Snow littered the ground, it fell from the sky and coated them in it's cold embrace. Sakura always loved snow. It signified so much yet so little. It was born, and slowly made it's decent, a hard and difficult journey, to earth. Right before it touches the ground it is the most beautiful, it struggles with the wind to stay afloat and strive on, but sadly it must come to an end, its beauty must be lost to the earth to be reborn again.
Lifting her eyes slowly Sakura looks around her, all around her where the people she loved. All around her were her friends, her snow flakes, who made the taxing journey to earth with her. Unfortunately, Sakura wasn't hit with a gust of wind, Sakura fell to the ground with out restraint, it was her destiny to be the first to go.
A small smile lifted her frozen blue lips. Her whole body was freezing, she knew she should have felt warmth from the body holding her, but she only felt ice cold numbness.
Looking directly above her she watches the clouded grey sky. She liked to think that a snow flake being born way up there was her reincarnation, that it was just being born slowly, as her life slips away it gains life.
"Naruto." Her voice was soft and raspy. She hated to sound this way but she couldn't control it. Her throat was dry and numb. Her lips were frozen, blue and cracked. Her tongue like sand paper. Her limbs were still and lifeless.
The blonde on the other side of her with one of her hands held tightly in his, with his head bent towards it looked up with tears streaming down his face. The small smile was still upon her face. "Look up." Slowly he did. She notice that everyone else did to. "A snow flake is being born way up there Naruto." Taking a breath Sakuras eyes close slightly. "That snow flake is going to be me soon. And once again, I am going to-" Sakura cuts off when her body starts convulsing, she bites her lips and keeps the coughs in but she couldn't keep the blood from seeping out the side of her mouth.
Naruto's eyes shoot back to her and he leans over, whiping the blood trail. She felt hot tears fall upon her face that were not hers. In her line of vision was no longer a grey snowing sky, but crulean blue eyes swimming with tears and imense sorrow.
"Sakura, you aren't going to die! You arn't going to become a damn snow flake. You are going to stay right here with me, and continue as you are! You aren't going anywhere you hear me?!" Naruto yelled and screamed, his grip on her hand becomeing tighter and tighter though she did not complain since she could not feel it. Naruto was in denial, everyone knew it, even he himself knew it.
Sakura's eye's narrowed slightly. "Everyone listen to me, I am only going to say this once." Looking around she connected eyes with everyone there. Finally she shifted her gaze to the man holding her. He had been the most slient all this time. His raven hair fell into his face, obscuring his eyes from view. Sakura wanted so badly to lift her hand and brush them away to see his dark onyx eyes. But she had no strength.
Sighing soflty Sakura felt herself slipping away. Fear started to come into her system but she pushed it done. She had long ago accepted it. "We took risks. We knew we took them. Things have come out against us, gone against what we had planned and prayed for." Stopping Sakura opened her eyes again and they were swimming with tears. Looking back into the gray sky she continued and she felt the last of her breath leave her. "We have no cause for compliant. You should have no cause for your regrets and sorrow. Smile, smile like you have everyday. Smile when you remember a memory, smile when you think of me. I am not gone, I am simply within your hearts. Remember me not this way, but as like yesterday, if you do so my memory will forever be locked safely away in a happy place."
Sakura breathed in a shaky breath and knew her time has come. She forced out her last words with a smile upone her face. "I love you all and I thank you all for the great memories."
Silence ensnared the small clearing. All 18 people in that clearing held their breath, not making a sound, hoping, praying, to hear the next intake of breath from the still form on the wine colored snow.
None came.
A sound, so wounded, despaired and in pain, escaped from the blondes lips. His team mate, his sister, the glue that held everyone to together. Was gone.
Naruto reached out a shaking hand and pressed it to her cold cheek. A small laugh bubbled up past his lips. "Even in death she still smiles." The blondes small smile wobbled and fell into a deep frown and new fresh tears dribbled down his cheeks. Shooting forward he laid his upper body on the pinkettes stomach and sobbed. Crying her name out over and over again.
Tsunade stepped forward. Leaning on her knees above Sakura's head in the snow she slowly removes the girl who was like her own daughters head band and places it over her eyes, as is customary with shinobi fallin in battle.
After that day, nothing was every really right. Something always seemed to be missing in all the happy time's and time's of battle and sorrow. Everyone knew what, or who, it was but they honored their fallen comrads words and strived on. They remembered her happy, healthy, and alive. They remembered her smile, her laugh, and her anger. They will never forget the girl to so close to their hearts.
She was just like the snow, beautiful and strong, but her time was short and she lived it to the fullest with all of her loved ones right by her side till the very end.