AUTHORS NOTE: Thank you to everyone who has read my story, this is an epilogue to it, which I have posted seperately for fear it would take away from the ending for some reason, so here we go, enjoy if you have chosen to read! and please review!

MY DEAR PAL

EPILOGUE

Fifteen Years Later:

HINATA:

"Is this the place Hinata?"

"Mm..." I nodded slightly. Yes this was that place, that place which had captured not just a moment in time for me, but a moment that had changed almost the whole course of my life.

I pushed aside some over grown fern branches, I hadn't been here for a while. I coughed as spores broke off and drifted through the air like dust. There it was; I was sure of it. What was once a small grove was now shrouded with all sorts of plants. I smiled slightly, wasn't it funny how time could literally swallow things?

"Do you have a kunai Neji?" I turned my head back to look at him. It was amazing how he could carry Satsu's whole body weight without even seeming to break a sweat.

"Yes, reach into my bag and there should be one there,"

"I've got it," Hanabi said immediately and passed one to me. I cradled the smooth metal weapon in my hand for a second. Oh how long it had been since I actually touched one of these, and it brought back all kinds of memories.

Before I knew it, almost instinctually I was chopping through the branches. Then suddenly, I was through. Was that the stone? Was it really still here? I brushed the moss away and blew on it a couple of times. Yes that was it. The messy inscription had faded quite a lot; maybe I was the only one who would still be able to read it.

'My Dear Pal'

"Put her over here," I whispered, motioning to the rock. Without saying a word, Neji placed Satsu gently where I had said.

I found myself kneeling beside her and stroking her gingerly. Too weak to do any more she moved her eyes and looked at me. How big she had gotten since Kiba saw her. She was a full grown husky now, and had once been strong, able to bear almost any weight.

"Would you like us to wait at the path?" Hanabi asked.

"Would you? I just..."

"You don't have to explain," Neji cut it, his voice quiet, and before I knew it, it was just me and Satsu again, as it had been so many times before.

"Hey girl," I shuffled softly so I was lying, my head resting on her.

The years of living had gradually taken their toll on her, as a beautiful flower wilts after time, the same was happening to Satsu. I guess I could have done a lot to prolong her life, in fact, Hana had insisted I take her services for free to keep Satsu going. But why? Why would I do that when her body was deteriorating anyway? There was no point in postponing death, if the quality of life was dwindling.

I can't lie and say letting her go wasn't one of the hardest things I would ever have to do. She was after all, my only link back to Kiba. The amount of times I had looked back and thought what my life could have been if he were still here was uncountable. But in the end I stopped thinking, because at least I was still alive to lead my life. I had made a pact to myself not to waste that gift, that's what he would have wanted.

I looked at her face once more, and found myself crying silent tears that streaked down my cheeks.

"It's ok, I'm ready," her eyes said.

"Yes... Yes you are Girl..." and her breathing slowly, gently, dissipated from beneath me.