story, and I'd love to hear final comments, so please review!

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