Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Akatsuki would be dead, and Naruto would be living the good life. Dream on belongs to Aerosmith.

Sakura decided to visit Naruto in the hospital another time after he fought with Sasuke at the valley of the end. She was still in tatters after the whole ordeal, and Sakura thought that maybe she and Naruto could try and get through this whole ordeal together. She recognized that he was probably the only one in the entire village who could even slightly understand exactly what she was going through. Thinking about someone who might be able to comfort her brought a small,almost fragile smile to her lips, but it was still there, and it was still real, even if that someone was the number one hyperactive, knuclehead ninja. Sakura loathed to admit it, but Naruto certainly has grown on her since they both became genin. She reached the doors to the hospital and pushed through. Sakura went up to the middle aged female receptionist at front desk, the receptionist said to her "You know, I used to think of Naruto as a lesser person, but since the chuunin exam finals and the Invasion we suffered through about three months ago, I've come to see him in a new light as someone who will fight until the bitter end for those he cares about. If I were only about twenty five years younger, I would've taken Naruto right then and there, because he's a real keeper. Naruto's the type you want to grasp onto and never let go until death do you part. To be honest, I'm inspired by him. I wouldn't be too surprised if one other person AT LEAST has also seen him in this way." "I know, he can push other people to be better than what they were, he can change them." Sakura replied." And that, young miss, is a VERY rare gift. See you later" the older woman said. "Bye" Sakura replied in kind. Sakura walked her way to Naruto's room. When she reached his door, she heard him crying softly.

Everytime that I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face gettin' clearer
The past is gone
It went by like dusk to dawn
Isn't that the way
Everybody's got their dues in life to pay

Knocking on the door, Sakura could hear a sudden stop of the crying. "Come in." a soft, but still husky voice said. She walked into his room. It was no where near as messy as Naruto's actual apartment, but it still looked like it had traces of being lived in. At Sakura's entrance, Naruto's expression changed from what had been a depressed face to a cross of relaxation and comfort. "Sakura-chan. Hi. Have a seat." He said as he pointed to the nearby stool. Sakura noted he wasn't his usual, sugar-charged, self. In it's place was a Naruto who was far more mature than anyone in the whole village has ever seen, and she suspects that this is the real Naruto."Hey Naruto, how have you been?" Sakura replied. "Just fine, how about you?" "Great, Naruto, I'm sorry that I haven't been here much, it just that…" "Sorry Sakura, I lied about being fine earlier. Actually, I'm really rather depressed." He said in a serious tone that surpasses all of the other serious tone he has."I've been pushing myself along without anyone's help for so long, and the stress of that responsibility is really getting to me."

I know what nobody knows
Where it comes and where it goes


I know it's everybody's sin
You got to lose to know how to win

Sakura sat there, stunned. She had no Idea of what to say, if she even did have anything to say. After all, most of Naruto's life was filled with lonliness. There was no one to be there for him, to support him, so the only person who he had to tell him to keep him going was himself. She was thinking back to her comment about Naruto not having parents and Sasuke's reply. Then a familiar emotion rose within her. Guilt. Guilt from not only not giving im the time of day when he asked for it, but for the guilt of not realizing he always gave, and never took for himself. Sakura also realized that Naruto fought for everything that he has. As she thinks this, she looks into his face. No longer beaming, nor jumpy, but looking like he's seen more than any child should. She burrows into his eyes, seeing a maturity that most girls thought Sasuke had, but laid in the one person who all of the classmates never thought would be that way. "I'm sorry" was all that Sakura could say as crystaline droplet formed at her eyes.


Half my life is in books' written pages
Live and learn from fools and from sages
You know it's true
All the things you do, come back to you

"For what?" Naruto said. "For not seeing you for YOU before, for being so conceited and thinking I had it tough, when you've been through hell and back." Sakura chorted out. She tought back to what the receptionist said, and thought that she was right about Naruto being an inspiration to others. Sakura looked at Naruto as if he was an angel in waiting, ready to ascend to a higher realm. This new facet of his personality makes him seem like he really deserves everything he has. "I don't care about that anymore. I didn't have a connection to anybody for a long time. Now, that I have them, I treasure them more my life itself" Naruto said. " So that's why you want to chase after Sasuke? Because he's in danger, and he can't see it?" Sakura cried out. " I think you have it all wrong, Sakura-chan, he knew what he was getting into. He just needs to be pushed back into the light. To realize that there are other ways." Afterwards there was a long silence, finally broken by Naruto." Sakura-chan, there is something I have to tell you, you know how I said for most of my life I didn't have any connections to anyone? Well, I've always wanted to be able to share how I really feel about things going on in my life. With anyone really, but I'm glad it was you, because you can understand how I feel about this incident. I lost a brother and a friend, and you lost someone you l-love." Naruto said.


Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter sing for the tear
Sing with me, if it's just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away



Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter sing for the tear
Sing with me, if it's just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away

If Sakura was stunned before, all her bodily functions stopped then and there."Na-naruto…". Naruto lunged forward and hugged Sakura, ignoring the pain he was currently in."Shh… Sakura-chan it's okay. I'm here" Nauto said, voice beginning to crack."We'll get him back. Sasuke will be back…I gurantee it."

Dream On, Dream On, Dream On,
Dream until your dream come true
Dream On, Dream On, Dream On,
Dream until your dream come true
Dream On, Dream On
Dream On, Dream On
Dream On, Dream On,
Dream On,

A mixture of emotions were boiling over both of them.Tears spilled out onto the both of them. Sakura and Naruto continued their embrace, letting out every tear they had even the silent ones were given no mercy. Sakura tightened their embrace as the emotions began to reach a fever pitch. They were baring all of their emotions, all of the things they were holding back, to each other. All of the painful rejections, all of the sadness, all the hurt. They were just letting themselves simply BE.


Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter sing for the tear
Sing with me, if it's just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away

Sing with me, sing for the year
Sing for the laughter sing for the tear
Sing with me, if it's just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good Lord will take you away

'Naruto…' Sakura thought ' You will make a great Hokage someday.'