Sasuke Uchiha sighed, leaning back in his chair and staring at the ceiling as the last bell rang through the school. His classmates all cheered, their chairs scraping horridly on the floor as they stood, grabbing their bags and running out of the classroom. He studied the small holes in the panels, counting the small dots until the room was cleared. Closing his eyes, Sasuke reluctantly allowed the front two legs of his chair to hit the floor loudly. He stood, before moving to pack his bag full of textbooks and paper. All of his movements were drawn out; taking much more time than it would have any other day. His algebra teacher was wiping the board clean of all the equations. Mr. Sarutobi paused in his action to wave Sasuke goodbye. Sasuke returned the wave as his teacher pulled a cigarette out of his shirt pocket and placed it in his mouth, though not lighting it.

Walking out of the classroom, Sasuke faintly observed the designing of the school. A wide hallway, lined with posters and grey lockers, deep blue carpet almost, almost making them look acceptable. The walls were painted a white pearl, smooth and old, standing tall. Small black dots unperfected the wall, leaving the ghosts and memory of the tacks that held papers onto the wall for years, along with smudges from tape and dirty hands. Ridiculously high above were windows that allowed the sun to light the hallways on the upper floors to be well lit by the sun. The ceiling has a checkerboard theme, losing some of it’s spark as the white tiles had dulled with the years.

The hallway population had died down from what it had been when the last bell first rung, Sasuke noticed with disinterest. Just a few slackers and groups of friends talking about their evenings remained as Sasuke made his way down four hallways to his locker. He wasn’t surprised at all to see one of the few people he thought of as friends, Shikamaru Nara, just opening his locker. Sasuke said ‘hn’ in a way of saying ‘hey’ to the pony-tailed boy as he dropped his bag to the floor and started to input his locket combination. Shikamaru nodded as two girl walked up to them. Sasuke forced a cringe down at the sight of them, his locker squeaking open.

“Hi Shika-Shika!” The blonde girl cried, wrapping her arms around the taller Shikamaru’s waist. She nuzzled her head into his back, before peeking at Sasuke with one eye. “Hey Uchiha.” Sasuke grunted in response. The girl’s name was Temari Sabuku. She had blond hair that she kept up in four pony tails, and even though she was a senior, was shorter than her sophomore boyfriend, Shikamaru. She was a nice girl, if not a bit out-going and over reacting, and Sasuke didn’t mind her. She was one of the few girls he could get along with.

“Sasuke-kun!” Unlike the other girl. The pink haired girl picked up his bag and held it out for Sasuke, smiling brightly. Sasuke nodded in her direction taking the bag from her hands. Sakura Haruno, an annoying girl who tried to worm her way into his heart every other minute. She had natural pink hair and lime green eyes, and never missed a chance to talk to him. Putting up some of the few textbooks he didn’t need for weekend homework and grabbing another two he did need, Sasuke thought ‘No.’ as he glanced at the girl. She was telling a story, one that would obviously lead to something that she’d be doing this weekend, and asking him to accompany her. It was true that Sakura was usually annoying, but she had proven on more than one occasion that below the fangirl everyone knew, she was a good and loyal friend.

Just a friend. If Sakura could learn that, he’d like the girl a lot better.

“… So, anyway, we’ve decided to catch a movie sometime this weekend. Like maybe tonight? And I was wondering if you’d go as my date?” Sakura asked. Sasuke shoved his dirty gym shorts to the bottom of his tan colored bag and fiddled with the old strap until it was locked. He draped it gracefully across his shoulder, slammed the ugly grey locker closed and looked down at her with expressionless black eyes. Her own green ones looked up hopefully. He could see the part of her that knew his answer, that was finally giving up hope on him.

“No.” He answered bluntly before walking down the wide hallway. Shikamaru walked beside him, Temari wrapped up in his left arm. Sakura quickly caught up with the three.

“Why though?” She asked.

“I’m not interested in you romantically.” Sasuke responded with a sigh. Oh tedious to go through this every single day.

Sakura pouted. “Alright, fine. It doesn’t have to be a date! But all our friends are actually going to be coming! Even Neji and Hinata are going to be in town this weekend and found time to be with us! Temari convinced her brothers to come to, and you know how anti-social Gaara can be!”

Temari laughed. “Sasuke isn’t too fond of my baby brother, you know. Might wanna pick a different bargaining tool.”

Shikamaru sighed. “You might as well come, Sasuke. These two have been planning a big get together for weeks now. Suigetsu’s flying in cause his exams are over! This’d probably be the last time you could see him for several years.”

Sasuke sighed. “How sad I have to miss his company.” It was partly true. Suigetsu had been his best friend though 5th, 6th, and 7th grade before he moved practically across the country. He’d… really helped Sasuke through a hard time, even though the man was … very obnoxious at points.

“And why do you have to miss his company? And everyone else’s!” Temari asked, pulling out of Shikamaru’s grasp and standing defiantly in front of Sasuke. He stared down at her for several seconds before glaring slightly.

“Because I already made plans with someone.” He pushed past her slightly, continuing towards the exit of the school. Sakura caught up immediately.

“W-What?!” She shrieked. “Who?! Where?! And why is it taking up all of your weekend?!”

“I’m going to the hospital.” Sasuke forced out. Sakura stopped in her tracks and watched as the black haired boy walked away.

--

Sasuke grit his teeth as he swung his school bag into the passengers seat and collapsed into the drivers, swinging the door shut. He released a slow breath and ran his fingers through his slightly gelled hair, wishing he hadn’t promised someone to quit smoking.

“Hey! You better quit smoking before wind up in the hospital like me! Alright, Sasuke? You gotta promise me that you’ll qu-HAC! Hac-hachachac!!!”

Sasuke growled slightly, digging into his hoodie and pulling out his keys for the 2007 BMW 5 he’d gotten for his birthday. Sasuke nearly smiled at the thought as the engine roared to life, the radio turning on with it. It was his birthday present to himself that he’d bought with his inheritance. Switching from Park to Drive, Sasuke speed off towards the high way. It took about an hour and a half to get to the hospital without traffic. It would probably take him about two hours and a half to get there, if he was lucky.

Turning onto the highway five minutes later, Sasuke thought about how much he hated the hospital. Ever since he was little, when he went there once with his older brother because he had broken his arm, he’d hated it. Everything about the place made Sasuke hate it. The smell of chemicals, the sick and bloodied, and the dying were on the top of why he hated it. The artificial lights, and sound of people suffering and hurt were another. Then having to sit in the waiting room for seven hours, not knowing, never knowing, until the doctor finally, finally came out, only to say ‘I’m sorry, son, but your parents… they didn’t make it.’ That had toped off the list.

Oh no, he didn’t think hospitals could get worse. He was proven wrong five years later though. Oh, how he was proven wrong. Three years and about five million trips to the hospital made Sasuke never want to see (whether in a movie, TV, or real life) a hospital again. Even if he was reincarnated, even if his life could be saved by spending five seconds in the building, he never wanted to be near a hospital again.

Yet he always returned to the hospital, spending forty-eight to eighty hours a week there. And what’s more, he wished he could spend more time there! If it wasn’t for damned school, he would. Day and night, no matter how much he hated the place, he’d stay in that hospital.

All because of him.

Damn that bastard! Damn him to hell! Sasuke growled, shutting off the radio as an insurance commercial came on. One handedly he pulled out his iPod and turned it onto Shuffle Songs. In Coma by Dead Poetic came on, and Sasuke tapped his fingers on the steering wheel with the beat. He had to think of how some of this song was so ironic.

One hour and forty minutes later, Sasuke pulled into the hospital parking lot. Shutting off the engine, he sat with his head on the wheel for several minutes, taking deep breaths. One day, one day he fucking expected to enter the building and learn that he’d left Sasuke too. That Sasuke had to make funeral arrangements for him. Had to see his reason for living be buried into the ground.

Hell, he hoped that day wasn’t today. Wasn’t ever.

Sasuke pulled his school bag over his shoulders again, shut off his iPod and shoved it and his keys into his front pocket. Sighing again, he stood out of his car, slamming the door closed and locking it tight. Trudging over the wet cement, Sasuke figured it must have rained in this part of town a while ago. Sasuke hoped in the back of his mind that he’d been awake to see it. He always complained about how he never got to feel the rain anymore, how he at least wanted to see it.

Just as Sasuke passed the street and onto the sidewalk, the sirens of an ambulance were heard behind him. Sasuke watched as it parked in the emergency entrance, pulling out a bloody person on a stretcher. Pressing his lips together, Sasuke hoped that the person would be OK. Not so much as for the person, but for their family and friends. It was probably worse being the one out of the hospital bed than the one in them, no matter how much he protested.

Entering the hospital, he noticed how this part was downed down of the true horrors. This particular hospital had a free clinic, so small children with asthma and the common cold were always there with their mommies. It also didn’t smell or look so much as the rest did. However, it didn’t really concern Sasuke as he walked over towards the elevators.

“Oh! Mr. Uchiha, sir!” A dyed-pink-would-be-dark-brown-haired nurse who had very short hair and freckles waved him over to the front desk. “You’re here about the blonde haired one, correct?” The young nurse tilted her head down, batting her eyelashes up at him. Sasuke nodded stiffly. “Well then I-“

“Michelle, you still haven’t filed Mr. Jeinkins yet!” A tall, slightly chubby girl with curves to kill came up. Her miffed eyes, dark brown, black and honey, lit up with they saw Sasuke. A wide grin spread across her young face, and she flipped her waist-length dark brown hair out of her face. “Hey, Uchiha bastard!” The grin slipped from her face as she turned back to the smaller one. “Go, do the report. And next time don’t sexually harass Sasuke.” The shorter made a face at her superior before scurrying off. The girl turned back to Sasuke.

“So, here again in this hell hole?” She said, leaning foreword onto the contour. Sasuke mentally sighed. This girl was OK, she was too loud, too mean, didn’t realize when she was flirting or being a tease, but she was also the best, most caring nurse in the hospital. Best of all, she was up-to-date with all the cases and location of patients in the damned place.

“Of course, Samantha.” Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes slightly at the girl. “So, am I allowed to go or not?”

Samantha laughed. “Be my guest, but you’ll just wind up in an empty room if you’re going to see him.”

Sasuke felt his heart beat pick up. “Where is he?” he demanded sharply, fearing the worst.

“Calm down, I wouldn’t be the nice if something bad had happened!” She grinned, straightening back up and smoothing out her black scrubs. “They actually moved him to move of a recovery type room than a ‘his vitals might suddenly drop’ type room.” She grabbed a piece of paper and quickly wrote on it before handing it to Sasuke. “Floor, hallway, room.” She said, pointing out the numbers. “And tell him I said hi, alright? I haven’t gotten a chance to drop by lately.”

Sasuke nodded. “Thanks.” He muttered.

“Oh and Sasuke?”

“Yeah” he turned around, only to be smacked in the head.

“Don’t forget to get your visitors pass next time, alright?” Samantha grinned up at him again as she tossed the personal visitors pass she’d made him around his neck. “If he’s sleeping, don’t wake him up.”

Sasuke shot her another nasty glare, before trudging to the elevator. His inside thoughts were much different than his outside appearance though. He’d been moved into a less important room. That meant he was getting better. Sasuke opted for the stairs rather than the elevator, considering the fact that his room was only on the third floor now. Walking down the horrible halls of the hospital, Sasuke eventually found the room. He read the plate several times before sighing, opening the door, and entering.

Room 609
Uzumaki Naruto