Disclaimer: Never owned Naruto, never will. This applies forever.
Beta: I'd like to give thanks for my beta, slstmaraudersjple, for dedicating her time and efforts into suggesting that I add much more detail to this one-shot!
Summary: Maybe… just maybe… in another time… in another universe… in another lifetime… just maybe…
Maybe
By: Kaname Kasukabe
"Orochimaru! Seems like I'm strong enough to face you now… head-on!" Yelled the pink haired kunoichi from the other side of the clearing.
In a flash, the kunoichi was behind him, kunai in one hand and scroll in another.
She slashed at him viciously.
He became a log.
Sakura sensed a strong charka behind her, a strong, relaxed, amused charka.
She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Orochimaru.
"Good-bye… little cherry blossom," He whispered as he thrust his kunai into her stomach.
Sakura was forcefully slammed into a tree.
'I… must… focus…' She thought weakly as images in front of her eyes began to swim and blur.
Orochimaru smirked, his snakes slithering around him, hissing. "You can't beat me."
Sakura gritted her teeth and pulled the kunai out, blood splurting from her wound. She jumped, and using the tree as a spring, lunged herself at the snake sannin, cutting him across the cheek, the kunai drawing a thin line of blood.
"SAKURA-CHAN!!!" Naruto yelled as he rushed to aid his comerade.
"RASENGAN!!!" The kyuubi container yelled, the sphere between his palms spiraling and spinning very quickly.
Naruto ran towards Orochimaru, Ransengan spiraling almost out of control.
Orochimaru was flung backwards.
Swearing, and eyes flashing with vengeance, he pulled a sword out of his mouth.
Naruto ran towards Orochimaru again, this time, kunai in hand.
Orochimaru raised his sword and slashed at the kyuubi.
Naruto took the full blow and was flung backwards…
All he way past the clearing and landed in a very shallow pool…
Of blood.
Blood.
Dripping.
A pool of blood.
He was bleeding.
Bleeding to death.
Sakura tried to grasp herself and run to her fallen friend's aid, but found herself drained of charka.
She couldn't run to help him.
---Naruto---
He saw the images before him start to fade away, become blurry.
With a burst of will and power, he called upon the kyuubi.
"Help me… help me live… just this last time… help me… please… I need… no, I must protect Sakura-chan!" He pleaded to the kyuubi.
The kyuubi shook its head, "I cannot… even though I wish to… you are too gravely injured for me to revive you," The kyuubi looked sadly at its container, "Gomen."
Mercifully, Naruto saw darkness.
---Sasuke---
"NARUTO!!!" Sakura screamed, breaking free of her trance and running to her friend's side.
"Why!? You died for me! I'm hurt too badly… I won't live anyways! Why!? You… didn't… didn't… have to… protect me… WHY!?" Sakura sobbed, and fell limp.
He was instantly at her side.
He picked her up gently.
'Why must it be you… don't worry, Sakura… don't die yet… I'll save you…"---Sakura---
She slowly opened her eyes to see a dark, raven haired boy at her side.
"Sasuke-kun?" She whispered.
The Uchiha's obsidian turned to bore into her emerald ones.
"What are you wearing?" She asked.
Sasuke was fiddling with a delicate golden watch.
"Kakashi gave this to me." He replied before getting up and walking out of the room.
Sakura resisted the urge to call him back.
---Tsunade's Office/Hokage Tower---
"Are you sure that you're going to let Sasuke carry that burden? He might not be able to since each time Sakura uses charka it drains his life force even more…" Tsunade said, fumbling around nervously, toying with a stack of papers.
Kakashi sat across from her, sitting in a relaxed fashion.
The jonin nodded. "Yes, I believe Sasuke can carry the burden."
Meanwhile, Sakura was outside the office. She heard every word of the conversation.
And once again…
She couldn't do anything about it…
Like always.
---anna---anna---anna---anna---
The funeral was respectful, quiet, sad, and silent.
Sasuke carried Sakura to the funeral.
'Itachi is not on this world anymore…
Naruto is gone…
Sakura is half dead.
Why do these things happen?
Does fate hate me?
Maybe it's laughing at me right now…
I wish…
Someday…
Somehow…'
Sasuke stopped and looked up at the sky.
It was a clear day, rain falling softly.
'Naruto…
Wherever you are…
Be at peace…
For Team 7 will be together at least one last time…'
They had buried Naruto with a tombstone that suited him.
It was made of granite. Granite wasn't fancy, but it was strong, just like Naruto.
On the tombstone read:
Umazuki Naruto
Member of Team 7
Future Hokage
"Dattebayo!"
Sakura had requested, ending with Naruto's favorite saying.
Sakura dropped lilies on the grave.
Then she leaned over and kissed the head of the tombstone.
A tear slid down her cheek and landed on the tombstone.
Sasuke also dropped lilies onto the grave.
He closed his eyes, reminiscing all the times they had as Team 7.
He wanted to stay there.
Forever…
With his best friend.
He glanced at the watch on his wrist.
Time was ticking.
One day.
Only one more day.
They had one more day to live.
One last day.
Tomorrow, when the sun set, they would die.
But for now…
One last day of bliss.
Sasuke and Sakura held hands.
They were strolling along the beach, collecting seashells when the sun set.
This was going to be the last night they would ever see.
He grabbed Sakura and turned her to face him.
Emerald eyes met obsidian ones.
Emerald.
A whole universe was in those eyes.
A whole universe of memories, feelings, and thoughts.
They all shimmered and shone.
The moon rose and a cool blue light fell on the two young ninja.
Sasuke closed his eyes and kissed Sakura.
Deeply with love and sadness.
By now, Sakura knew.
She kissed him back as tears streamed down her face.
This was the last night they would ever see.
They broke apart and walked back to their homes.
The next day, they were gone.
---anna---anna---anna---anna---
Tsunade sent a team of shinobis after them.
The shinobis returned back empty-handed.
---anna---anna---anna---anna---
Sakura was sitting outside an old cabin down by a lake.
Sasuke came out and sat next to her.
Sakura began sobbing, "I… I-don't want t-to die… I-I'm-s-scared… I still w-want t-to make m-more m-memories with you…"
She leaned on his shoulder.
The sun began to set.
Sasuke put his hand over hers and pulled her to him, embracing her.
The watch continued to tick.
They leaned against each other, savoring the last minutes of their life.
Then the watch stopped.
A bright pure light filled the area and faded.
---anna---anna---anna---anna---
"Hokage-sama, we have found them," A shinobi reported.
His group, led by Hatake Kakashi, could only stare at the teens.
The two teens were sitting, leaning against each other with gentle smiles on their faces.
"Dead. Fresh, too." Kakashi reported.
---anna---anna---anna---anna---
Maybe…
Just maybe…
In another time…
In another universe…
In another lifetime…
Just maybe…
We will have a much better ending…
Maybe…
Maybe we'll meet again…
Maybe…
We, Team 7, will be reunited…
Maybe…
Just maybe…
FIN
A/N: This story takes place when Team 7, rookie 9, and Team Gai are 15 years old. This fic follows the storyline of another anime as well. Good luck figuring it out!
Please be nice and review this author's FIRST fanfiction!!!