Disclaimer: Me's not owning Naruto!!

Soo I didn't think I would wright any other fics but this one kinda snuck up on me. Oh Oh!! There was this huge wind strom where I live!!! There are tons of trees down and power lines. Our power was out almost the whole day Friday! Some people won't get power back... I think they said for 10 days. 10 days!! Can you belive it? Well enough of me talking on with it!!!

Flashback is in italics.

A young man walked in the forest. His raven colored hair longer than the last time he walked down this path. The path to Konoha. The only place to after killing Itachi.

Sasuke saw the approaching gates of Konoha and allowed himself a small smile. He was back after... how long was it now? Five years? As he approached he saw a small squad of ANBU, about five to six. One ninja caught his attention. A jounin with strawberry hair and emerald eyes watched his every move. He didn't see the one person he expected, but paid it no mind.

As Sasuke got to the where he was standing in front of them he spoke. "I'm back."

He allowed himself a proud smirk.

He frowned after a minute of tense silence. Sakura hadn't reacted the way he thought. She just stood there coldly watching him.

Sasuke followed as Sakura led him through the village in a circle of ANBU. She hadn't said a word to him the entire way.

He followed, but was confused. Of all the people who would have met him at the gate Naruto was the one he most certainly expected to have been there. Sasuke half expected one of the ANBU to pull of his mask and run at him exclaiming how much trouble Sasuke had put them through and how he was going to beat the heck out of him in their next match. Naruto's familiar chakra, however was not there and after several more minutes of walking nothing happened, the silence remaining unbroken.

"Where's Naruto?" Sasuke needed to know. The question rung to loudly in his head to ignore anymore.

Sakura stopped along with the ANBU. She turned and looked at them. "I'll take him from here."

"We can't let you do that." one of the ANBU spoke up.

"It will be fine I promise. It won't take long." The ANBU all looked at each other and a silent understanding passed between them. They gave a nod in consent and disappeared in puffs of smoke.

"Follow me." Sakura turned and led Sasuke through the many alleys in Konoha.

Sasuke just became more confused as they neared the edge of the village heading towards the training grounds where they had become genin.

They neared the stumps where Kakashi had tied Naruto up and Sasuke saw the memory play out before him. Naruto trying to act tough even though he was hungry and beaten. Sasuke saw himself give his food as an offering along with Sakura and Naruto looking so genuinely happy for the first time.

Sasuke turned his gaze away from the stumps to see Saskura looking down at the memorial stone for all of Konoha's great heros.

"There's your answer." Sakura said gravely as Saskue turned to look at her.

"Huh? I don't see him." Sasuke never took his eyes off of Sakura. He didn't want to admit it, but he was scared.

Sakura's fist clenched and shook in anger, "Right there! Read the stone!"

Sasuke shrunk back at the venomous in her voice. He'd never seen her act this way.

It took Sasuke many minutes to force himself to look at the stone. When he did he read it from the very beginning. Many names he recognized and passed over, but one, the last one, froze his blood. A cold wind whipped all around.

Uzumaki Naruto

Sasuke couldn't form any coherent thoughts. What was going on? It must be a bad dream, a nightmare, but it felt so real.

"Wh... What happened?" He asked, not sure if he wanted an answer.

Sakura sniffed trying to hold back tears as well as memories, "We went to find you. We were attacked by a large group of soundnins trying to stop us from getting to you." Sakura paused trying to get a hold of her emotions. After a year of building up it was no use. All the anger and sadness that had been tearing her up exploded as tears ran down her face.

She whirled on Sasuke who stared at the fury and tears staining her face, "It's all your fault! If you never left he would still be here! Naruto wouldn't have died!"

Sakura ran passed Sasuke, she couldn't bear to see him. Sasuke was left there standing numbly in front of the black stone.

As Sakura ran she felt the memory rising to the surface. She closed her eyes in attempt to shut it out, but it made it all the more real.

Naruto, Sakura, as well as a couple other leafnins looked at the large group of soudnins. There were so many Sakura wondered if their small group could defeat them.

"Don't worry Sakura-chan," Naruto saw the concern on her face and wanted to ease her worry. "There may be a lot of them, but we're really strong!"

"I just hope that no one gets seriously injured. I'm worried I won't be able to heal them." Sakura glanced down at her hands.

"Again don't worry. We won't die. I especially as hell won't die yet! I still got to get Sasuke."

Sakura smiled, Naruto always made it through the battles. There was nothing to worry about.

The last soundnin fell. Naruto holding the bloody kunai in his hand. Sakura stared in shock. The other nin had snuck up on her as she tended the wounded, but Naruto...

Naruto dropped the kunai, hand raising to the one embedded in his heart. He coughed up blood and his legs collapsed as he fell backwards. Sakura caught him and gently sat down, holding him. His blood staining her clothes and the grass a deadly crimson. Sakura face was splayed with horror and shock.

"I... I'm sorry... Sa... Sakura-ch... chan." Sakura was amazed he could still talk.

"Don't worry you'll be fine. Please don't leave." her voice cracked.

Naruto attempted to smile, but winced in pain. Sakura felt her heart break. Would she not get to see his smile one last time?

Kyuubi tried desperately to save Naruto's and his own life, but it was impossible. Kyuubi was only able to give Naruto enogh strength to say good-bye.

"I.. c... couldn't... bring back... Sa... Sasuke. I'm... s...sorry." Sakura watched as life drained out of Naruto.

His heart beat stopped and his eyes, focused on Sakura, dulled. Those eyes that had possessed a shine and soul that out shown all others faded and was now dead to the world.

Sakura hugged Naruto tightly and cried like never before.

Sasuke stared at the monument for a least an hour. Finally he sank to his knees and reached out to the stone. His fingers gently traced Naruto's name.

The stone was cold, but now emanated such an inexplicable sadness Sasuke never felt before. Was this what it was like to go through this pain once again?

He had completed his life goal of killing Itachi and returned to Konoha. Now, Sasuke couldn't see how it was all worth it. What did it all that matter if his best friend, his only true friend died because of his mistakes and his other hated him?

Tears slowly fell from the Uchiha's eyes. The small family he had and neglected was broken into tiny pieces and could never be put back together.

Realization struck him. He would no longer see Naruto's carefree smile, hear his obnoxious voice, fight with him ever again and also... Naruto's dream was gone. Sasuke had killed it. He would never see Naruto become Hokage. Sasuke fell to all fours, head hanging.

The snow started to fall to the earth along with his tears.

He would never get to say good-bye.