We were children when we first met. The age where most children are learning how to interact with people, we were learning to kill them. Our situation was even more fucked up than that though. We didn't know when Iruka-sensei called out our teams that life was forever changed and would in no way go back to normal. We didn't know when Kakashi-sensei taught us about teamwork that we already had that bond and that it would eventually be our downfall. It was more than teamwork, it was friendship; a friendship that was so strong that we would go to hell just to fight our way back to the surface to save the other. We didn't know because we were just children.
Had we known on that first mission, the mission where Sasuke and Naruto worked as though they were different parts of the same body, that we were forever bonded - would we have done anything differently? I don't think so; because without the three of us together, there would be no point to life. I didn't know Naruto's father had sacrificed himself for the village and that Naruto somehow knew it and felt guilty because he caused his death. I didn't know that Sasuke's entire family was massacred by his own brother. And even when he left to find revenge on his brother, we stood by him. No one understood. They couldn't understand the bond we three had; no other team had our bond. If one of us died, we all died. It wasn't an option to go on living if one of us was dead. He was still alive, and he wanted us there with him; Sasuke didn't say it, but our bond told us. And we followed without question. I was willing to go with him that night, and had Naruto been awake, he would have made the same offer. Because, without him, we didn't exist.
So, that night he was dripping in his brothers blood, red eyes swirling as he looked at us. We knew what he needed. He needed us as much as we needed him. We all three collapsed, Naruto having fought his battle with the leader of Akatsuki, Sasuke having fought his battle with Itachi, and me having fought my battle trying to keep them both alive. Because, without them, I had no reason to save myself.
When I woke weeks later, I saw Sasuke sitting beside Naruto, both were healed and looking tired, bruised, and battered but better than they had been. I smiled, but they didn't. Sasuke began slowly, "Sakura, you looked for me for a while."
I nodded, and Naruto continued, "Your mother…" I didn't need the rest, I knew she had died. I wept and grieved for her; and all the while, my teammates were there beside me. Our bond that had took me to the most evil of places, was the only thing I needed now.
And now, as I watch them fighting the enemy, I hear the names whispered about us. Greater than the Sannin they say. The strongest of our time and beyond, the perfect team. Sasuke was thrown with a loud crack against the stone wall, Naruto follows and they fall limply to the ground. I smile as I cough blood from my mouth, Naruto smiles, Sasuke smiles. This is how it's supposed to be. I reach out a hand and it's covered by Sasuke's, then that's covered by Naruto. We pull ourselves together and in our final strength we tangle ourselves together. Naruto behind me, Sasuke in front - we look into the swirling red eyes of the last Uchiha and I feel the heat against my legs that signaled Naruto's fire was consuming us and melding our skin together. But thanks to Sasuke, we didn't feel it, all we felt was the cool spring breeze flowing through the school windows that first day we were named a team. With my last reserve of energy, I hit the ground with my fist and it opens up and swallows us, flames and all. This is how it's supposed to be for us, always together, always bonded. Always those children who were made for killing, and yet found a bond in the bloodshed.