A/N: This is a short oneshot I wrote. I'm still working on the next chapter for The Plan of Purpose, so don't worry. I just had this idea in my head and couldn't get it out! Please enjoy! ;)

Disclaimer: The italicized text belongs to Kishimoto. The characters belong to Kishimoto. I in no way own either the plot to the episode nor the characters, just the plot to this oneshot.

After his last breath, the enemy collapsed to the ground, and I followed his lead shortly after, falling onto my back from exhaustion. My chakra was completely run dry and my body was in no better position. If Sakura couldn't heal me or find help, this would be it for me.

Sakura... Where was she?

"We did it, Sasuke-kun," I heard her say from my right side. "We killed him. Mission complete."

I turned to face her then, my wife, and did not expect to see what entered into my field of vision. "Sakura!" I screamed as she coughed up blood. Her once bright green eyes dancing with excitement were now dull, lacking life in them. Her hair was sweaty and matted from the battle, her once beautiful pink locks now bloodstained and tangled.

And her body...

Sakura was laying in a puddle of her own blood, her bones broken and her muscles tired, and would no doubt die soon from blood loss if she didn't heal herself. I panicked, what was I to do?

This woman next to me meant everything to me, this beaten, broken woman who had just as many emotional wounds as physical... The strongest woman I'd ever met, and not just physically. She had jumped in front of me to save my life, despite herself, and if she didn't start healing herself soon... Damn it! How could I have forgotten about that?!

Sakura had been my light in the darkness, she had never stopped chasing me; she never gave up. I'd never met a more selfless person in all of my days. I couldn't let her go out this way.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered to me, tears forming in her eyes. "You look terrible. Your body..."

"Sakura! Heal yourself," I yelled. How could she talk about my health like that? Did she not see herself?!

"My chakra supply isn't enough to heal these wounds, Sasuke-kun," she whispered with a sad smile, blood staining her mouth. "They're too serious. But..."

She paused for a moment, catching her breath. I could tell it was beginning to become difficult for her to breathe; I had to do something fast, there had to be something I could do.

"But if I try to heal you... you may live long enough... to find help..." she forced out between labored breaths.

How could she be selfless at a time like this?! Didn't she know what was at risk?!

"...That's always been my reason for living. I'll never be like you and Naruto!"

"Don't do this Sasuke! You don't have to be alone!"

"..."

"Let me... save you..." Sakura began begging. "Please..."

"Why—?!" My sentence was stopped short by her heavy breathing. Oh, Kami, no. NO.

"HELP!" I began to scream. If someone heard me, they could save Sakura. I touched my arm to hers and focused hard, trying to muster chakra. "Come on... COME ON!"

I tried and tried, but we both knew my efforts were wasted.

There had to be something I could do, but as I continued to try to force chakra that wasn't there into Sakura's body, I knew I was just killing myself.

"Stop, Sasuke!" She yelled at me, her eyes usually a beautiful green from her tears, but today they were different. They were lifeless, almost, as she looked at me then.

"Why, Sakura?! Why would you do this?!" I cried. "Please don't do this... Please don't leave me!"

"You told me that day how painful a thing solitude can be. I understand that pain now. I have a family, and friends... but... if you were gone, Sasuke, it would be the same thing for me as being all alone."

"This is a new beginning, each of us has a new path lined before us."

"Because... I can't live... without you..." I heard her voice crackle.

"Sasuke! I'm so in love with you I can't even stand it! If you would only be with me, I promise I'd never let you regret it! Everyday will be a joy, I can give you happiness! I'll do anything for you, Sasuke! So, please! I'm begging you, don't walk away! I'll even help get your revenge, I'll do whatever it takes to make it happen... I swear!"

Tears began to pool in her eyes and run down her cheeks. "I promised you, Sasuke-kun... That I'd do anything... For you." My beautiful wife looked at me then, her body looking more lifeless by every moment passed.

I couldn't do it. How could I just lay here while the only family I had left withered away in front of me? How was I supposed to be okay with her leaving me? Without anything I could do!

I growled then as I looked up to the sky, tears flowing like a river out of my eyes. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?! DON'T YOU THINK I'VE HAD ENOUGH ALREADY?!"

"Stop it, Sasuke-kun! Enough!" Sakura struggled to yell at me. "This was my choice. My reason for living... Has always been... to protect you, no matter what... the cost."

"Sakura, you can't do this! You can't die!"

She began coughing up more blood then, wheezing shortly after, holding on as hard as she could. But I could tell it was all for me, had it been up to her, she would have given in a long time ago. Slowly, but surely, all of her vital organs were shutting down one by one. There was no way she was going to live.

My precious person.

My loved one.

My Sakura.

My Uchiha Sakura.

My very last person I had ever begun to even try to break down my walls for, and here she was dying next to me. This seemed like a pattern, and I knew at this moment that life would always be this way if I lived after this.

Sakura... I had so many memories with her, good and bad alike. I knew a day like this would come, but I'd never thought it would be like this. I never thought she would die first. In the genin days, it was always me protecting her because I couldn't stand to lose her... But then she blossomed into the most beautiful of flowers. She truly was the most beautiful woman in all of the earth. I would forever be captivated by her heart.

I would never get over Sakura, not a chance in hell. There was nobody who deserved my love like she did, and yet I felt like I was undeserving to even give her such love. This angel, this savior. She and Naruto had fought day in and day out for me. Sakura had suffered many sleepless nights because of me...

Now, she was losing her life... Because of me.

And she was okay with it. It was what Sakura wanted. To defend a worthless life like mine! And at the cost of what?! Her own?! That was like trading ashes for gold! How could she find such a life as mine worthy enough? We didn't even compare...

To say that I was crying would be an understatement. How do you look at the love of your life and tell yourself that there's no hope? How could I look into Sakura's eyes knowing this would be the last time?

"Sakura, please. I'm begging you. There has to be something you can do!"

"So stay here with me... and if you can't... then take me with you, Sasuke..."

"You haven't changed; you're still annoying."

I felt a shaky hand touch the side of my face then, and I leaned into her touch as much as I could, my own body becoming weaker now.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to take me with you this time, either, Sasuke-kun..." Sakura spoke faintly.

"Don't talk like that... Don't say that!" I yelled through my tears.

"Sasu...ke-kun..." she coughed out through tears. I looked at her beautiful face then, trying to etch her breath-taking features in my mind one last time so I would never forget them.

"I love you..."

Not that I ever could, not even if I tried.

"DON'T LEAVE ME! If you do I'll scream—"

Her eyes were closing slowly, her hand dropping...

"Goodbye, Sasuke-kun."

"SAKURA, NO!" I screamed. "I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD! PLEASE DON'T GO."

"Don't worry, you're... not far behind..."

She smiled then, one last time, as her body relaxed for good. Tears were flowing down the cheeks of her now lifeless body.

I looked up to the sky then as rain began to trickle down from its depths, reflecting the mood of my soul.

She was right, I wasn't far behind her, but that doesn't mean the time until I died wouldn't be spent miserably. How could I dare to live any amount of time without Sakura?

What was Naruto going to do when he found us? He was not going to take this well at all.

And Kakashi...

I guess I would never get to revive my clan, of course what did I care at this point? If Sakura wasn't alive, that was out of the question. I couldn't ever dream of anyone taking her place, the thought itself angered me.

My breathing began to become labored, my blood flowing out of me at a more rapid pace, my vision blurring.

I closed my eyes then, and thought of Sakura and her beautiful face.

I thought of the way she would wake up every morning and make me dinner for the night just in case she was going to be home late from work that night.

She would always clean the house while I was away on missions, making sure my clothes were folded just the way I liked them whenever I got back.

I was never one for public affection, but every now and again she would make my lunch and leave a little note inside, reminding me of just how much she loved me. Sakura had always thought of everyone else before herself. And as I took my last breath, I had only one thought on my mind:

"Sakura. Thank you for everything."

Everything around me was white and pure, the air around me was crisp and fresh. I looked around me to get a better feel of my surroundings. The roads were paved in gold, and every house was a mansion, sort of like the Uchiha manor. There were trees everywhere surrounding the "houses," but it was the most beautiful forest I'd ever seen. The children would race to the top, seeing who could get the rich fruit from the beautiful trees first. There was laughing, singing, dancing... Everyone here was happy, as was I, although I hadn't been in years.

I felt a certain tingling on my arm and—wait! My arm was there! I began to look at my body then, realizing there were no more bumps or scars residing on my skin, instead it was smooth and silky and soft to the touch... It was perfected; I was perfected.

"Sasuke-kun."

There was that voice.

That beautiful, angelic voice that I'd missed so much, the one I had been so scared to lose.

My eyes followed up her body, which was draped in white clothing much like a toga, but more form-fitting and beautiful. It accentuated her curves perfectly.

I looked then to her lips, and then to her nose, then to her eyes next, drinking in every ounce I could get of this beautiful woman.

I ran to Sakura then, wrapping my arms around her and running my fingers through her silky-pink locks. We cried together for what felt like seconds and yet a lifetime when she grabbed my hand.

She smiled at me then and kissed my lips softly, lingering for a moment before she looked into my eyes and caressed my face as she had always done in our lives on earth.

"Welcome to forever, Sasuke-kun."

A/N: Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think. Until next time!