Summary: Two Hearts In Loneliness all their life... as the darkness consumes them slowly. However, Fate decides to intervene as the two meet to create their own light that shatters the shadows around them. See what hardships the two experience from childhood to the present. And especially what the future holds for the two of them. Naruto/Sakura

Disclaimer: I don't understand why I even need one. OF COURSE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT KISHIMOTO OWNS NARUTO AND NOT ME! DUH. so there, thats my disclaimer.

"Speech"

"Self-Thought"

"Inner Sakura/Kyuubi"

Darkness

A force strong enough to bring the strongest of men to their knees. A place where the deepest secrets and fears assume reality and drive men to the brink of insanity. Somewhere that allows your nightmares to play relentlessly... as it slowly consumes who and what you are. A place where no one... nothing... can hear you, see you... let alone help you. One alone cannot conquer the darkness; one cannot bear this burden alone. However, two similar people in the darkness can create the light that leads to their salvation. Within this light, love and frendship is born, and loneliness and sadness is dispersed.

The first morning rays pierced the darkness and shed its light over the Hidden Village of Leaves, Konohagakure. Slowly, people began to stir as a new day had begun as the warmth of the sun welcomed each waking soul. Not too long, people were out and about, making their rounds of errands and routines. Today was a special day for a little boy in particular for it was his birthday. Naruto streched as he awoke from his bed, welcoming the sun's rays in his quaint apartment. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, he got dressed in a black shirt with a red Konoha symbol on the front of his shirt. He wore white shorts and didn't even bother combing his hair. He never did from day to day; he just let it do as it pleased. He opened the door and inhaled the fresh brisk morning air. A huge smile traveled across his face as he faced a new day. Suddenly, a pair of rocks flew at him. Luckily, he managed to dodge them. He looked down the building to see two kids calling him a demon and a monster, among other insults.

He screamed after them as they ran away laughing, their maniacal laughter ringing in his ears. "Oiii! Get back here!!!"

Turning around, the two rocks shattered one of his windows. He thought there was no point in locking the door anymore, so he jumped down and started his morning walk.

He roamed the streets of this vast and busy village; he was aware of the hateful stares he was getting from everyone that passed him by. Occasionally, he was shoved by some people as they ran into him, showing no remorse or regret.Others simply called him a monster and just told him to die. All he could do was glare at them, all of them. He knew he couldn't say anything for he did not want to draw anymore unnecessary attention as it was. Soon he reached the center of the village where everyone seemingly surrounded him.

He could feel all of their eyes burning into his body; with all that he could muster, he stood his ground and glared back. "What did i do to deserve the way I'm being treated? What did they mean by demon and monster?? Why does this seemingly only happen to ME!?" He closed his eyes and did the only thing he could do in this situation: cry.

No one seemed to care as his tears fell from his face. No one seemed to even acknowledge him for who he was. All he could hear were the venomous voices that were full of malice and anger. He suddenly stopped feeling the malicious intent of their stares as the villagers began to disperse and began to walk away. He was a helpless child, unable to do anything about these situations. It didn't matter if today ws his birthday; it rather seemed to be the worst day of the year. This day, like all the other days of his life, was full of torment and desperate fighting in the darkness of his life. A darkness where he couldn't see, hear, or feel anything... a place where he was completely alone. After nine years of never-ending loneliness, he was ready to snap, wishing to end it all.

Suddenly, he saw a young girl with beautiful pink hair and pretty green eyes. For one second, they made eye contact and at the time which they didn't know, a bond was formed. With her deep emerald eyes and her pink blossom hair blowing in the wind, she seemed to be the only one that seemed to care. She then walked out to him to reach out and grab his hand. Naruto, in turn, reached out his hand too, dazed by this beautiful angel in front of her. Her skin looked so smooth and her eyes seemed to tell so much. He felt something in his chest. His heart raced and his palms began to sweat. He didn't understand what was going on. Time seemed to stand still for these two children.

Then, her mom suddenly pulled her away from that unsightly scene. This broke Naruto out of his reverie. As she was being led away by her mother, her eyes never seemed to leave his. That moment seemed to last for an eternity, and that moment was forever burned into his mind. He pondered what had happened. He pictured her face smiling sweetly at him, with green eyes full of life and joy. He was instantly happy; never before had he ever been happy so easily. Was this how it felt to be needed, to exist with a purpose? A person did care; that's all he was certain of. And that would be all he would need to keep on going: with his cherry blossom angel in his heart.

The pink-haired girl, Sakura, continued to walk with her mother without a fuss. For some reason, she wanted to go back and see that little boy. Something about him had really intrigued her... something about his eyes. His eyes seemed so lonely; that fact alone made her want to be there for him. For he seemed to understand her without even speaking a word to her... just by staring into her eyes... understand what kind of pain and torment she had gone through. Thinking about the past was something she avoided doing. A time and place where no one gave her a chance. Though, no one hated her as the villagers did Naruto, she was often teased for having a huge forehead, a trait she wasn't too proud of. Many of the girls would leave her out or ridicule her throughout the day... leaving many nights in her room crying her eyes out. Each day, she would walk by herself to and from home, having no one to walk or talk with. She was desperately lonely, thinking no one wanted anything to do with her, that no one would care for her. She never smiled despite the fact that she had a pretty face. Her mom was worried about her constantly.

However, today changed all that. Somehow, an unknown boy had managed to make her feel understood and had somehow saved her from herself, whether he knew it or not. She began to smile for the first time in the longest while.

Her mom, Akina, took notice of this and was relieved. She did not know why she was starting to smile out of all times, but that was going to be a question for her daughter when they had gotten home. However, something in the back of her mind hinted to the Kyuubi-container and the incident that had occurred not too long ago... She shook her head and tried to dismiss such thoughts; yet, those thoughts continued to haunt her until the two of them got home...

Akina couldn't hold the thoughts to herself anymore as it began to eat away at her. She felt like it was now or never. "Sakura dear..." as the mother said when the two of them entered their house.

"Yes mom?" Sakura replied. She noticed that something was bothering her; she just didn't know what.

"Why did you start smiling all of a sudden today? Did it have anything to do with that boy earlier?" She said sternly, yet calmly at the same time.

"Oh no. I was smiling..? Was I really that happy...?" she thought. Realizing she had little to no time to ponder about this, she gave a quick. "No."

Akina didn't buy it, but she didn't feel like pressing the issue anymore. She felt there were more important things to do on her mind, such as preparing dinner. She then nodded to her daughter and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, telling her to get ready for dinner. Sakura happily bounded upstairs to her room.

At this, Akina thought, "Hmm. She's definitely different than before; I'm beginning to suspect that the demon child had something to do about it." Then again, she had no complaints, seeing as her daughter was happier than where she was the majority of her life. As long as she doesn't make contact with that demon child, there is nothing worry about. With these thoughts putting the issue to rest temporarily, she continued making supper.

At that same time, Naruto was eating ramen at his favorite restaurant, Ichiraku. He praised their food as being the best and Kami-sent from above. The owner, Teuchi, held his bias against the Kyuubi at bay. Over time, he began to see Naruto for who he was and gladly accepted him as one of his loyal and most common customers to his restaurant. His daughter, Ayame, even began to grow fond of him as she looked upon him as a little brother. The two of them always smiled when Naruto came to eat ramen because it was the happiest they have ever seen him. They could only imagine the hardships he had endured at such a young age. Naruto saw Ichiraku as his second home and his safe haven. He knew he was accepted here for who he was and knew he wouldnt be judged. Naruto was beginning to see that his life wasn't too bad. So long as someone in his life acknowledged him, even if everyone else threw him cold and unfeeling stares, he wasn't lonely anymore because he had people care about him... and especially that one girl.

After eating dinner, Naruto went back to his apartment and sat on the rooftop. His apartment was in shambles, but that didn't seem to phase him too much. He looked up at the night sky and wondered about that girl he had just met today. He wondered what her name was, what she was like, and wondered if she liked him back too... At the same time, Haruno Sakura laid in her bed, looking outside in the night sky. "Who was that boy? What about him that makes me smile just thinking about him? Will I ever meet him again..? sigh"

Naruto felt too that it was time to go to sleep. Besides, he couldn't wait to fantasize about his dream girl that he had met today but felt like he knew her forever. "Something about that girl reminds me of myself...

"I'm glad I'm not alone in this world anymore." Both thought in their minds as they both wandered into sleep.