A/N: A new story inspired by time-travel. I know, I know I haven't finished the other stories but I'm getting back to them. I took a break because life got in the way. This story mostly comes from my fascination of the "what ifs" and "could haves". This is my first time playing with time-travel – so don't shoot the messenger. This whole story is canon. Best of luck to those who stay with me through it all.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Explosions rocked the leaf village spreading fire across the planes. Many civilians were evacuated weeks before the projected war took a nasty turn. The ones that stayed helped the last of the shinobi battle enemies by making more traps and weapons. In all their bravery their lives would be swept from the earth masked in sorrow by a cool breeze. After Pein's attack the walls of Konoha were demolished, giving advantage to Madara's army of the dead. They trampled over the land leaving chaos in their wake. Bodies littered the crumpled ground adding more names to history books that would never see the light of day. Konoha never stood a chance in the end.

"Sakura, look at me." Tsunade commands from her place against a broken desk. The weight of the wound piercing the whole of her abdomen makes the older woman shift in her stance.

Said teenager dosing off in the corner of their hideout blinks for a moment trying to comprehend what was said. Last time Sakura opened her eyes a chidori was sticking out of her stomach. As a lucid trail of blood dribbled down her chin the scent of burnt earth filled her nose. It wasn't the fresh scent of wet grass and swaying trees Sakura remembered. The amount of blood wafting through the air trampled any hope left within her. Slowly the pale green faded by grief and exhaustion met Tsunade's tired but determined hazel eyes.

"Our strategy failed, we can't out run them or fight them…" Slipping from the desk Tsunade's form treads closer to her apprentice. The Sanin crouches down settling beside Sakura's sprawled legs. The puddle of blood originally soaking through the red tunic is now dying the wooden floor. A hand reaches out grabbing a hold on Sakura's with a delicate squeeze. Tsunade assesses the injury seeing no outcome that would change the course of where they were headed. Sakura was dying and there was nothing that could be done about it.

"Don't give me tha-that look." This is the way it had to be. Shinobi were meant to serve their village and protect it with all their might. If they were to die, it would be with honor. It was a constant reminder of how short their lives were.

"I-I chose this." Sakura was defiant and stubborn till the end. She would die with dignity and the honor of serving beside the most powerful Sanin in history. Tsunade didn't smile or refute the claim but couldn't bring herself to agree. Her apprentice didn't choose a life full of betrayals and death. This wasn't her doing. It was their predecessors' fault for not dealing with their problems when they had a chance.

''If you could, would you have changed anything?" Tsunade saw this as an opportunity to make her comfortable for what was to come. The ache clawing as her chest wouldn't let any tears fall. Something about this wasn't right. Seeing Sakura physically broken beyond her capabilities to fix caused the carefully built dam round her heart to crack.

Sakura smiled slowly as if the very action hurt.

"Strength…if-if I had more time…more focus…I would as-ask for strength."

"You already have it, Sakura. You have all the strength you need."

"M-my loved one-ones don't."

Tsunade believed at one point she succeeded in building up confidence in Sakura. Enough confidence to withstand troubled times that would take away people she loved or wanted to hurt her. Squeezing the hand against a loose palm the Sanin recognized her failure. Tsunade never gave Sakura the strength to face her short-comings, she only taught her to look past it.

Seeing the conflicted expression on Tsunade's face a limp hand squeezed her palm.

"Doubt makes you old." Sakura had held her breath to say it completely. From the slow reaction to mild irritation entering Tsunade's fiery hazel eyes the comment worked.

"If you weren't dying, I would hit you." The tongue lashing was quick to bring a brighter smile to Sakura's lack luster appearance. Quicker than a whip the fire dissolved from her mentors' eyes realizing the words that escaped. Tsunade pulled her hand back where as Sakura held on to it tightly.

"Prom-promise me, it will b-be okay." The silent plea raised alarm bells in Tsunade's head. It was too soon.

"Saku-"

"Promise me." Another plea for a future that wouldn't be. Sakura knew there was no hope of Konoha rising again. There was no one left, even Naruto met his end some where in the blaze.

"I promise." It was biggest lie Tsunade never wanted to tell anyone. It was a bigger lie when the low spark of Sakura's eyes slowly fizzled out. Looking at her mentor with a half-smile smeared in blood and etched in scratches across narrow cheeks did Sakura finally succumb to internal bleeding. When Sakura's body started drooping to the side Tsunade silently caught her. Bringing her apprentice close, closer than Tsunade ever had Sakura, a cry of despair racked her body.

Holding the last remnant of happiness to her bosom Tsunade broke down and cried.

A/N:

In the original Naruto story I don't think there were a lot of tender moments to show case how much Tsunade appreciated Sakura as a friend, apprentice and surrogate daughter. I wanted to show that in the first chapter rather than later on. Its a messed up way to do it though xD.

This is a multi-chapter. More happiness and death to come.

Leave comments lovelies!

- NuteWelt01