Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Alright. This is me now saying that this has serious ooc-ness! I'm sorry about that. I really do apologize. I didn't want for it to happen, but for the little one shot to move it had to.

RAIN

"Please!" Sakura ran after Naruto, grabbing hold of whatever she could reach of his cloths and flinching when he shrugged her off. She never expected to see him again. Never expected to see those dark onyx eyes, staring as if nothing else even mattered. Let alone did she expect Naruto to get so angry.

It had all happened rather quickly.

Naruto and Sakura had been dating for a few years, and where on a simple mission to recover a stolen artifact that some hoodlums had taken from a rather rich old man. They had already come upon the camp of the rogues and took hold of their only purpose to stray so far from their village.

Kakashi took the artifact back to the village and left the two younger ninjas to clean up the mess. As Naruto tied up the two offenders, Sakura searched through their things, finding that they belong to the hidden Mist Village.

"We should take them back," Sakura said quietly. "Let them deal with the thieves." Naruto agreed and helped their prisoners to stand, pushing them along their way to where he knew Kumogakure was.

It wasn't long before they where on their way back home when they stumbled upon a strange little gathering of people. They watched as one of the four tensed up and turned in their direction.

"Sakura. I want you to go back to the village."

"I won't leave you here Naruto."

"Well, then you hide for a while and let me take care of them."

"I can't let you go by yourself! Naruto, please, I'd be worried. I wouldn't be able to bear it." Naruto groaned at the look on her face but smiled inwardly. He knew that she wouldn't stay away. She loved him too much to keep back when there was a chance of him getting hurt.

He couldn't help himself when he put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into a tender kiss.

"Alright," he whispered, his breath caressing her lips. "But, only if your careful. I couldn't live if I lost you too."

Sakura blinked. She knew that Naruto had lost a lot of loved people in his life. Sasuke, their old teammate and friend, had been a big loss to Naruto. They had spent years trying to find him, to bring him back, and it ended in the conclusion that it wasn't at all possible. Sasuke had seen to that.

"Remember, I'm stronger than I used to be."

"And smarter." He gave her a loving smile before turning his attention to the group ahead.

It shocked him to see only one person remained now. He blinked down at the single person and frowned softly, wondering where the other three had went.

"You do not have to worry about the others." The stranger called. "I have ordered them away. They will not bother us." The two in the trees looked at each other, wondering why he would order his team members away. "It's good to see the two of you after so many years."

"It can't---" Naruto's bright blue eyes widened in shock before he quickly made his way to his old comrade. Sasuke stood silent and still, watching as Sakura joined Naruto's side with wide-eyed shock. "You had said--. We were told…." Naruto stood there, not knowing exactly what to say. How do you greet someone who you had grown to love, respect, and feel as if he was your brother, your only family, after hearing what they had?

"It has been said that I had been defeated. Fortunately, that is not so. But I must say that the two of you look well. You seem….happy." Sasuke looked at the way that Sakura stood directly beside Naruto, close enough that their sides were touching, yet the blonde kept glancing at the pink haired girl in what was obviously nervous fear. "I see that the two of you are together."

Naruto turned his attention completely on Sasuke. How did he know? And as his thoughts came to this, he began to wonder if Sasuke had achieved the mangekyo sharingan. Were he and Sakura already in an illusion like Itachi's? Sakura should have stayed back. If Sasuke hurt her… Well, he couldn't think about that.

"I don't understand why you won't come back," Naruto said quietly, his tender eyes narrowing slightly. "After you finished what you needed….. Why can't you come back?"

"You see, Naruto. That's the difference between you and me. After defeating Itachi, I realized I had nothing left, really. All my life goals had been set on destroying Itachi. When that was done, I had nothing left to do. I thought for a few weeks that I could finally revive the Uchiha clan, peacefully, not having to worry about my insane brother. But, that thought soon passed, as I realized that there was no one that I thought was worthy of such a gift as a child with the power of me." He sneered slightly at Sakura. "I must admit Sakura that I first thought of you and how willing you would be to my wishes; bearing my children so willingly, so that I could finally make my clan. I had heard rumors you see… of your strength, your power. Now I'm not too sure I see that. I understand now that those were just silly little rumors. You have not changed from the worthless teammate that I had so many years ago."

"Sasuke," the name slipped between the girl's lips in barely a whisper. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat and crossed the space between them. Sasuke didn't even flinch as she raised a hand and gently let her fingers touch his cheek.

"Naruto." Sakura jumped slightly as Sasuke spoke. She removed her hand from him and looked down, feeling almost guilty. "You haven't even changed from that day so long ago. You are still weak."

"That's what you think," Naruto said defiantly. Sasuke had said this last time also, declaring the fact that he thought Naruto was weaker, still unworthy of being Hokage. How little did he know.

Naruto looked back up to Sasuke and saw that he had placed his hand on Sakura's neck. Sakura's pale eyes glazed over as his hand tightened around her neck. A sudden surge of rage hit Naruto. He loved her more than anything.

Sasuke bent his head and whispered into Sakura's ear. When he pulled away he saw her pale eyes staring at him in confusion and he smiled. "So she really does like the dobe," Sasuke thought ruefully.

Sakura placed her hand on Sasuke's chest and, after collecting her chakra, pushed away from Sasuke. Sasuke stumbled back a few steps. After a few moments she looked up and glared at Sasuke. Just as she raised her hand to give him a piece of her mind, Naruto came up suddenly and landed his fist on Sasuke's jaw, sending him sliding back.

Sprinkles began to fall, making dark little spots on Naruto's blue cloths. He was bent down slightly, poised to pounce on his prey; his normally bright blue eyes darker and oddly elongated. A low growl was rumbling in his chest as Sasuke righted himself and balled his hands into fists.

"I sent my people away because I didn't want to cause any trouble."

"You should have thought about that before you touched Sakura."

"Has it come to this?" Sasuke let out a heavy sigh, placing one hand on his hip. "Don't make me have to kill you."

Naruto straightened and narrowed his eyes. He had grown since their last meeting. Even though he really didn't want to fight Sasuke, he would do so to protect Sakura. Naruto took a deep breath before taking a step to the side, putting himself more in front of Sakura. He swallowed the nervous lump that had become lodged into his throat and frowned.

"You forced me to this."

"I force you to do nothing," Sasuke said in confidence.

Naruto shook his head sadly, raising his hand to show a swirling ball of chakra. Sasuke watched his old friend quietly as the blonde began running to him. With a simple move of his arm, he changed the direction of the Rasengan, but soon felt another stabbing pain in his side. He turned his head to see a clone just disappearing as he felt another pain in his front. Naruto twisted the kunei into Sasuke's stomach with a pained look. Sasuke, realizing that standing there was putting him in even more danger, jumped back out of reach.

"That will not happen again, you can be sure." His onyx eyes narrowed in anger before he made a seal and a large snake appeared beside him.

Without an order the snake charged its target, but was quickly avoided by Naruto, who made his way to Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes widened as he watched his friend maneuver around his snake and make a beeline toward him. He reached out his hand and concentrated his chakra into forming into a sword. With a little smirk he extended the blade. The rain that fell on the sword sizzled as it hit, giving it a sound of extreme heat. Naruto gasped as the blade darted his way, covering the space in-between him and Sasuke faster than he was expecting.

Naruto jumped to miss the sword and concentrated his chakra into his feet, into the soles of his shoes as he landed lightless onto the powerful line of chakra. He continued to run as he also gathered chakra into his hand, making another Rasengan. Sasuke shook his head with a little laugh as he made the sword disappear.

"That won't work on me again, dobe."

Sasuke sifted his attention to look for the clone that he believed to be attacking him, to see no one. He turned just enough to see Naruto throwing his Wind Release Rasengon: Spiraling Shuriken at him. Without much time to dodge or escape, Sasuke looked up at his old comrade and smiled softly.

Naruto stood panting as he watched the dirt settle after his attack. He flexed the hand that had thrown one of his most powerful attacks and frowned. Nothing was there, not even a scrap of clothing.

"N…Na…"

Naruto spun around at the sound of Sakura's stuttering. Sasuke held her in the air by her throat, chuckling at her flailing fist. Naruto began running toward them, determined to save Sakura. Just as he got close enough to throw some weapon at Sasuke, Sakura pulled her leg back and with an unbelievable strength kicked Sasuke. He went flying back, dropping Sakura in the process. Naruto knelt at her side fussing over her for a moment before she pushed his hands away with a little chuckle.

"I'm the knowledgeable one with Medical Ninjustu. I'm okay."

Naruto smiled down at her before slowly walking toward where Sasuke was now standing, slightly nursing his left side.

"Always have to get help from someone, eh Naruto?" Sasuke chuckled, taking a step closer.

"That was your own fault. You messed with her first. Why not come back Sasuke? Come back home."

"Home?" Sasuke laughed at the look on Naruto's face. "That is not home. All those people see when they look at me is a traitorous clan. There is no home for me."

Naruto shook his head softly, "I guess you will never understand." He pulled some kunei out of a side pouch and threw them at Sasuke, quickly forming the seals to perform his Kage Bunshin. His copies formed Rasengans in there hands and started running toward Sasuke. Naruto began the preparations for Rasen-Shuriken releasing it when Sasuke was finishing off his last few bunshins.

It seemed like an explosion went off, making Naruto stagger back a few steps. Once things settled down a little, Naruto made his way toward where his old teammate was standing.

There on the ground lay a singed rope, the one Sasuke wore, and it was the only thing left.

"I'm sorry, my friend. I didn't want this. Not this."

Naruto turned and walked past a pale wide eyed, pink haired ninja. She turned and called out his name softly. Sakura ran to catch up with him and reached out a hand to grab onto his shoulder, but he shrugged her off, making her stumble to a stop, tears spilling forth. He continued on in the rain quietly, in a state of depression. What would people say of him, killing his friend? What would she think now, knowing? He finally stopped when he came upon the village, walking by the wall. The rain, beating down upon him, had soaked him all the way through. He stopped and leaned his back against the wall, sliding down as he closed his eyes. Knees bent, he rested his arms on his legs, hands dangling uselessly.

Sakura ran calling for the one that she loved, looking for the one who had stood up for her; the one who faced down someone who was important to him, as important to him as he was to her: friends, family, one held close to your heart. As her voice died with the wind and rain, she found him, leaning on a wall, looking like he was tearing himself up inside. She sat in front of him, looking at his face, not knowing if he was crying because of the rain.

"I'm… I'm so sorry," she whispered, bringing her hands to his face. It tore her heart in two to see his half closed eyes staring at nothing. He leaned toward her slightly, a terrible noise escaping his lips, as if he was deeply hurt. He placed his head on her shoulder; a racking sob tearing through is body.

It was like this for a few, stand-still, minutes; Naruto crying out the loss of a best friend, of a brother, and Sakura holding the man that had defended her against this special person in his heart. Finally, Naruto quieted and lifted his head, looking into sad green eyes. A movement in the distance caught his eye, making him sift his weight slightly to the side, looking around Sakura. The blonde brows furrowed at the shape, causing Sakura to turn and look.

"What is…" a small gasp escaped her as she took in the fleeting shape of a pale, dark haired man limping into the trees.

This was inspired by a picture of the same title, Rain, created by Innera on Deviantart. Go look at it. You won't regret it. Wonderful person!

Tried to post the link...didn't work...sorry.

Just so everyone's clear... there was some questions from people I had let read it before. Naruto stays with Sakura. He wouldn't have done what he did for no reason. ^_____^

SHOUT OUT!!!!! to Tase who beta'd for me.....and typed this in! :]