If you do not like tragedy, I suggest you do not attempt to read this story.

I

prologue

There was no going back now.

As he set foot in his comforting Japanese home in Konoha, his mind was already adjusted to his life-changing decision. His dark eyes drifted around the cultural decorated room whilst unconsciously smelling the sweet aroma. The man's eyes softened as they landed on the dazzling, emerald eyes of his wife. She immediately ran into his arms as she whispered, "Welcome back home, Sasuke-kun."

It was the exact second his heart shattered; life changing was an understatement.

She had thought that he had came back from another mission. After all, Sasuke did have the usual, sharp katana strapped to his back. As she removed her head from his chest, Sasuke's eyes returned to the normal, emotionless colour. "Yes... I am back, Sakura." Sakura knew that something was wrong; he wouldn't normally be dull like this.

"What's wrong, Sasuke-kun?" Her caring, warm voice melted Sasuke's cold and frozen insides. This kind of loving voice would be the only one he'd ever hear. Sasuke did not reply, though, but he gathered her up in his strong arms, holding her in a possessive and protective form, his black bangs shadowing his eyes of unnoticeable guilt and hurt. Sakura's breathing shallowed as he kissed her tenderly on the forehead. Sasuke always had this effect on her; it was almost bittersweet.

He also knew, just as well, that she'd held so much love and care for him—it could never be enough, he could never get tired of it.

As his orbs travelled to the snowy landscape behind the window, Sasuke was captured in the deep thoughts of indecision that were slowly swallowing him in. He should've allowed himself to be swallowed. This was a big mistake. But being the 'prideful' and stubborn person he was, he stuck with his decision that he had began with. Sasuke's eyes turned back onto Sakura, who was watching him cautiously, patient.

"Sakura." He said it crudely, but it sounded as if he was sorry for something, as if he wished it could've been some other way through this. But Sakura didn't understand; her eyebrow just raised, confused by the emotion coming from his voice. There was nothing for him to be sorry for - he didn't throw her away in emotionless feelings or use her as a baby-machine as others had reckoned - neither did they have anything to have another way out of.

Or so she thought.

But he did have a lot of things to be sorry for, and if there were another path, he would take it. If it was possible.

Sasuke said her name again.

Sakura was slowly getting more worried by the second, thinking something must've been wrong for him to act like this. Even if he was a little like an ice-cube, he was never like this. All she could do was stare up at him, convincing herself everything was okay. But, it was then, when he advanced. Her eyes gradually turned fearful as the katana became unloose, being gripped by his right hand. But Sakura couldn't say anything. She trusted him. With her life.

Funny that.

And Sasuke couldn't say anything, because nothing he could say could change what was going to happen.

"I'm sorry," was all he muttered. It was all he could say. He didn't know what else to. After all, she was falling. She was falling, falling and falling. Could he ever catch her? Yes.

But.

Not even a sorry can stop death.

As the katana pierced her stomach, her eyes filled with incredible hurt. His did too, but three times worse. They didn't last as long, though. He had promised to himself that he'd keep himself strong, and that he wouldn't break down and cry no matter how much he wanted to. Just for her. As the blood dripped down from the wound and her red lips, he tried so hard to not scream out to everybody and why this world had to be this way. Sasuke just watched her fall, the holes in his heart becoming bigger by each increasing drop of blood and tears.

But Sakura didn't cry because she hated him, or because, he killed her, or because this was betrayal. She only cried because it hurt. Because she was a nice, understanding person. Because she was Sakura. She could only partially understand this, since she didn't have the life to say 'why,' like she would've if she could. Her eyes drifted back to Sasuke's, and she smiled... contradictory.

(Because she loved him.)

She smiled because his eyes were crying.

Even if tears weren't coming out.

He caught her in the end.

No matter how much he didn't want to. He had told himself he wouldn't, and he would just leave her there and walk out, like he had done when he left her in the beginning. How he wished he could just go back to the start. Sasuke caught her because she was fucking important. How the heck in any hell could he not? He had grew to love her, and he had grew to protect her. What the hell was he doing now, or doing here?

Sasuke shook his head at the thoughts of ever wanting to abandon her. He just wanted to believe he could do that. But we all believe what we want, anyway. Instead, he did the complete opposite. He held her strongly in his arms, caressing her cheek and closing her once open eyelids with his hands gently. Giving her one last kiss on her cold lips, he bridal-style carried her in their bed, and nostalgia took it's victim.

The victim was him.

Sasuke placed her in their bed slowly, covering her amongst the sheets as if she was only sleeping. But, he was just dreaming. She was dead, dead and dead. He shut his eyes closed at the realisation, not wanting to deal with it. If he was a wolf, he would've howled at the moon. If he didn't have pride, he would've killed himself right there, right then. But the damn pride was the thing that got him here in the first place, and he wasn't a wolf. He just cursed himself of his weaknesses as he turned his back on her, hands scrunching into fists so hard that they bled. The bleeding increased, making Sasuke's vision faint, and he fell into a... just a black hole. If only this was a black hole that would kill him.

It was then that he saw his twelve-year-old self.

The first time he met Sakura.