Sasuke walked away.
Sakura cried and ran after him.
Iruka slowly faded away.
Kakashi tried to save everybody and got himself killed in process.
Tsunade was drunk like hell and didn't saw the ambush that took her life.
Jiraiya died protecting him.
Naruto screamed and sat up straight. He blinked several times before realizing where he was. Just in the inn. Nothing had happened, it was just a dream. A nightmare.
Almost panicking, his eyes looked for Jiraiya. Where was he? Naruto's heartbeat became rapid when he realized that Jiraiya was not here. Where was he?
Maybe Ero-sennin was dead, dead, deaddeaddead and his nightmare was real!
No!
Naruto shacked his head. He had to stay calm. A ninja must not let a nightmare affect him like that. It was just his own brain that was playing games with him, right? Jiraiya was probably somewhere in a pub, using his money. Nothing had happened. Nothing.
But Sasuke had walked away for real, right? And Sakura had tried to bring him back! Maybe he had a vision of the future and saw what was coming next! Maybe this was going to happen! Maybe…! Naruto pinched himself hard and tried to get control over his emotions. But he couldn't hold in the tears. The fear that the nightmare had caused was too much. He didn't want to be all alone again! Where was Ero-sennin?
Naruto laid his head in his arms and hugged himself. He was crying uncontrollable. Where was Jiraiya?
Jiraiya was standing outside the room when he heard a scream. Immediately, his reflexes were to kick the door in and be inside. But he had a hunch that there was no danger, yet he felt very uncomfortable. When he heard sobbing that sounded a bit too much like Naruto he opened the door. In the middle of the room sat his student, crying and shacking, head on his knees.
Jiraiya walked carefully to the blond boy and tried to touch his shoulder. Naruto jerked away from the touch and looked at him with eyes wide from fear.
"Shhh, Shhhh, Naruto, it's just me, Jiraiya-sama. Nothing is gonna happen…" Jiraiya started with comforting words, but Naruto hugged him tightly. This was completely unexpected and he fell backwards.
"Ero-sennin! You're alive!" said Naruto sobbing.
"Well, of course I am! What do you expect from the great Toad-sage? I'm not somebody that would be killed by a few bandits in a… uhm… pub…"
"…But in my dream you died! Everybody died!" Naruto hugged Jiraiya even more tightly when he said this.
"Kiddo, let go of me or I'll be dead by chocking!" Jiraiya joked, no really, Naruto had become strong the past few months and if the boy squeezed harder, Jiraiya was afraid that he would break his back.
Naruto let go of him and his cries became harder, more out of control, "Don't die! Don't die! Don't die!"
Jiraiya was stunned. Naruto was really NOT himself. Usually, when he mentioned the word 'pub' Naruto would attack him, shouting something about not using his money and they would have a wrestle match. This time Naruto was… scared…
Jiraiya hugged Naruto this time, "I'll not leave you, don't worry…"
Naruto hiccupped, "Really?"
"Don't worry. I'll not die. I promise."
"Promise?" came Naruto's shaky voice.
"Promise."
After Jiraiya had calmed Naruto, they fell in a deep sleep. Naruto was still lying in Jiraiya's arms. Naruto dreamt of Ramen and playing with all his friends, Jiraiya dreamt of Sake and Tsunade. Both of them were smiling.
A couple of years later, when Naruto was standing in front of the Memorial stone, he would see that not every promise could be kept. Jiraiya had died. But Naruto was not angry at him. Because all of them, were just human.