Hello, Goodbye // A Kakanaru Story

Chapter One

Hello, Neanai here. If you haven't already read the description, the first five chapters of this story were written by theygone. The only things I change in these chapters are mild grammar or spelling issues. I might also break up really long paragraphs to make it easier to read. If you like it, please vote! Also, you can comment on how you want the story to go (short, long, etc). I hope you enjoy it!

"It's been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone." --Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

Chapter One:

Naruto heaves a breath, it's slow, painful, and raspy around the edges. The black spots dancing around in his vision aren't all that better, but the familiar feeling of icy water under his hands and knees makes him suck in another puff of air. He shudders and slowly, he tries to raise himself into a stand- he places his hand onto one of his knees and pushes himself up, he tumbles and falls back down into the water. A groan leaves his lips, his fingers curl into fists and then he tries again. His body screams in silent agony, muscles torn apart and blood flowing out thoroughly from vicious wounds and when he wavers, he bites down into his busted lip, and then he falls back into the water. He feels numb. Tired. Utterly defeated and useless.

Naruto's lips quiver, he shuts his blue eyes closed and pounds his fist, hard against the water and then the ground underneath it. It does nothing. It doesn't bring Neji back. It doesn't save Obito. It doesn't stop Madara or that crazy wrench Kaguya from killing thousands of allied shinobi. It doesn't bring back Kurama who should be across Naruto, should be behind those black bars and that damn seal and should be snarking down at him - it does absolutely nothing but makes Naruto hate himself even more.

He cries, and wishes, wishes for anything really - he lays there for what feels like endless hours until the numbness starts to slowly seep out of his system, and when he sniffles back another cry he pounds his fist against the water and the ground once more. "Damn it!" He curses, voice hoarse. The ripples flow away from him and Naruto follows them with half-lidded eyes. "Gomen" He quietly voices to the empty darkness around him. "Kurama... Gomen", He chokes back another sob and instead curls into himself. "I wish" He whispers, too quietly and too softly, "I wish I could have protected you all better," he smiles, bitter and small.

"Damn it," he breathes and grinds his teeth together, the darkness envelopes him painfully slow, and then it swallows him whole, yanks his last breath away and leaves him hanging cold.

----

Slowly and reluctantly, Naruto uncovers his face. He blinks, closes his eyes, and blinks again. Streaks of sunlight penetrate the window and cast stripes of golden light across his face and his tiny bedroom. He sits up, drags his feet off the bed, and rubs his knuckles onto his eyes. The sound of his clock ringing at his bedside table is all but white noise in the back of his mind - he maneuvers his body mechanically, almost as if on autopilot as if all these actions are done by someone else entirely. He frowns deeply and watches his feet dangle off the side of the bed. Hadn't something... something important just happened? He sits for a while and mulls over his thoughts. A yawn escapes his mouth and Naruto flutters his eyes closed, the stiffness of his muscles begging him to return to bed.

The flash of red hair, long and bright, flowing in the wind plays behind his eyelids and Naruto falls forward onto the floor beneath him and snaps his eyes wide open. His hands clutch at his chest, directly above his heart and he heaves, stutters to inhale a breath, and whimpers. Sakura's bubbly pink hair and her watery smile greet him, she reaches out a hand, the bruises covering her body are many but she envelopes him in a hug. The children around him 'ooh's and 'ahh' and when Naruto looks further along he can see the Villagers and their proud smiles.