Team 7: Final Meeting

The following was inspired by a quote I read in the Arizona Republic after the tsunami that devastated Japan.

The familiar faces did little to console the others standing tiredly on the bridge. Their fears had reached their peak and tears hadn't come, at least not yet. The sirens blared but felt far away to the four standing staring off into the distance. They'd gone through terrible times and neither one wanted to watch their comrades die. None of them had thought they'd go out together and never like this…

For Sakura it had started as a joyous morning. The new paint in the old guest room was a warm pink that matched her hair. The rocking chair moved slightly with the breeze. The pinkette hummed contentedly arranging the room one hand gently massaging her lower belly. In the corner was a small night stand with a single picture frame and in it she stood in a brilliant white gown holding the hands of her two best friends Naruto and Sasuke both decked out in matching kimono. Her new husband was smiling softly kissing her cheek. His extremely pale skin almost shone. Their mentor laughed to the side, looking slightly funny without the tell tale book under his arm, instead he held her bouquet for her. Sai and her had been married hardly a year when the morning sickness had kicked in and now they awaited a baby girl.

"Hanare…hmm or maybe Kushina…or Kurui…if only we knew Sai's mother's name. I'm sure he'd love to have that connection." She stood in the doorway once again letting her mind tumble over names contentedly. All of a sudden she was thrown to the floor. She screamed as she watched her household items fall around her. She stumbled down the stairs and ran to the big balcony window looking out over the city. Everything was shaking. It was then a shout resounded from the next room and the lights went out. Sakura screamed for her love.

"Sai! Sai, answer me!"

Naruto sat at his favorite little restaurant quietly eating a bowl of ramen. Sasuke had recently moved back into town after they had had a falling out, again. Naruto reached out for the umpteenth time, asking to try and reconcile what had been his most sacred bond. Finally the raven had decided to try. They had agreed to meet at their favorite haunt from middle school. Naruto had laughed when he walked in and found their old corner booth. He smiled a big warm smile when he caught the writing of two hyper boys.

'Sasuke and Naruto are Biffles!' They had practically been brothers. Naruto just hoped he could try and get his brother back. It had been hard after Itachi's death. Naruto had tried to be there for Sasuke. But the emotional teen just pushed him away. They had gotten in a fight that had landed Naruto in the hospital. Sasuke had disappeared without a trace ditching town leaving having told no one. Naruto spent the majority of the past few years tracking his childhood pal down. Suddenly he had appeared one day. Since then their friendship seemed to be constantly on the rocks. He had just placed a refill order of ramen with the waitress when the lamps started to flicker and the poor chef was thrown to the floor. Naruto wobbled but got up and rushed out the door to see his world shaking, literally.

"Naruto!" Sasuke quickly pulled him out of the way of a crashing billboard.

Kakashi had been roaming the streets; he had just left the shaded cemetery visiting his old friends. His gang days were far behind him, and he was a martial arts teacher now. Still he never let himself forget the mistakes of his youth. His dojo came into view and he slowly removed his shoes and bowed to some of the young students who were dragging their feet probably on their one hundredth lap with his good friend Gai cheering somewhere in the distance. He chuckled to himself and looked around the bare rooms to see where he'd last set down his book. He was expecting to meet his students at their bridge later. Sakura had some big announcement and frankly it was amazing that Sasuke had agreed to do anything within a ten foot area of Sai. Maybe old wounds were finally starting to heal. He smiled to himself letting his mind sink into reverie when his book fell off a shelf and onto his head. He cursed and bent to pick it up when he lost balance. The screams of the children outside shook him from his stupor and he stumbled out the door.

Sai felt like his lungs were being crushed under a boulder. He could hear his wife's frantic screams as she hurriedly tried to find him. He'd been balancing on a stool putting a honeymoon picture up when what must be an earth quake started. He fell and so did the whole wall. He coughed and felt the blood slide down his chin. Suddenly the lights flickered back on. Sakura spotted him and he saw the tears form and slide down her cheeks.

"Sai!" She rushed over and started to pull at the rubble digging and prying at the cement until her hands bled.

"Sakura…Sakura stop."

"But, but Sai!" She sniffled cradling her stomach. He coughed and blood stained his teeth. He could hear his home creak ominously.

"Sakura you need to get out of here. It's not safe…"

"I won't leave you here! I'll dig you out. We'll go to the bridge and find Sensei, Naruto and Sasuke will help you!" she gripped his free hand and he squeezed back.

"Honey, it's not safe you need to go. I…I will be alright." She shook her head. "Go Sakura, go get help I can wait." She stood shakily before falling to her knees again and lifting his head slightly.

"I'll come back." He nodded and she kissed him for a moment. She wiped the blood from her mouth gulped and stood.

"Go! I love you." She smiles but tears threaten to fall. She rushes to the door and turns back.

"This isn't goodbye…I love you too."

Sasuke held the shaking shoulders of his blonde comrade. He had arrived just in time. Naruto's eyes were wide with fear.

"Sasuke what's…what's happening?" Sasuke pulled him down and covered his body with his own waiting for the shaking to stop.

"It's an earthquake." Naruto gasped still holding onto Sasuke.

"We need to get to the bridge. Kakashi, Sai. They will be there. Sakura too oh my God Sakura we need to make sure she's all right." Sasuke nods and they stand shakily. The roads are crowded but they push through. Sasuke looks at his determined friend and noticed he was still shaking still scared. He reached out and linked their fingers like they used to when they were kids.

"Sasuke?" He looked up at him, he smirked.

"Dobe, we'll be okay." The blonde smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"Believe it Teme!" he followed as Sasuke pulled him toward Kakashi's dojo. Their first priority had to be the rest of their family. Sasuke kept his eyes on the buildings still rumbling, alarms screaming almost as loud as the frightened populace. He spotted Gai-Sensei herding a small group of children, an unconscious boy on his back.

"Sensei!" He calls rushing to help the man who stumbles over his own two feet.

"Sasuke-Kun and Naruto-kun!" He greets them with a strained smile. "I'm so glad you are both okay."

"Where's Kakashi?" Gai nods his head behind him at the swaying dojo.

"He ran out the back, towards the bridge."

"Why is he taking the long way?" Naruto asks confusedly. It's then the world comes to a halt, as do all the people. Gai sighs in relief. Sasuke pulls on Naruto's arm.

"Ehhh! Where are we going?" Sasuke waves goodbye at Gai.

"We need to go. Kakashi probably went to help Sakura and Sai we'll meet them at the bridge. Now hurry!" Naruto nods in understanding and they are both off running at speeds they've reached only through vigorous training.

Sakura stumbles cautiously toward the old dojo. People run past her screaming, a few of them bleeding. She wonders idly if Kakashi is running too.

"Sakura!" She swivels seeing her old sensei with the tell tale orange book over his head off to the side of the crowded street.

"Kakashi-sensei!" He grabs her arm pulling her protectively to him.

"Where are you going? Where's Sai!" She turns tears streaming down her face and opens her mouth when another shock hits. They lean heavily against the wall of a convenience store for a moment.

"Sensei! We…have to go back…Sai is trapped…I couldn't dig him out on my own!" his face looks grim but he nods.

As the aftershock hit Naruto found himself and Sasuke being pulled into the cover of a shop. They turn to find Ino, Kiba, and Shikamaru standing, broken vases all around. Kiba had pulled them in as the shop's sign collapsed.

"Kiba!"

"Naruto, Sasuke!" Ino ran up and hugged them.

"Have you seen Hinata?" Kiba asks the pair shook their heads no. Kiba curses running out.

"Kiba-kun! Come back! Kiba!" Ino stands in the doorway as it shakes before coming back in shaking and crying.

"We can't stay." Sasuke says quietly.

"There will most likely be a Tsunami. Your bridge won't make it." Shikamaru reasons, looking solemn.

"But Sensei and Sakura, even Sai will be waiting for us!" Naruto clenches his fists. Shikamaru shrugs.

"I can't force you." The two dash back out.

"Sai!" The scream is heart wrenching. Kakashi pulls the girl towards him but she fights. He looks on stony faced at the pile of rubble that was once his students' home and now one of their graves.

"I can't…he can't." She pulled away and he let her. She dug at the rubble of her home. "I had promised. I promised him this wasn't goodbye." Her sobs shook her whole body as she cried out. Kakashi let her cry, standing stoic as his world crumbled around his student and the other was lost to the world.

"Sensei?" Sakura looks up to him her face red and exhausted. He looks down at her.

"Come on Sakura. Let's go." She shakes her head.

"Kakashi, I'm pregnant. We were going to have a baby girl." Silently he picks her up and just as he opens his mouth another siren echoes in the streets. His breath catches.

"Tsunami." Sakura's nerves seem to steel themselves.

"We have to get Naruto and Sasuke. No one else. I'm not leaving anyone else." Kakashi simply nods and off they run.

The bridge came into sight after about ten minutes of running. Sasuke and Naruto slowed as they reached it. Normally the water could be seen just down the way. The ocean had retreated about fifty feet.

"Sasuke." The Uchiha turned facing the blonde boy.

"Dobe?"

"Sasuke, you are my best friend. You know that right? I've chased you since high school and I want you to know I've always considered you…my family." Sasuke grabbed the blonde's shoulders.

"Don't talk like that. We…we'll figure a way out of this. We always do." Naruto gulped but smiled. "…and you're…well…I…"

"Teme. I know."

"Sasuke! Naruto!" The pink blur tackled the boys. Kakashi smiled at them before glowering out over the bridge.

"Sakura! Sensei you're alright!"

"Where's Sai?" Sasuke looks to the heartbroken face of his female teammate.

"He um…our house…," She takes a deep breath in as tears slide down her face. "He didn't make it out." She whispers. The boys freeze. "But we have to get out of here! A tsunami…"

"It's too late." Kakashi's voice is dry and cracks. The three friends turn to see what their sensei sees. A huge wave thundering at them.

"Should…should we run?" asks Naruto.

"We won't be able to get high enough in time." A few more minutes they were silent before Naruto moved. He grabbed Sasuke's hand then Sakura's. Kakashi meets his eyes and walks toward them. With a deep breath the blonde turns them away from the oncoming wall of water toward the city the four of them grew up and loved in. They stare off for a few moments. Sasuke reaches his other arm around the back of his sensei that stands behind Naruto. Sakura mirrors him clasping their fingers on Kakashi's back. Kakashi drapes his arms protectively over the three of them. Naruto feels his family hold onto him, in the distance he can see an office building filled with people and tears hit his eyes. He doesn't want to have other people have to watch him die.

"We'll leave just like we came…"

"The four of us…"

"A family…"

"Believe it…"

The Tsunami hit many towns and cities on the eastern coast of Japan that day. Thousands were wounded and thousands more died. Amongst those in the office building that day was a member of the Hyugga clan, who would later tell the story of his closest friends when and if he could find the remnants of his own family.

The part of this story that is true is when people were seen standing on a bridge facing their deaths. Thousands had to watch their deaths steamroll toward them and hundreds watched them die helpless. Families were erased just like our beloved Team 7. Let's never forget and always as loyal fans support the country that birthed our favorite form of entertainment, the pop culture of our choice, and a few characters that changed our lives.