Team 7- Tragic, But Always with a Smile

"Shut up, Shut up, SHUT UP!!" She screams at herself. Because if she doesn't hate herself, she can never know why stupid beautiful Sasuke left her. Why was she so annoying? She screams at herself, she absolutely tries to pierce her best friends soul, to let him know she tried. But it was never enough, not for him.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan." He says, and hugs her. "I'll be back, you probably won't miss me, you'll be so busy with the old hag!" He says, with those big, soul-piercing amazing beautiful ice blue eyes. She wants to scream.

"I'll do anything for him, ANYTHING!" She tries to shout. "I STILL LOVE YOU!" She is shouting in the pit while he stands above them. "I'll forgive you! Even if Konoha doesn't, I'll stand behind you, forever!"

And then she runs to him. It's another dream, isn't it? "I won't wake up until I get you, until you come back!" she screams so loud it hurts her.

And for a moment, they're twelve years old again, waiting for Kakashi-sensei on the bridge. She slaps Naruto for being annoying. 'I didn't mean it, stop, don't hit him again...' "So is that how you felt about me? Huh? Tell me, Sasuke-kun! Tell me, I'll follow you anywhere!"

And her dream starts to fade. But she screams, and she makes it real. They really are in the pit, they really are looking at fifteen year old Sasuke, Yamato is their replacement Kakashi, and Sai is their replacement him.

'NO SASUKE! I DIDN'T WANT IT! I LOVE YOU, NOT HIM! COME BACK, SASUKE! COME BACK TO ME AND NARUTO, DON'T LEAVE US EVER AGAIN!'

"We'll be the next Legendary Sannin, Sasuke." She whispers. "Naruto, and me, and you, we'll all be like our masters!" She says, in that oh-so-sweet adorable voice, her twelve year old voice. And now they're on the bridge again.

But they aren't twelve anymore. Naruto and Sakura are on the side that you can see the Hokage Tower so well from. But they won't turn around to see it.

"I'll die before I let you go, Sasuke!" He yells. Because he was always so much stronger than her. Always. "Even if I don't become Hokage..." he squeezes his fists, and looks down. Tears fall.

'Don't, I'm the weak one, I always have been, don't leave me, it's a stupid promise, stay here with me, Naruto.' She whispers to him, or wants to. Because that's all she can do. Wish. She's no good for anything else, anyway.

But she manages to tell him. She starts. But is interrupted. And she's thankful. "Even if I don't become Hokage...I'LL GET YOU BACK, DATTEBAYO!" And Naruto runs to him. But he vanishes in smoke. And her and him are left alone. And when Sasuke reappears, they are twelve. They're all twelve, but, she knows it's just the form. From all those dreams. Nightmares. They are really fifteen in twelve year old bodies. Because she couldn't imagine doing anything for someone as horrible as him. But him when they were just new teenagers, she would do anything for him. Even throw herself in front of a gigantic monster and get severely hurt, just to protect them.

'Don't, Sakura, I'm not worth it...Don't look at me with those eyes...Not those perfect emerald green eyes... I don't deserve you.' he tells her. Wants to. Because he had always been dumb, even with those fangirls. He killed his brother, Itachi, but he didn't know what was really going on. Because he was a dobe, like Naruto. 'No, Naruto, don't be like me...You can be so much more, you always have been. Don't rescue me, don't save me. I'm not worth it. Notworthitnotworthit.' He repeats to himself, wanting to tell them both. But he just sits there with his childhood smirk.

Why? Because he was the useless one. He couldn't do anything. Ever. Because he knew Naruto was better. With those amazing blue eyes that were always determined, always hurt. Because of him. He ran away to Orochimaru to kill his brother, yes. To become the best ninja he could.

Because...That's what his big brother wanted, right? He was always looking after him.

Always. He could, and would, if he was still alive, you murderer save his little brother. "No, Itachi, you weren't supposed to die. We were supposed to be the last of the Uchiha. Forever. We would grow older and older and we'd both marry and have kids of our own and you'd poke me on the forehead for all time and everandeverandeverandever"

Sasuke looks up at the sky, on the training grounds at Orochimaru's hideaway. "I guess I was a terrible brother, huh? To you, Itachi, rest in peace, my older, beloved brother. And to you Naruto, my best friend." A tear stains the porcelain face of Sasuke. Blue sky...blue eyes...Just like him...


Sasuke returned to Konoha. Naruto stopped him from destroying it. Sakura watched. And when she and Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun were done, they sat at the ninja statue. For a whole day. And as her mind wandered, she remembered the day they had sat here, Naruto tied to a tree, and Sasuke and her feeding him. She smiled. And then she closed her eyes.

And once again, they were twelve years old. Just them against the world.

Together.