AN: Hey everyone! This is my second ever fanfic, and it's kinda short. I was feeling masochistic and decided to write something that would make me very sad. I hope you all enjoy. Please leave reviews if you can, and all feedback is appreciated! Cheers.

Cold sweat and tears. She couldn't even remember how many times she had woken up in this state anymore. Too many to count.

It had been five years since Naruto had fought Sasuke; five years since he was no more, but it felt like her time was beginning to wane. Reality and fantasy no longer existed; her life became a waking nightmare.

She sighed deeply, thanking herself that it was only a dream, but remembered that the harsh reality is just as bad. She got up from her bed and moved to her washroom, filling up a large bowl with water to splash her face. When she finished, she looked at herself and tried to believe that this was once the proud heiress of the Hyuga household. Her lavender eyes that once invited mystery and wonder were now hollow and dull, her deep blue hair, straight and flawless, was now frayed and pale. There were bags under her eyes from the countless nights of lost sleep, and scars not visible from the outside.

For a while she laughed at herself - not her old bright and happy laughter, but a depressed and empty one.'How unattractive I must look to you, Naruto-kun…'

She shut off the lights and moved back to her bed, but still couldn't sleep. She kept remembering what she saw, and how she had failed to help.

/Flashback/

There they were, standing in Final Valley. On one side, Naruto Uzumaki, and the other, Sasuke Uchiha. There were several spectators, well aware that they needed to keep a strong distance. The remaining members of the Konoha 11 were among them. The fight had been going on for an unbelievable amount of time, the chakra of both beginning to run low.

Behind Sasuke stood a giant demon, the Susano'o, summoned from his Sharingan. Naruto Uzumaki stood alone, shrouded by a cloak made by the Nine-Tailed Fox strangely in the form of a Hokage's cloak. They had one powerful attack left in them each, Sasuke prepared an arrow from his Susano'o and Naruto formed a Rasen-Shuriken Bijudama. Whoever connected would be the winner - there was no holding back.

With one final scream they both hurled their projectiles at each other, but the result shocked everyone in the vicinity - instead of a clash, they had hit each other directly. The explosion of water and chakra on both sides made it almost impossible to see, and suddenly the forest on either side began to fall.

Hinata rushed as fast as her legs would take her to her beloved. This can't happen to him. She would not allow it. She activated her Byakugan and dashed to the slowly fading chakra signature of Naruto. The others were behind her, Sakura and Ino first so they could make an attempt to heal him. When they finally found him, the sight was a true horror.

The arrow from Susano'o had not immediately killed him, but no amount of medical ninjutsu could repare the damage. The left side of Naruto's body from his ribs to his lower hip no longer existed, blood was being coughed up, one of his lungs had collapsed. Lee, Tenten, Neji, Shikamaru, and Kiba stood staring at their once proud friend in complete horror - unable to move. Choji was comforting Ino, who turned her head and wretched at the sight, he himself bawling. Shino stood motionless after taking off his hood and glasses, weeping openly. Sakura was desperately and vainly trying to heal Naruto screaming as tears rolled down her cheeks. Hinata was on her knees sobbing, her head in the dirt in front of her, repeating one thing.

"Naruto-kun…"

It was then they heard a cough from their dying comrade, and they all turned to him. This was it. The end of Naruto Uzumaki.

He opened his eyes and smiled at them.

"Well guys," he said, his voice even smaller than a whisper, "I did it, huh? I told the bastard we'd both die if this happened. But before I go…I gotta tell you each something, okay? So listen up."

"Lee, enjoy the springtime of youth to its fullest. Never let anyone tell you that it isn't worth living. Neji and Tenten, maybe you could indulge him once in a while, okay?" They all nodded slowly, tears openly pouring out of Lee and Tenten's eyes, as Neji made a vain attempt to stifle them.

"Ino, Choji, Shikamaru," he managed to say before coughing up more blood, without Sakura he'd be as good as dead already, "you guys have to watch over the others okay? With your brains, looks, and heart you'll be unstoppable. Ino, just try not to go overboard with flaunting yourself, okay? Choji, you gotta be brave. And Shikamaru…get off your ass and do some work sometime, alright?" He tried to laugh, but it hurt far too much. Ino began sobbing in hiccups, while her two teary-eyed teammates tried to console her.

"Sakura-chan…thank you, for everything 'tebayo…" he said lifting a limp hand to rub her cheek."

"Kiba, Shino…take damn good care of Hinata." He noticed Shino's eyes and smiled, "So that's what you look like."

Finally, he turned to Hinata. "Hinata…you need to smile more and get a little confidence. You're way too awesome to be so shy all the time. Believe in yourself and you'll be stronger than any of us." She looked up to him to see his right hand holding up a shaking thumb in her direction.

"And guys...thanks for being my friends."

She couldn't take it anymore, her tears obscuring her vision, she leaped out her window in the direction of the cemetery. Her feet pounded against the dirt, turning her skin raw and pink, her lungs were heavy and her hair was flying behind her like a leaf in the wind.

It took her twenty minutes, but she finally arrived at her goal. Next to the graves of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki stood a newer one with flowers still around it.

-Naruto Uzumaki-

She plopped down on her knees in front of it and sobbed. All of her sadness from the past five years made it out, a flood of her distress, anger and depression. She choked, hiccuped, and screamed before she managed to get out a sentence.

"Wh-wh-why did y-you l-leave me al-l-one, Naruto-k-kun…I l-loved you s-s-so m-much…"

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped in shock, she turned around and almost fainted, for behind her was a shining Naruto Uzumaki, smiling at her. She rubbed her eyes to make sure he was real, only to see the apparition chuckle at her. He was real.

"N-Naruto-kun, I have so many questi-" his hand had taken one finger and placed it against her lips, silencing her instantly. She knew why he had done it, but she didn't want to accept it.

The ghost smiled gingerly at her, before picking her up and placing them face to face. She blushed and turned away only to have his hand gently push her face back. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead, his hand under her chin.

When he pulled his head away, he smiled and began to fade, causing the girl to begin sobbing again. As he disappeared, a sentence echoed through the graveyard.

"Thank you, Hinata, for believing in me."