Why are you striving these days?

Why are you trying to earn grace?

Why are you crying?

Let me lift up your face

Just don't turn away

Naruto continued to watch as Sakura dodged a kunai. She charged at him, only to be thrown back by his Kage Bunshins. Slowly she narrowed her eyes and calculated her next approach. She had begged him to train her without mercy, and it was killing him.

It was all Sasuke's fault.

He made her think poorly of herself and so here she was harming herself trying to get stronger. He clenched his fist slightly as he dodged her attack, remembering what Sasuke had said.

You're Weak.

Simple, yet so able to tear her heart; and it did.

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching?
As if I'm not enough?
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run?
To where will you run?

He couldn't understand why she loved him.

He hurt her.

He took her love for granted and threw her away.

Yet every evening, she would wait on the bench, just watching the gateway. Everybody was worried for her. She was dead to everything, even to him.

It hurt him so much to watch her, but he still stayed by her through every minute of her hell, trying to bring her back.

Even though she was a shell of the person he once knew.

I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
Please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

It was yet another retrieval mission that had failed. He struggled to get back to Konoha while carrying Sakura on his back.

They had been searching in the eastern part of Sound when they had met Sasuke. He had warned them to leave, but being the stubborn shinobi he was he had refused. And now he regretted his choice.

Sakura was hit by Sasuke's Chidori after hesitating to kill him, and now she was dying; with five more miles until they reached Konoha's gates he knew he wouldn't get there in time, but he still tried. Suddenly his legs gave up on him and he tumbled forward, hitting the ground roughly.

"Naruto, just leave me. I'm holding you back." She said hoarsely.

Naruto simply stared at her with shock, and then slowly bent his head, covering his face.

Look at these hands at my side
they swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
so I could carry you in
and give you life

"Don't you dare think I'll desert you, Sakura!" He said as he caught her gaze with his.

She stared at him with shock etched onto her face. Deep in her eyes he saw hurt and disbelief.

"I will never be like Teme! He may have left, but I never will!" Tear slowly clouded his vision as he admitted something he never thought he would.

"I-I love you."

With that, he grabbed her in a bear hug, refusing to let go, even as she struggled to leave his embrace.

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
Please don't fight these hands that are holding you

my hands are holding you

Slowly she relaxed and began to cry into his bloodied jacket. Letting all the years of pain wash away and letting in a comfort she had been missing for years.

Yet fate was cruel to them as he felt her heartbeat slowing down. "Sakura! Stay awake, we can make it please, we're almost there." He cried as he struggled to continue his walk back to Konoha.

He felt her arms loosen from his neck and he quickly sped up his pace, desperately trying to get Sakura to the village where she could be healed.

"Naruto, thank you." She whispered into his jacket. His eyes widened considerably as he felt her go limp, he switched her around so she was in his arms and tried to wake her up; begging her to open her eyes and stay with him.

He begged her to stay by his side, but she never answered.

And I, I love you
and I want you to know
that I, I'll love you
I'll never let you go

"Thats so sad, Hokage –sama!" a little girl cried.

Naruto was standing in a classroom filled with crying children. "Yeah, but in the end she finally excepted the man's love!" Another boy said, trying to lighten the mood.

"But she died!" All the girls cried.

"Ugh, Shikamaru-sensei, they're being loud again!" Naruto just chuckled at the kids' antics and Shikamarus face that obviously read 'troublesome.' "Well now, I have to go. I'll see you tonight at Ichiraku's, Shikamaru." Naruto said as he quickly left the kids' for Shikamaru to deal with.

I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
Please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Naruto walked to the old Team 7 training ground. He stopped at the entranced and looked around, memories coming at him from a time where everything was complete and happy.

He stopped at the middle of the training ground where a small Cherry Tree stood. "Sakura, I can't believe it's been three years now." He mumbled as tears fell from his eyes.

"Shikamaru and Ino are engaged now, can you believe it? Plus TenTen and Neji are expecting a child. Even Kiba and Hinata are in love." He slowly fell to his knees.

"Why-Why didn't I make it in time for our happy ending?" He cried.

A petal slowly drifted onto the back of his hand. He looked at it quietly and slowly gave a small smile that was a shadow of his usual grins.

"Even if I can no longer see you, your still there for me, ne?" He said quietly. He stayed there for the rest of the day, quietly sharing everything that had been happening. All the while feeling more at rest then he had for a long time.

Even if she was dead, she was by his side, watching over him as he did for her.