Hello peeps! This is my first fanfiction story EVER! So enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own any of the characters involved in the story. The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto, so don't sue me.

Chapter 1:

Kakashi's POV

Rain

My old friend once said at his father's and other Leaf citizens' funeral that the heavens were weeping on that dreadful day the funeral was held; after the Leaf village was attacked. Many lives were lost that day, but it wasn't the only tragic event we faced. No, there were other countless times we faced tragedy, some worst than others. Like today, The Fourth Great Shinobi War has ended about four days ago. In those four days, we had to pick ourselves up from wherever we were tossed and try to fix the leftover pieces of our broken lives that we like to call reality. Four days it took to gather our dead and have them buried. Four days it took to have headstones made for the lives that were taken by the hatred our world gives off.

Four days since two of my students died.

Heck, it still feels like it was yesterday, few hours even. The wound is still raw, of course, like the other wounds various people are feeling now.

It's raining now, it reminds me of when it was raining when Rin died, and when I discovered my father's deceased body. Were the heavens weeping then too? If so, why didn't they weep for other people like Minato Sensei, Kushina Uzumaki, and the thousands of other lives lost throughout the years? I believed, that the heavens were not weeping back then, and when it rained, it just only rained. I believed if the heavens could weep for those who have fallen, it would be raining every day.

But now standing among the recognizable nameless faces, in the rain at the village cemetery, I do believe the heavens are weeping, at least for now. Many have umbrellas covering their faces, many like me, don't. We let the rain cover the tears that we cannot hold back. The war is over, peace has finally been achieved, but what good is peace when there's an unbearable pain in our chests, gnawing at us at every chance it gets. Every time I close my eyes, I keep remembering what happened in the war, and what happened after. After is the hardest part that I cannot get out of my head. After is when I saw not just one, but two of the war's heroes fade away.

After

Sakura and I (Sakura practically carried me) were rushing over to the Final Valley where we expected Leaf's number one knuckleheaded ninja and the last heir of the Uchiha clan to be. They met there, supposedly to settle their differences once and for all. If Naruto won, I assume Sasuke will come back, and if Sasuke did, well..I'm not sure about that, Naruto did fight tooth and bone to get to Sasuke's level, and I bet my life he will not lose his pace now.

Jumping from tree to tree, I could feel Sakura's heartbeat and how anxious she feels to see them again, desperately hoping Naruto came out the victor. She knows she'll have to heal those two once we get there, but she's prepared for that; she's prepared for everything. Once we stepped into the clearing of the trees, I could see the statues of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, fallen and broken up. However, their hands made the unison sign, and atop of the sign, I could make out two unmoving bodies. Half of their bodies black, most likely from the Chidori and Rasengan they were told not to use against each other. Sakura gasped at the scene, her right hand subconsciously squeezed my arm as her heart rate rose.

"It's okay, go on ahead," I told Sakura, removing my arm from her shoulders.

She only nodded in response as she made her way down towards the boys. Once she got to them, she went on her knees and immediately started her medical ninjutsu on Naruto. She hesitated when she put her hands on his chest, I could see that she did from all the way up here. Despite losing my sharingan, I can see Sakura hesitated, but I'm not sure why she did. A chilling thought crossed my mind, but I quickly dispelled the thought, it held doubts for two of my students. I sat on the ground, waiting to hear Sakura's cries of joys, Naruto's jokes, and Sasuke's silence. However, as the minutes flown by the only sounds I could hear were the birds chirping, and the only thing I could see was Sakura still hovering over her two stubborn teammates. The only difference: she was shaking frantically.

'I need to get down there!' I thought as the chilling thought, yet again, entered my mind. Sadly this time, it wasn't going away. I shakily stood up and looked down at where my students were. For someone who's as injured as me, it looked like a long way down. I swallowed my reluctance and jumped.

The instant I landed, I crumbled to the ground, swearing in pain. I hoped I regret jumping down to them. I hoped this sick feeling that's increasing with every breath I take will go away. I hoped to hear Naruto's lighthearted laughter as he teases Sakura and me for being worried about him and Sasuke. I hoped…..

I turned towards the three of them, several feet away.

"S-Sakura." I croaked out, pain coursing through my body. Man, that was a hard jump.

Of course, she didn't hear me. In fact, she didn't notice I was here, too distracted at the task at hand. I wouldn't want to bother her, but I can't erase this old, ugly feeling inside of me, and I needed her to. I sat up on my elbows, grimacing in pain ( not the first time), and cleared my throat, as I called out to her again.

"Sakura!" My voice was louder this time, no doubt she heard me.

At the sound of her name, she quickly looks over at me, startled expression clouding her face. It wasn't the only thing on her face, that was seen. Her emerald eyes were drowning in unshed tears. It wasn't the first time I saw her with tears threatening to break the dam in her green orbs, but it was the first time I saw something in those piercing eyes that I know wasn't there before: despair. Her eyes were crying out for help, to help her see something she wanted or feared to see.

"Kakashi Sensei," Sakura whispered so quietly, I would have doubted she said something in the first place if I didn't see her lips moved.

I swallowed the lump that was unknowingly forming in my throat. "Are they okay?" I nodded towards the two unmoving shinobi behind her.

Sakura blinked, a few tears escaping her sockets before she viciously wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "Their….uh..chakras are, um..depleted, so it's going to take awhile before they…..can come around." She stumbled on her words, making them up as she went along. She knew too well she was lying to me. Sakura wasn't the best of liars, not to me, others, or herself. I nodded anyway at her sentence, playing along with her little lie. They weren't just chakra depleted, but I hoped she could fix them.

I laid on my back, giving my elbows a rest. I closed my eyes, listening out for the distinctive, loud, obnoxious voice I wished so badly to hear again. The only sounds I could make out, however, were the medical ninjutsu and birds. Birds….they don't sound like they did before I jumped down. The birds before sounded much happier, the ones now, they don't sound anything remotely to the upbeat chirps, just dreadful. I opened my eyes and was shocked to see but one black crow, perched on a broken piece of whichever statue part. I learned a long time ago that crows can represent a lot of things ranging from magic to wisdom, and even war. A crow can also represent….death. A chill ran through my body as I stared at the crow, while the crow stared at my students.

'No, please be a sign of good luck. Please be a sign of good fortune.' I wished loudly in my mind, but as the bird became silent and finally turned towards me, I knew my wish wouldn't come true. Although I have to see for myself what I feared, the stupid bird must be wrong.

I closed my eyes, trying to sense all four chakra signatures, but I could only sense two: Sakura's and my one's. My eyes snapped opened in panic. I tried to stand up and make my way towards the three shinobi, but my exhausted body objected to that. Instead, I willed my body to crawled and crawled it did until I finally reached my goal. Sakura was still shakily healing up the two boys, but as I came closer to the scene; I knew it was too late. We were too late.

Half of Naruto's and Sasuke's body were all red, destroyed by whatever ninjutsu they used against one another. Their faces are barely recognizable, but I can still make out a faint smile on Naruto's face. He had won, one way or another, he got Sasuke to see things from a clearer perspective and understand that Naruto will never give up on things including him. I just wish they didn't take it too far. I remembered Naruto saying to Sasuke back at the Five Kage Summit when they both agreed to fight again later; he wouldn't mind dying because that would mean they would be free of being a jinchurki and an Uchiha. Now they are. They lay very still, perhaps they had died just a few minutes ago. Or maybe an hour ago, who knows? All I know is her medical ninjutsu wasn't working to revive the dead.

I put my hand on one of Sakura's shoulder, partially using it to balance myself. "Sakura," I said gently, hoping my voice won't break, just as my body was threatening to. "Sakura, it-it's too late. They're gone now, Sakura." My words had no effect on her, she continued to try harder to heal the deceased heroes, more tears slipping from her eyes.

"No!" She whispered louder than before. "No, they can't be. I can still save them! I know I can! I'm the apprentice to Lady Tsunade! I'm stronger! I can do-" Sakura cut herself off, breaking into sobs. Her never ending tears cascading down her face.

"Sakura" I pulled her into my embrace, my arms stroking her hair and back. For awhile she stood still, before she gave in, sobbing loudly and holding onto me for dear life.

"They're gone!" She painfully cried out in between her sobs. "They're both gone! I could've saved them! If only I was here earlier! If only I could've convinced Sasuke to love me enough to not leave again! Or if only I didn't make Naruto promise me-"

"Shhh, please Sakura. Please stop talking, just please." I pleaded with her, a few of my own tears disobeying my order, falling steadily. I held her tighter, as her sobs increased. I couldn't bear hearing her regrets, as they clashed with my own. If only I was there for them more. If only I wasn't as injured as I am now. If only I was stronger, and stop my students from killing each other.

If only.