Fire: Hello everyone! This is Fire and this is my co-writer, Sasuke. (gestures to an empty space) Well...I guess he's not around right now, so it's a good thing that I have my other co-writer, Naruto. (gestures to other side, and another empty space) Okay... (sweats) I guess he's not here either...but they'll be back! I swear! In the meantime, Kakashi's going to fill in for them, so...here's Kakashi!

Kakashi: Yo! (waves)

Sakura: And there's me! (bright beaming smile)

Fire: Welcome to Wait for Me: Following, the second book in the Wait for Me series. Don't worry, each story stands up on their own, but if you read them all together, you'll get the big picture a lot better, and you'd probably understand each story a lot better too. The first book would be Wait for Me: Leaving so if you're a little confused about how everything became what it is at the beginning of this story, check it out. All yaoi in the story is completely necessary to the storyline in the series—and just because I wanted to write a SasuNaru--so don't hate me if you don't like the pairings. If you don't like it, don't read it.

Kakashi: (sighing slightly at Fire) You're talking too much.

Fire: (ignoring Kakashi and smiling) Well...one more note before we continue. All my stories come with morals, or lessons concerning their main genre. Since this series is a romance, these four books—if you include the prequel as a part of the series—all have morals concerning romance. I'll be posting the moral at the end of the last chapter of each book. Now—

Sasuke: —on with the story before Fire can talk some more!

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Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sensei and all I have is Naruto stock. :( I do own something although it's not being used in this part of the story. I'll remind you when it comes up.

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Warning: Use of Japanese terms is used specifically for artistic purposes. If you need a glossary of all the terms, go to my user profile. It's there.

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Legend:

Text

'Thoughts'

Hidden speech that not everyone can hear, like Kyuubi's, Shukaku's, or Samehada's

flashbacks

"speech"

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Wait for Me: Following

A Fire Project

Prologue: Ghosts of the Past

Naruto was dead. Sasuke was dead. It was hard to stomach, but it was true. And Sakura...she couldn't handle it, so she left. That was all.

But they had died happy...well, not with a smile on their faces, but relatively content. Sasuke had killed his brother at the cost of his own life, and Naruto just wanted to go with him. As for Sakura...Kakashi had no idea what happened to her.

'My thoughts are beginning to sound more and more like epitaphs...' the grey-haired jounin thought as he stared at the ceiling of his bedroom. Godaime had given him some time off to get over the death of his students, but his mind had already gotten over what his heart still pined through. His mind was preoccupied with Sakura...and where she was...

The note that she had left on the Icha Icha Paradise books was still there. He had already read it over thirty times. It was smart to leave it there–he couldn't have missed it–but he had more than one copy of that book and he didn't always come home. She could have left it there at any time...

Gomen...Kakashi-sensei. I really tried...but I can't be the kunoichi that I had hoped to be. Please, don't blame yourself. You were a great sensei and I feel honoured to have been your student. Take care of Kasan and Tousan for me...and Tsunade-shishou... Tell them that... Tell them whatever you can think of to ease their pain. And, don't worry about me. I'll be fine.

Sakura

He had it memorized. 'She couldn't be the kunoichi that she had hoped to be... She'll be fine... That doesn't tell me anything...' He has been trying to think of what Sakura might have been trying to tell them, but he still couldn't figure out the hidden meaning to her words. The girl was too smart. She was hiding something in those words, and he had to find out what it was.

Sakura's heart was pounding hard that day when she left Konoha. It wasn't easy to leave her family, her friends, Kakashi-sensei and Tsunade-shishou. This village was where she was born, where she had lived, and where she had hoped to die one day...but, that wasn't going to happen now.

'I am an avenger.' It was Sasuke's voice in her head, but it was slowly becoming her own. 'That cenotaph in Konoha... Sasuke... Naruto... I promise...'

She will bring them back.

End Prologue

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Fire's babbling:

Fire: Still interested? Continue to chapter 1. If not, then, close the window. It's up to you.

Kakashi: (in sensei-mode) You're not supposed to tell people to close the window.

Fire: (matter-of-fact) Well...you and Sakura don't really have that many fans, Kakashi. She doesn't exactly come across as a very capable kunoichi...

Sakura: I'll show you! I'm more than capable!

Fire: They might just wait a little while until Naruto and Sasuke come back into the storyline...

Sakura: (still yelling) They're dead! How can they come back!

Fire: You'll see...

Sakura: Oo Are you kidding me...?

Kakashi: …

Fire: (smiling) Read on to find out... English tidbits start in chapter 1. Remember to review!

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