Sasuke's here because he felt "something." I know, stupid. But who cares? Sasusaku is pretty impossible anyway. Besides- if he chooses Karin, I will personally kill the stupid kid myself.

~ArtIsAnEternity~

"Why are you doing this?" He yelled. "You should be saving her, not watching her kill herself in drenching rain from a tree."

"You said you loved her. You said that she's like a sister. What are you doing?"

He knew he was acting uncharacteristically, that he wasn't supposed to care, that he had severed ties years ago, supposedly, but- how could Naruto just watch as Sakura cut herself and let herself bleed to death? It-it Wasn't natural. It wasn't how it was supposed to be!

"Naruto!" he screamed. "Answer me!"

Naeuto turned his head to him slowly. "What? I've finally realized. She wants this. She doesn't want to live. This has happened since you left. YOU save her. I've done it so many times- it's her choice now. I have realized it."

"She still looks so beautiful, even as she's dying..." his voice trailed off as blue eyes grew unnaturally bright.

"ARE you MAD?" Sasuke screamed. "Your teammate is-"

"She's your teammate too, Sasuke."

"Wha? No!I severed those ties LONG AGO!" He roared.

"Then why are you still here, yelling for me to save her."

Sasuke growled and turned away. Sakura slumped to the ground. He sucked in his breath. He hadn't noticed that while his argument, so MUCH blood had pored out from that one wrist cut.

Not caring that Naruto was there, watching, he sped forward and held her in his arms, nearly slipping in the mud. As he held her, her head lolled to one side and he was alarmed at how LIGHT she was. Unnaturally light.

"Sakura..." He whispered hoarsely.

Brilliantly green eyes-concealing eyelids cracked open a slit.

"Sasuke. Too late now, huh?"

Then, even softer, just barely a whisper,

"goodbye, sasuke-kun."

then she was gone, leaving behind a shell that was once Haruno Sakura.

It rained so much, there was a flood in Konoha.

Scarily perfect. It matched Sasuke's mood for the rest of his short life. He would never return to Konoha. This wasn't how it was meant to be! Sakura was supposed to be alive, smiling, jokingly saying " got you, Sasuke-kun!" annoying, he thought.

He, he... needed her? She had been the glue that had held team 7 together. The glue was gone, team 7 was gone, she was gone, and, he decided, soon he would be too.

Apparently, ties are never cut clean. There's always that strand.

He had a "short life," because he took the same kunai she used, sat next to her, and followed her path. Naruto was the only one who saw.

there's always a string...