WHAT THE HECK KISHIMOTO! NEJI! I CAN"T. I'm still grieving and in disbelief of this chapter. I can't even go through my tumblr without someone posting something about it. Ugh, I couldn't help but write this story. Its a way to help me slowly get over his death. Please bear with me readers.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If i did, NEJI WOULDN'T HAVE DIED! *cries in a corner*
Sakura's quote about loving someone was a quote i found on tumblr. Supposedly it from Grey's Anatomy.
War
All Sakura could do was stare at the scene in front of her. Three people. Brown. Navy. Yellow.
Kakashi was saying something to her left but she didn't hear any of it. She couldn't. She watched as Neji's body rested against Naruto's. His chin was resting on Naruto's right shoulder. Blood flowed out of his mouth, but a smile still graced his face. Hinata was crying as she too watched the scene between the loser and the genius. As the mark on Neji's forehead was fading, the fact that he was was dying finally hit her.
This was the first casualty of the rookie 9. Sakura's hands trembled. This war was real. The deaths were real.
"Gai…" Sakura finally heard Kakashi whisper as he watched the scene ahead. People were screaming and running around.
How was Gai going to handle the news of his student's death?
How was Lee going to handle the news of his eternal rival's death?
How was Tenten going to-
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"What do you think I should do, Sakura?"
"I don't think I'm the perfect person to go to when it comes to confessions."
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Sakura felt an unpleasant feeling in her stomach. It was just a few weeks ago when Tenten and Sakura had that conversation.
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"Bye Lee!" Tenten said as Sakura watched Lee enter his home. The girls had just ended their girls night out that Tenten spontaneously created. Everyone even the guys ended up going to the newly reinstated BBQ restaurant Sakura had gone to the other direction but realized that Tenten had left her gloves and went to chase after the older girl. Now the two were left to walk home together.
"It was nice to have the girls together." Sakura commented as Tenten looked over at her before grinning.
"Well, with the war coming up and all, we need a little time to be girls." Tenten replied as the two began to walk. "You know, being in a team full of guys and all. Thanks again for bringing me back my gloves. I completely forgot about it when I took it off to eat."
The medic let out a laugh. "No problem and I understand completely. I do have a question though."
"What's your question?" Tenten asked.
"About what's going on with you and Neji. I saw how you looked at him before the group had split up to head home." Sakura smirked as she noticed the Weapon Mistress' cheeks flush pink.
"Okay, so I have a crush on the guy." Tenten admitted. "I want to tell him, but I'm scared. What do you think I should do, Sakura?"
The two stopped at a bench. A certain benched that a certain missing-nin had knocked Sakura out and placed her on before leaving the village. Tenten knew the story and felt the atmosphere become tense.
"I don't think I'm the perfect person to go to when it comes to confessions." Sakura said quietly as she stared at the bench as if reliving that night in her head.
"I mean, I want to be his friend. But then again, I don't. You know? How can you simply be friends with someone when every time you look at them, you think about how much more you really want?" Tenten said breaking the pinkette out of her trance.
"Well, if you love someone, you tell them. Even if you're scared that it's not the right thing. Even if you're scared that it'll cause problems. Even if you're scared that it will burn your life to the ground, you say it, and you said it loud and you go from there." Sakura said. She didn't regret telling Sasuke how she felt. She just regretted how everything went from there.
"You say it loud and go from there huh?" Tenten repeated as she looked up towards the sky. A bird gracefully flew in the air. Sakura watched as a smile appeared on the older girl's face before looking back down and smiling at her.
"After the war is over, I'll tell Neji how I feel. I'll say it loud and proud and let him decided where everything goes from there." Tenten said punching her hand into her fist. "Thanks Sakura. Sasuke was an idiot for not staying in the village after you confessed. One day he's going to regret breaking your heart, and I'll beat him up real good for you too."
Sakura laughed as she rested her head on Tenten's shoulder. "And If Neji breaks yours, I'll show him just how terrifying the Hokage's Apprentice can be."
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Ignoring Kakashi's yell, Sakura ran towards Neji.
"Sakura-chan…" Naruto muttered. Tears were rolling down his cheeks. She grabbed Neji away from the blonde ninja. "Take Neji and Hinata away from here."
"I'm not going to leave you Naruto-kun!" Hinata announced.
"And I'm not going to allow another friend to die. Now go!" Naruto raised his voice. Hinata jumped at his tone but said nothing. Sakura carried Neji and quickly moved to safer place. The last thing she heard was Madara's voice.
"How kind of you. All will be for naught though, for we will kill everyone you loved." Madara taunted.
Sakura shook her head and found a clear area. With the help of Hinata, they took out the stakes from Neji. Quickly placing him gently on the ground, she began to send green chakra to her hands.
"Neji-niisan…" Hinata cried as she wiped her eyes of tears
"Hinata, it's not your fault." Sakura said while concentrating on Neji's wounds. The mark on his forehead was gone, but Sakura was able to find a pulse, though it was barely there. He wasn't dead, not yet. It felt like forever as she continued to heal the man in front of her, but there were no improvements. In fact, he had looked like the color of death.
"Neji, please. You can't go." Sakura whispered as tears formed in her eyes. Neji and she may not have been close, but he was part of Rookie 9. He had been her friend. "You have so much to live for. You have to live to see the war end with us winning. You have to live to see Naruto become Hokage. You have to live to see Naruto's promise for the Hyuga clan come true. Y-You…" Sakura began to choke back her sobs as her vision got blurry. She couldn't find the pulse she felt earlier. An image of Tenten's smiling face entered her mind. "Don't allow your family to know what it feels like to lose you. Don't do this to Gai. Don't allow him to feel what it's like to lose a student. Don't make Lee know how it feels to lose his best friend. Don't allow Tenten to feel what it's like to lose the person closest to her heart. Tenten…she wanted to tell you how she felt. She's been in love with you all this time. Neji, she was going to tell you after the war. Don't do this to her. Don't-"
A hand was placed on her trembling shoulder. "Sakura, that's enough. He's gone."
Sakura looked up to see Hinata being comforted by her father. Looking up to who was touching her, she was greeted with Kakashi's emotionless face. Tears began to fall down even more.
"No. I can still save him. I can still bring him back if you just let me. I-I have to bring him back for Hinata. I have to bring him back for Gai's team. I have to bring him back for Tenten."
"Sakura!" Kakashi's voice became serious. Sakura closed her mouth from saying anything else and waited for her sensei to continue. "You can't save everybody." Her eyes widened at his words as a flash of pain and reality came across them.
"Neji?" A familiar voice called out. Sakura felt like her blood turned cold. Looking to the direction of the voice, Tenten stood there looking at the body of her teammate before looking at Sakura. Her expression said everything as Tenten slowly took steps towards them.
When she finally reached them, Tenten fell to her knees, placed her forehead against the non-moving chest of the corpse in front of them, and let out a heartbreaking cry.
This was the first death of their group of friends.
This war was real.
This was her wake up call.
Sakura clenched her fists as she tried to block out Tenten's cries. Blue chakra emitted around her fists unconsciously. Looking up to where Naruto and Obito were staring each other down, she made a resolution. She would get revenge for Neji's death. They needed to end the war. They needed to end it all now.
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NEJI! I never cried over a Naruto chapter this hard. I still can't handle this. It hurts so much. This was how I wished the chapter ended. Please let there be a way to bring him back and I hope no one else from Rookie 9 dies. R.I.P. Neji.
-Kumiko