I knew it was time for an end. I had dreamt about this moment for as long as I could remember, but happening now, it feels so different from my dreams. I had a long life, full of regrets and pain but right now, I'm feeling neither of these things. Looking down at the boy in front of me, the bright flame that I had entrusted my dreams to, I finally feel like that I have accomplished something. He was different from the others, he reminded me of ...him. What would Yahiko say to me now? Would it be words of praise or would he chastise me for not bringing about his goals?

I closed my eyes and thought about the past. This kid here, he made me regret all the things I've done, the pain I've caused to others. He made me think about the numerous dreams I've crushed to achieve my own, the many lives I've taken to get here. Before I would believe that, in order to accomplish our own ambitions we must destroy the beliefs of others, that's how the world worked. One country's peace would mean war in another, the larger countries survived on the poverty of minor countries. This kid here, Naruto Uzumaki, he really believed differently, and I believe him.

So I guess this is it. To everyone I've met in this tedious journey, thank you.

Mom, Dad, if you're watching me, I hope I've made you proud and I hope forgive me for the terrors that I've done. Your deaths made quite an impact on me, I hope I'll meet you sometime but instinct tells me that I'll be going to a different place from you. I'll always remember you, the times we've spent together as a family, I was always a burden to you and dad so I'm sorry. I hope you're happy where you are now.

To Tiny, you've been a great companion, if it weren't for you I would have given up ages ago. I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you much, forgive me.

To my buddies in Akatsuki. You guys gave your lives to make my dreams happen. Sasori I've never really gotten over the fact that you died, you were one of the oldest members and one of the most loyal. Your death really affected me and the rest of Akatsuki. Hidan, you're in a place worse than death, you were a useful member even though you started fights and complained all the time, but friends support each other don't they? It's what friends are for and as your friend, I failed to support you, I'm sorry.

Kakuzu, you were one of our most experienced members but I guess five hearts isn't enough, I wish I even had a heart as pure as yours. And to Deidara, it's members like you that brighten up our teams atmosphere, I wish there were more people like you in the world. I'm sorry I forced you to join our team, but I hope meeting friends in Akatsuki helped your terrorist lifestyle. Even though I didn't show it, I was saddened by your death, I hope you still respect me as a leader.

I'm strong but I've yet to be as strong as all of you.

Jiraiya sensei, you were the only one who had the patience to teach me ninjutsu, and explain to me the meaning of life. You made me who I am now, I hate to imagine what I would have ended up like if I hadn't met you. To be honest, I really did believe in your "peace" but I gave up, even when you believed in me, I have failed you. What I really regret is being the cause of your death, how much you may hate me for that, I beg you to forgive me as my last request, not as Pein, but as your student Nagato. I've entrusted both our dreams to one of your other students, I thank you for creating this beacon of hope, I really believe that he could make our dreams reality.

And lastly Yahiko. I don't know where to begin. Should I thank you for believing in me and Konan? I must admit, I've always respected you as my best friend but also as a natural leader. The times when we were a three, those were the happiest I've been in my life, the memories...there's too many to list. When you died, they were all gone, I lost everything and so did Konan. Your words shaped the pathway through my life, I'll never forget you in these years to come. If you could see through my eyes now, I want you to meet the boy that resembles you so greatly. He, like you changed my life. I finally feel like I'm contributing to your beliefs, do you still respect me? You've done so much for me and yet, I haven't given you a single thing.

To everyone, I know all I've ever done was apologize, but I hope that you won't remember me this way.

I opened my eyes again, the boy was looking hopefully up at me, I bowed my head to him as a sign of respect. My surroundings were starting to fade away. So this is death, I thought. Now I realised that this was exactly how I imagined it to be. I have nothing to regret, my last deed was one that could benefit the world. What more could I ask for? My last action was one that could help so many people, at least I repaired part of the damage that I've done.

Sensei, mom, dad, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, Kakuzu and Yahiko, are you all proud of me? I finally know what it feels like to have a part in someone elses life. The hundreds of leaf shinobi I helped, I hope they remember me not for who I was before but who I am now. I relaxed my body and counted down the seconds I had before I left this world and entered the next. This was it, the end of Pein, the end of Nagato. The last moment before I fully lost consciousness, I felt something that I haven't felt for so long. It encouraged me to stay strong for what awaited me in the next life.

I felt happy.

The end

[A/N] - my first fic, leave some comments?