She couldn't help but remember the time when Team 7 would do this for the hell of it, just lay in the grass and look up at the sky, the feathery-white clouds passing by over head. She remembered that these were the exact places as they would lay, Sakura in the middle, Naruto to her right, and then Sasuke on her left. However, back then, the circumstances were much different, back then, the three hadn't just defeated the greatest mastermind ever known to man and put an end to the three year long fourth Ninja War.

There the three lay, each breathing in heavy gasps of air. Sakura clutched her side, her dark green Jonine jacket stained with the flowing blood, she felt the sting of a long scrape on her shoulder that leaked fresh crimson blood onto the grass and the little crater in her right arm that was the result of a kunai embedded into her skin. "Are you alright, Naruto?" she asked, making an effort to turn her head.

She saw the messy blonde hair of her long-time best friend, a silly grin spreading along his face, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth and his arms spread out wide on the grass. He gave a low chuckle. "Yea, I'm great…" Sakura took in his torso, his orange and black jacket was a mess with splattered blood and a long, bloody gash stretched over the seal the Fourth had put on Naruto. Yet, he still found a reason to smile.

Sakura grinned herself, positioning her head to her left to look at the person to her other side, only to be met by his back, the red clouds taunting her as she stared. She bit her lip, deciding that if she asked his condition, he wouldn't answer. So, instead, she gathered the remains of her chakra into her left hand and let the green life crawl along the little space there was between them until it surrounded his stomach. Sakura saw his head shift to the side, the corner of his onyx eyes peering curiously at her.

"Sakura-chan…Are you alright?" Naruto suddenly asked, becoming aware of the fact she suffered as much injury as he and Sasuke did.

Sakura nodded weakly. "I'm fine, Naruto, you don't need to worry about me…" she replied. "Besides, I'm not the one who got stabbed three times…" she added humorously, laughing a little when she felt Sasuke stiffen beside her.

Naruto laughed with her, but it soon faded into a frown. "We're not going to make this one…Are we, Sakura-chan?" Sakura's healthy laugh soon died out too when the thought dawned over her.

"That's not for sure…" she started, her eyes shifting to Naruto's face. "Even if we are, at least you finally became Hokage…And I made a good name for myself…And Sasuke avenged his clan..." Sasuke stiffened even more beside her. "And...we're all together…" Naruto seemed to like that notion, his face brightened immediately, and the same broad grin broke out on his face. Sakura smiled as well, feeling a sudden surge of hope. Maybe they could get through this, together.

"Hey Teme, if we get out of this…you should come back to Konoha with us. You can't find anyone better fit to take care of you than Sakura-chan." his voice was filled with good intentions as he tried to cover up his own uncertainty. And, even in the face of death, Sakura couldn't help but tense herself for his answer, knowing all too well how badly the odds were stacked up against them.

"I think…that would be best…" Sakura drew a sharp intake of breath before her coiled muscles relaxed and she rested back into the soft grass.

"Mmm…" she hummed, letting the warmth of the sun shower her face. It was a few minutes later when she realized that her hand was still glowing with the green life, she cut off the connection to conserve the remains of her chakra, completely unaware of the tranquility it gave Sasuke. The warmth faded from his body when the chakra slithered back into her hand, the same hands that had also helped in killing his Uncle.

It was a sudden realization, Sakura was wearing a Jounin jacket, he had seen her fight with more skill and grace then Kakashi and her mind was quick to formulate a plan in the tight situations the three found themselves in. It seems as if she didn't need his protection anymore, and the thought made something tug on Sasuke's heart, could this be sadness? Did he actually enjoy watching over the pink-headed girl- woman, now- in their Genin days? The thought stirred even more realizations in his mind, she wasn't the same, could that mean that her warm and caring demeanor had evaporated along with her long hair? Could this really be the end…?

"If we get back to the village," Naruto said, his voice breaking into Sasuke's thoughts. "We'll have some serious explaining to do…"

Sakura laughed, her honey-sweet voice soothing. "Don't tell me you think everyone will be angry. Naruto, I love you, but sometimes your just as dense as when we were twelve." The blonde took playful offense. "Besides, we're getting ahead of ourselves."

"Yea, let's just…lay here for a while more…" Sakura nodded her agreement and settled back into the grass. A comfortable silence soon fell over the three as they looked up into the sky, only the sound of the other's breathing reminding them that they weren't alone. It was all so quite, so serene and…Right. Sakura felt as if she hadn't enjoyed such peaceful nothingness in years, she liked it this way, being with her two most important people made her happy, giddy even. Sakura never knew someone could feel this happy when dying.

"Sasuke…Naruto…?" she began, a small smile working it's way onto her angelic face.

"Hn." the smile evolved into a grin as he grunted.

"If we don't make it…I want you two to know that I always loved you both, and no matter what Sasuke says, I know you all feel the same way..."

"I like that…" Naruto replied.

"Yea…" Sasuke agreed, making butterflies flutter in Sakura's stomach. A few more moments of silence, a few more lost memories working their way back.

"I think we're dying…" Naruto whispered, his voice soft and hoarse. "Is this really the end…?"

"I always wondered what it would feel like to die…" Sasuke thought aloud, slightly turning on his side. "I just never thought I would enjoy it so much…" Naruto and Sakura laughed again, but shallow coughing quickly drowned it out.

"I guess this is it…" Naruto said, his eyes slipping closed. "I'll never forget you two, ever, we'll be together in the afterlife…I swear."

"I really love you two…" her voice cracked as she finished, tears spilling over her cheeks and her hands moved to grab Sasuke's and Naruto's. "Whatever happens, just remember that our Genin years were the best of my life…" as her eyes slipped closed and her world faded into darkness, the nothingness she felt so comfortable in, she could of sworn she heard the faint calling of her name, and Naruto's, and even Sasuke's as well. She felt the earth beneath her vibrating with footsteps, but, that was when everything slipped away and she welcomed the darkness.


She opened her eyes slightly, immediately blinded by a bright light, could this be the ominous light that people claim to have seen in near-death experiences? But, she couldn't move, she felt as if she were laying down, she couldn't walk into the light that faced her. And, what was that beeping? No one ever told of something that beeps when they are dead. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes fully to see the familiar florescent lights that were in every hospital room at Konoha. Did this mean she wasn't dead? What about Sasuke and Naruto?

"N-Naruto? Sasuke? ...Are you guys here?" her voice sounded as if she hadn't used it in years, it croaked slightly and made her throat dry and scratchy. In fact, her whole body felt sore, all circulating around her abdomen.

"We're here, Sakura-chan…" Naruto answered, his voice unusually quite. "Are we dead yet?" he asked suddenly.

"I don't think so…" Sakura replied, liking her dry lips. "I think we're in Konoha hospital."

"Sasuke, are you dead?" Naruto asked, his voice slightly amused and hoarse at the same time.

"No, I'm not dead, Dobe." Sasuke answered. It was silent after that, nothing but the monotonous beeps of the I.V. machine to keep the three awake. Finally, Sakura remember something that she had always wanted to tell Sasuke ever since she and Naruto saw him at Orochimaru's hideout.

"Sasuke…?" she said, slightly hesitant.

"Hn?" she grinned at the familiar grunt.

"We've missed you…"

She waited for a reply, but none came for a long while, she thought that he might not of heard her, so she opened her mouth to repeat but Sasuke beat her to it.

"I…missedyouguystoo…" the words were slurred together and quite, but she and Naruto still heard him, they still smiled like they never had in their entire lives, and they both shared a look that said everything they had always hoped for.

"Our family is complete again…"


A/N: Yea, a little angst-y, but I had them live didn't I? Sorry if it sucked, it was just something that was inspired by a picture on DeviantArt called "Chasing cars", go there and look it up, or if you're too lazy I'll put the link on my profile. It's really sweet!

Anywayz, thanks in advance to all who will review/favorite!

P.S. Maybe I'll make it into a 2-shot? Review and tell me what you think!^^ Thankies!