Hey everyone. Wow. I've totally been MIA, haven't I? Well, I'm terribly sorry. I am just having too much work. Stupid teachers. But here's the dillio. Since I'm writing a novel for English class, I'm going to pick my favorite chapters and make them into one-shots. Hehehe So here's one of the first chapters. xD Dedicated to Drunksonic and Lamanth because they're the best friends I could have ever asked for. And they're awesome writers. xD

--The Last--

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, but I do own the idea. lol
Summary: One last kiss and one last talk. SasuIno

The night was pitch-black in the Village Hidden in the Leaves; not one of the thousands of stars in the galaxy was sparkling that night. Everything was quiet. For reasons unknown, everyone in the village was out partying or visiting friends in other villages. It was as if they had all gathered at a meeting and decided to out the same weekend. However, even though the only sound that could be heard came from the crickets of the night, Yamanaka Ino could not be happier.

Tonight was the night her and her fiancé of two years would finalize their plans for their wedding in two weeks. The twenty-two-year-old squealed with happiness as she heard her cell phone beginning to ring.

"Sasuke?"

"Hey, I'm just about to come around the corner. I'll be there in a second."

"Oh, okay." Ino said as she smoothed out her purple clothes for the thousandth time. Looking in the mirror, she readjusted her long blonde ponytail. "I'll meet you outside then."

"You don't have to. I have the key, remember?" Ino could just imagine the smirk on Sasuke's face. She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"How could I forget? But it doesn't matter what you say. I'm going to meet you outside, and that's that. Got it?"

"Fine. Whatever you say. Bye."

"Bye." The woman closed her cell phone and set it on the table. She then walked towards the front door. Once she opened the door, she was surprised with the chilling wind that came in contact with her body. Nevertheless, she stood outside waiting for husband-to-be as she moved her hands up and down her forearms. She lifted her head a little, and just as Sasuke had said, Ino noticed him begin to walk down her street.

Then, it seemed as if every movement in the world had turned to slow motion. One minute, Sasuke's vibrant face was shooting her one of his signature smiles. The next, a shuriken was thrown out of no where. The sharp weapon managed to pierce Sasuke's back. Ino was fixed on the spot. What had just happened? As her brain tried to process everything, she noticed someone in the trees scurry off deeper into the tree leaves. Rather than try and go after the ninja, Ino knew Sasuke was her main priority.

"Sasuke!" Ino sprinted as fast as she could towards her boyfriend. She ripped open his shirt to inspect the wound and was horrified. The metal object had caused a very large incision. The Uchiha's shirt was damped with blood "Sasuke. Talk to me. Sasuke." Ino desperately said as she tried to wake him up.

"Hn. Ino?" Sasuke managed to say through all the pain he was feeling. As Ino helped him get up, Sasuke let out a high pitch scream. The Yamanaka tried to shush him down as she walked him to the front yard. They both collapsed, Sasuke landing on top of Ino, on the fresh-cut grass. Ino managed to sit up and moved Sasuke's raven-haired head to rest on top of her muscle-toned legs.

'The one day no one is here to help. Why, Kami-sama?' Ino thought as she stared unto the Uchiha's pained face. "Sasuke, open your eyes for me, honey. You're going to be all right. I promise. Please open your eyes."

"I guess this is the end, Ino." Sasuke announced as he reached up to wipe the tears that were cascading down his fiancé's cheeks. He never did like to see the blonde cry. To see her cry for him was killing him even more than the kunai that was actually taking his life away. "It'll be all right. I'll always be around in spirit to protect you."

"What are you saying, Sasuke? Stop talking nonsense. You're going to live, do you hear me? I'm going inside to grab my phone. I'll call Sakura and everything will be okay. You're going to live." Just as Ino was about to stand up, she felt Sasuke's hand pulling on her arm.

Sasuke hated seeing Ino this fear-stricken and vulnerable. He knew deep down inside him that it was time for him to go. She might have not wanted it to be that way, but it was the way it had to be. Ino was not the only one sad about the whole situation. It was not as if he wanted to leave the world of the living, the world with Ino in it.

Sasuke and Ino had once been best friends during their childhood years. Their friends and family member always teased them by saying that they secretly liked each other. Ino and Sasuke would blow off the comment, but they both knew it was true. After the Uchiha Massacre, however, the boy began to distance himself from the girl. It went to a point that Sasuke left Konoha to train with Orochimaru.

Then Sasuke came back. Ino had been the one to deal with his interrogation. Once he was cleared and trusted by the people again, Tsunade had paired him up with Ino for most of his missions. Gradually, the two began to rekindle their feelings for one another. In the end, Sasuke had summoned enough courage to ask the Yamanaka to be his girlfriend. Ino had ecstatically accepted.

After more than a year of dating, Sasuke had asked Ino to marry him. She had accepted. Today they were to finish their plans for their wedding in a couple of weeks. Obviously, the wedding was not going to take place. That made Sasuke even sadder. He and Ino were suppose to live their happily ever after. They were supposed to grow old together. If that was not going to happen, he needed to tell Ino something before he died.

"Ino, did I ever tell you what my name meant?" He saw Ino shake her head and smiled gently towards her. Even with tears in her eyes, his fiancé looked so beautiful. It was a shame that he would no longer be able to physcially touch her. "It means 'help assistance.' It's funny, isn't it? You wouldn't think that a name like mine would have such a big meaning."

"Help assistance?"

"Mm-hm." Sasuke let out a cough and spit out some blood. He could tell he was dying, but he needed to tell her this. She needed to hear this. "Ino, it's my time to go. But I need to tell you something before I go." He reached to grab Ino's hand and gave it a tight grip. "I love you. I always have and I always will. I'm sorry I hurt you in the past."

"Stop talking. You need your strength." Ino said. Sasuke once again shook his head and attempted to lift his upper body. With one hand on the ground to act as support, he pulled Ino into a sweet yet passionate kiss.

"I love you, Yamanaka Ino." Sasuke said after he and Ino pulled apart. Ino could feel and see that it was getting harder and harder for him to breathe. She was, however, to stuck in the moment to do anything. All she could do was reciprocate his words of affection.

"I love you, too, Uchiha Sasuke." Ino saw as her boyfriend smiled and lied back down. Once again, it seemed as if time had come to a halt for Ino. Sasuke's grip on her hand had become completely lax. His eyes had fully closed. Ino began to cry even harder as she shook Sasuke's body. "Sasuke? Sasuke. Sasuke! Wake up! Wake up, Sasuke! This isn't funny! This. Isn't funny. Sasuke!"

Ino's face was buried in Sasuke's chest. Her one true love was gone. Why was fate so cruel as to do that to them? They were meant to live life together. They were meant to have children, grow old together. But fate was cruel.

As Ino rose her upper body up, she looked into Sasuke's dead face. His name really had fit him well. He was the assistance that helped here become a better fighter with the rigorous training he gave her. He was the help that made her open up her long closed heart again. But now he was gone, at least in the physical world. But at least she had one last kiss and one last talk with him.

"I love you, Sasuke Uchiha. I always have and I always will."