This is the first Naruto fic, I wrote a very long time ago. The first draft was pretty awful and has been changed since 2007, so this is the newer version - enjoy!

Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. I do own the plot.

"..." Speaking

'...' Thinking

War of Torment

Written By xFadingMoonx

The sun had started to set on Konoha.

Naruto was in his office, his hand running through his soft blonde hair, devising last minute battle plans. A soft knock came from the direction of the door and Sakura entered the room,

"Naruto?"

"Hi Sakura, what is it?" He replied, glancing up from his notes.

Sakura gave a weak smile and made her way to the newly appointed Hokage's side.

"There's more sound ninja coming than we first feared."

Naruto immediately stopped what he was doing and looked up at one of his closet friends,

"How many more?"

Sakura closed her eyes and murmured,

"A whole lot more."

Naruto sighed heavily and looked out of his window,

"Okay, here's what we will do. Position every ANBU member around the borders of Konoha. Second, get every highly skilled Chuunin and Jounin to meet me at the gate in an hour – we can't waste any more time."

Sakura nodded and made for the door,

"Naruto?"

"Hm?"

"… Good luck."

It was pitch black and a cold wind blew through the village.

Ninja were huddled by the gate and many more were carefully hidden – also waiting.

"Listen up!" Naruto yelled, sending everyone into silence. "I have faith in all of you to do what is needed to try and push the enemy ninja back! At all costs, we must prevent them from entering the village! Fight hard and never doubt yourself!"

Naruto gave the signal for everyone to take their positions. Instantly they all disappeared and lay, waiting for the enemy to rear their ugly heads.

Sakura was lying on her stomach in a thick bush, she noted that all of her comrades had successfully hidden themselves well. Silence was all around.

Someone tapped her lightly on her arm.

Sakura clutched her Kunai and swivelled her head around. She was relived to find that it was only Sai.

He flashed her one of his trademark smiles and muttered, "Good Luck." Quietly in her ear.

Sakura smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

A loud cry came from overhead.

It was a bird.

Sakura and Sai held in their breath.

It was another signal to alert everyone that the enemy was drawing relatively near.

A few minutes later, Sakura noticed Kabuto hidden behind a tree across the path from her. He was scoping the area out but she couldn't tell if he was a decoy. To her advantage, she and Sai were too carefully hidden for him to notice.

A Kunai came silently flying out from somewhere to the left of her and struck Kabuto in his arm.

To her dismay, her comrade had only hit a substitution jutsu and turned into a log.

'Damn!' She cursed in her head. She could almost hear Sai saying the same thing in his thoughts.

It was silent once again for a few minutes more until a distant scream reached her ears. It sounded like Ino.

Sakura gasped and started to scramble up to run to her friend until Sai held her firmly down,

"Sakura," He quietly murmured again. "If you run, the enemy will see this as a chance and attack you. They know ninja will come to Ino's aid and they are counting on that to start attacking us. Use your head!"

Sakura nodded but secretly she was furious that Sai had managed to figure this out. Even though it was a pretty obvious thing, she hated it when he was so smart sometimes.

Naruto had also heard Ino's scream and silently, he had directed Kiba and Akamaru to her direction.

The tension was so thick Naruto could taste it. He felt sick for his friends but excited at the chance of a fight.

'Sai had better take good care of Sakura or I'll kick his ass!' Naruto thought furiously.

The battle had really begun now.

Sakura didn't know what had started it off but all she could see where Leaf ninja and Sound ninja battling around her. She had lost sight of Sai ages ago.

"Well hello my sweet.." A voice hissed in her ear and a Kunai to her throat.

Sakura smirked. She took hold of the assailants' wrist and twisted. He swore and dropped his Kunai. In one fell swoop Sakura plunged her Kunai into his chest and that was the end of him.

'Too easy.' She thought.

Sakura saw in the distance that Hinata was in a fierce battle was a female Sound nin.

She looked quite beat up.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and summoned some chakra to her fist. With all her might she sped over to the sound nin and punched her full in the face. The woman snarled and aimed Shuriken at Sakura which she easily dodged.

"Hinata run!" Sakura yelled. Dodging another round of Shuriken.

Hinata tried to pick herself up and failed miserably.

'Uh oh.' Sakura thought. 'Better finish off this one quick so I can get Hinata to safety.'

Sakura jumped high into the air and sent a horde of her own Shuriken flying in the Sound ninja's direction.

She easily dodged but she didn't realise that the real Sakura was behind her.

Sakura crept up behind her enemy's back and slit her throat. She fell to the ground with a groan.

"Hinata!"

Sakura crouched beside her friend so see if she was ok.

"Suh… Sakura." Hinata whispered.

Sakura gasped at the blood gushing out of Hinata's mouth, a common signal that the Hyuuga was suffering from serious internal injuries.

"Hold on." Sakura summoned her chakra and tried to heal Hinata's wounds but they were way too serious.

An ANBU medic nin in a cat-like mask, suddenly appeared at her side.

"I'll take her." He said. And with that he lifted Hinata into his arms and high tailed it back toward the village.

Sakura shook her head and clenched her fists. All around her she could see various ninja dying in their own blood. Some were enemies and some were friends.

She never knew she could feel so angry in all her life. Even when her parents were murdered.

Sakura wanted to destroy.

She wanted blood.

With a cry, she jumped back into the fight and did the best she could to save her comrades.

Sakura smirked as another enemy fell to her feet.

Someone was shoved into her and she briefly lost her footing.

She swore madly as she was pushed into a man.

He growled and twisted round, all set to kill her.

But when he saw who it was, he stopped.

Sasuke.

Her eyes opened in horror as did his.

All the sounds of battle started to fade into the background and were gone. Everyone else seemed to have gone too. They were in their own little world. She didn't even register that Naruto had been standing next to Sai, helping together to bring the Uchiha down.

They both were in the middle of battling Sasuke. Sasuke dropped his guard when he realised who she was and that gave Sai a chance to attack.

"No!" Sakura wanted desperately to scream. But no sound arised from her dry throat.

Sasuke trained his gaze back on Sai and Naruto and began to run toward them, Kunai outstretched.

In a flash, Sakura was standing in front of Sasuke – protecting her team mates.

All 3 guys were amazed at how fast Sakura could have moved. She stared deep into Sasuke's eyes. She tried not to blink even though tears were threatening to tip over her long eyelashes.

"Sakura…" Sai said quietly. "Why did you protect us?"

Sasuke looked confused – she always knew Sai was a complete moron, but did he really have to ask?

"You're a friend Sai, and so is Naruto. I don't want to see you get hurt. I'd do the same for any of my friends. They all mean so much to me." She said quietly.

Naruto felt a strong surge of gratitude toward her then. He just hoped that maybe… Just maybe Sai felt something too.

Emotion.

"Sasuke," Sakura began, breaking through into Naruto's thoughts. "I just want you to know one thing. If you ever and I mean EVER hurt my friends… I'll kill you. Because truthfully… Since you tried to kill Naruto in the Valley Of The End.… I no longer considered you as a friend anymore. I considered you as an enemy and a traitor to Konoha. And so born from that hate, came revenge. But I guess you know a little something about that – right?"

The battle around them seemed to have died down. Everyone else had melted away except for the 4 young adults that were standing in silence.

Sasuke didn't know what to do next. He was in shock…

But his mission was clear… He had to destroy Konoha. Even if he was totally on his own or surrounded by a fearsome army.

He took his Kunai and aimed it at Sakura's throat.

He plunged it forward with all his strength…

But at the last second…

Sakura caught it in-between her fingers.

"BASTARD!" Naruto yelled. Sai didn't say anything but he was furious – or something to that effect.

Sakura made a few hand signs and ropes shot out of no where. They wrapped around Sai and Naruto, making them as helpless as a couple of newborn lambs.

"No," Sakura said simply, training her focus on Sasuke. "Don't interfere. I've waited to long for this so he's mine."

She smirked. Sasuke stepped back a bit when he saw the cold-bloodthirsty look in her eye that he never thought he'd see in the eyes of her pink-haired team mate. Usually he only found that hatred through his own stone eyes.

"So be it." He challenged, sizing up to her.

Sakura jumped as high and she could and sent a rain of her own special poisoned needles in Sasuke's direction.

He dodged them but almost instantly, another shower of needles came from another direction, he dodged again but the same thing happened.

'How can she be so damn fast when she really was terrible back as a genin!' Sasuke thought. 'She's hoping I'll use my strength and become tired. God, she's changed. But I shouldn't let her know what I'm thinking incase she uses it against me.'

Suddenly the needles stopped coming.

Sakura was gone.

He looked around but all was silent.

He swore as loudly as he could when a hand suddenly shot up from under him.

She grabbed his skinny ankle and twisted it.

The crack of his broken ankle was like a gunshot. It was so loud.

Sakura calmly stood up. Smirking yet again.

Sasuke groaned, trying to stand up. But the pain was preventing him from even moving too much. God she really knew how to push his buttons…

"Well is this all the great Sasuke Uchiha can do? Pathetic."

Naruto gasped, what happened to the sweet cherry-blossomed kunoichi that had once been his Sakura.

Sasuke wasn't as shocked as the blonde. He was damn right livid,

"Damn bitch. I remembered you weaker and a lot slower than your current state. What the hell are you?"

Sakura wiped the smirk off her face,

"I'm human Sasuke. I care about what happens to my friends. You on the other hand … Don't. You're cold and heartless – you always have been. Naruto has always been there for me, even when I hit him. But it doesn't drive him away… It makes us closer. That is what I call a true friend. And Sai… Ok, he has no emotions like you, but he tries to be a good friend and live like a good friend… You see Sasuke… I have changed… I'm not weak anymore. I guess I have you to thank for that," Sakura folded her arms. "You're a monster. So that's why I'm going to kill you… To save you from yourself… I'm not going to enjoy it… I'd do almost anything to avoid it but it's what my heart says to do."

All was silent after she finished talking. Thoughts were going haywire.

Sakura clicked her fingers and the ropes around Sai and Naruto came undone and fell to the mossy floor.

Naruto went to Sakura and placed his hand on her shoulder, telling her that she should just get it over with now so it would hurt less. Sai flashed a genuine smile in her direction, not just one of his crap sarcastic ones. An actual human smile.

Sakura's grip tightened on her Kunai, she shakily walked over to Sasuke,

"Forgive me." She whimpered. She forced her hand as fast as it would go toward Sasuke's heart. She closed her eyes.

A hand closed around her wrist stopping the chakra flow to it. She screamed in pain and her Kunai was re-aimed at her chest.

It was like in slow motion.

The Kunai cut deep into the pale creamy skin of her torso. Blood gushed out of her mouth and sprinkled Sasuke. Sakura's eyes closed again in agony she fell slowly onto the muddy grass.

Slowly falling.

Falling.

Falling.

With a thud she landed.

"SAKURA!" Naruto yelled, running to her side.

Sai went pale.

Sasuke's mouth opened in horror. What did he just do…

Naruto supported Sakura's back. He couldn't believe what was happening.

"Sakura…" Naruto whimpered. Tears started to fall down his cheeks. "Please don't leave me… Please."

Sai held his place standing, wondering what he should do and debating what to do to the damn Uchiha.

'Am I … Am I feeling emotional?' He thought, casting his thoughts back to all the books he'd read, trying to remember a solution, of course to no avail.

Sakura's hand cupped Naruto's cheek. She smiled bravely despite the blood trickling down her chin and trickling onto his hands.

"N… Naruto… I… I'll never leave you ok? D-don't worry… I'm fine." She tried to reassure him, but it sounded more like a tearful goodbye than a definite assurance.

Naruto picked her up bridal-style and looked at Sai. Sai looked back. They seemed to forget that Sasuke was still there, in pain and still in shock.

"S… Sasuke," Sakura whispered.

Naruto reluctantly carried her over to where Sasuke lay. He tried to get up but then remembered that his ankle was broken. He groaned, of all the times he could have had his ankle broken… Fate has chosen now.

Naruto gently positioned Sakura so she could see him,

"No hard feelings, right?"

Sasuke felt the ball of guilt in his stomach get bigger. He wrapped his arms around her neck,

"I'm sorry. God how stupid was I eh?" He could feel tears slip down his cheeks. He hadn't shed a tear in so long now, he had almost forgotten what it was like.

Sai pulled Sasuke off and punched him squarely in the face. Sasuke wiped his bleeding lip,

"I deserved that."

Naruto straightened up,

"Sai, go get help for Sakura – Quick!"

Sai nodded and shot off in the blink of an eye.

Sakura suddenly went into a coughing fit, bringing up more blood.

Naruto had never been more scared, he had to get Sakura help. But he didn't know what to do with Sasuke. If he was alone then he would kill Sasuke… But Sasuke should be punished properly and pay the terrible price for injuring his beloved.

"Traitor," Naruto growled. "You're coming back to the village with me to face your sentence. You hear me? I'm Hokage now so my revenge will be sweet."

Sasuke nodded, instantly accepting his fate without even blinking.

Somehow Naruto yanked up Sasuke's arm and supported him.

Rain had started to drizzle, making the battlefield look more depressing. Naruto had never felt so much emotion before. He just wanted Sakura safe… And Sasuke to die.

But deep, deep, deep down… He knew that Sasuke was still a friend.

Sakura snuggled into Naruto's shoulder. She had a feeling that she might have to give up and die soon… And she was glad that Naruto's warmth might be her very last memory.

"We have to take her to the hospital!" Sai insisted.

"No!" Naruto argued. "I'll take her to my home, its closer."

Naruto kicked the front door open and lay Sakura gently down on his bed.

Sasuke sat the other side of her, tears flowing freely now.

Naruto cleaned up the dried blood, bandaged her up and kissed her forehead.

"Naruto…" Sakura said weakly. "I'll… S… See you in… In… Heaven."

Naruto shook his head,

"Sakura… You're going to make it," He sobbed. " Won't she Sai?"

Sai had been standing at the door – unsure of what to do. He walked over to the bed and held Sakura's free blood-stained hand,

"Of course you will."

Sakura laughed quietly.

It was sunrise when she finally slipped away from this world.

Naruto announced the news to the town and everywhere people were sobbing as Sakura was quite well-known for her generosity and medic skills.

Naruto was beside himself with grief. He actually took his own life a week later. One of his many assistants found him lying on the floor at his home.

Sasuke was going insane inside his mind.

All through the memorial service of all those that had died, he couldn't stop the tears falling down his cheeks. He had opened some kind of gate that was excruciatingly hard to close.

A grim faced ANBU member stood up and read the names of all those that had died.

"Miki Yoko… Hiiya Osaru… Ino Yamanaka… Brock Lee … Neji Hyuuga… Miyra Koko… Jinlin So … Rin Lee…"

The list got bigger and bigger. All the names swirling round and round Sasuke's head, causing his already painful headache to explode and feel like it was exploding.

"… Lastly… Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki – The sixth Hokage."

Sasuke stepped out into the rain.

His whole life was falling apart.

He felt a hand on his shoulder,

"Sasuke Uchiha?"

He nodded grimly.

"Your sentencing will begin now."

The Uchiha silently let himself be chained up and took one last look at his surroundings before letting himself be led away, h9is sure fate resting in the bottom of his frail heart.

Sasuke was executed two days later.

Even now in Konoha.

Where peacefulness had come again.

Nobody knew the full story.

Not now.

Not ever.

Of three ninja.

Three best friends.

One destiny.