Chapter 1

Sakura put on the lipstick with a practiced ease. She adjusted the black dress that she'd found herself wearing far too much lately and examined herself in the mirror mounted on the door to her room. She looked elegant, far prettier than she'd ever expected to be (not that appearances really mattered at an occasion like this) except for the expression on her face. She looked grim, almost sickly. It felt like her face was frozen like that these days. She stopped to grin at herself in the reflection. It looked fake but she felt a little better anyway. She sighed, then took in a deep breath. She straightened her back, put on her game face, and left. It was time.

She met with Ino as she made her trip. She gave her a small smile and Ino returned it. It was a practiced one, just like Sakura's- more meant to reassure than to convey real emotion, and it did it well. Her lips were a pretty red, her eyeshadow dark, and her dress was a lovely, intricate piece. It seemed like a little much for an event like this, but Ino had never been one to leave the house in anything less than her best. She was beautiful, as always.

"Hey forehead, maybe you should smile more often. It'd take years off of your ugly mug." Ino said plainly, falling in to walk beside her.

"Ha! Like you can say anything Ino-pig. You don't look so young yourself these days. Who knows, maybe if you stopped caking on so much make-up, you'd stop looking like an old hag reliving the glory days."

They grinned at each other, letting old habits take over. Things were easier that way.

All of the playfulness left her when they finally got to their destination and suddenly she couldn't breathe. She had to stop for a moment, pressing her hand against her chest, hoping to alleviate some of the invisible pressure crushing her chest. Ino's hand gently found her shoulder and she took a few short breaths. She knew crying wouldn't help, would only ruin her image of calm confidence, but it was suddenly very difficult not to. She'd been ignoring the purpose of this trip all morning, just going through the motions instead of thinking about it, but now the crushing weight of it hit her.

Eventually, she calmed and straightened up again. She breathed deeply and held onto Ino's hand for a moment before letting go and stepping forward. She couldn't miss her own team-mate's funeral, after all.

Later, as his coffin was lowering into the earth, she almost regretted her decision. She hated the oppressive air at funerals and felt a particular aversion to any wherein a friend was the one being honored. She wanted to show her respect but this was not how she wanted to remember any of her precious people. But the people needed her support now more than ever. As the last remaining member of team seven and the woman who had been close with the last three hokages, she was something of a legend. She had been the one to escape a tragic death at the hands of war- the one to keep the village running while many shinobi were off at the font lines, the one to heal the wounded ones who made it back, and the one to hold those who had lost friends in the conflict.

And now the hokage was dead.

Naruto had fallen. She was the last one. It was her job to pick up the legacy that he had left behind. So she'd stayed, stood up straight under the sudden, heavy burden of responsibility, and smiled to those who needed it. She stayed at the grave long after the service ended and comforted the people who came to her. She stayed as the graveyard emptied and didn't cry until she was alone.

Hinata came to her as the tears began to slow. She stepped on the fallen red and orange leaves deliberately, letting the crunch of them beneath her feet allert Sakura of her approach. She dried off her face gently and turned to face her. They just stared at each other a while, not saying or doing anything. Then the Hyuuga heiress spoke.

"You loved him too." she said. It wasn't a question.

"Yeah." she replied.

Hinata stepped closer, grabbed her hands, and Sakura looked away. She couldn't look at her- it was too much, knowing what they'd both lost. Hinata raised a hand and held her face gently. She chanced a glance at Hinata's face. Hinata met her gaze and offered a small, sad smile and suddenly they were kissing. It took Sakura's brain a minute to catch up to what was happening- then she kissed her back. When Hinata pulled back, she looked embarrassed, but not regretful.

"Sorry," she said, seemingly on reflex, "I just- we both-"

Sakura shook her head, "It's okay." she said simply.

Hinata stared at her for a moment and she stared right back. Her face suddenly steeled with resolve.

"Sakura, what- what if I told you we could fix this? That I- that is, that I've found something that could stop the war from ever happening?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come with me. I- I'll show you."

She let Hinata pull her away, casting one last glance at the new grave.

They walked for what felt like forever to Sakura's tired body. When they stopped at their destination, she almost left. It was bad enough that there had been so much death lately and now Hinata had lead her to the one place that could almost surpass the graveyard in terms of sorrow- the Uchiha compound.

"Hinata why would you take me here of all places?"

"Just- just trust me. I know that it's- what it looks like, I mean. But I promise you'll understand."

Hinata let go of her hand abruptly and ducked into a nearby building. Sakura shivered in the cooling fall air and waited despite her doubts. Hinata came back out with a large, heavy scroll in hand. She opened it and spread it across the ground.

"Look, this- I wanted you to see it. I think that we could do it- go back and fix things. We don't have to- things don't have to happen this way."

Sakura leaned down and examined it, reading the text and looking over the seals written on it, and her eyes widened.

"Hinata. Is this really possible?"

"I think so, yes." she breathed out, "I've been- I looked into it. I, I have been for the last couple months, since I found it. I wasn't sure what to do but then… then Naru- Naruto passed and I knew that..."

"Yeah, I understand."

She stood up, feeling alive and hopeful for the first time in months. She kissed Hinata with renewed passion. Hinata kissed back hesitantly. When she pulled back they were both grinning like idiots.

"Thank you, Hinata."

"It's um- no problem." she giggled out.

High on a sudden burst of adrenaline, Sakura didn't stop to really think about the choice she was about to make.

"Do want to just do it?" she asked.

"Y-yes!" Hinata nodded frantically.

"Then let's go!"

They set up all of the symbols right there- on what was practically a sacred, cursed burial place- with little care. By the time the intricate work was done, it was well past midnight, but they weren't about to stop. They pushed their chakra into it and went when they felt themselves being pulled away. Neither one stopped to question the consequences of their actions- they were beyond caring.