Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

Day of Remembrance

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Naruto sighed as he looked out at the rain drenching the streets of Konoha. A few brave people were hurrying by the shops beckoning with their glowing lights, small sanctuaries in the middle of the storm. He opened his window and shivered as the cold hit his exposed skin. He leaned out and let the water soak him through.

Rain always made Naruto think of him. Sasuke. Naruto stiffened as tears started to pool in the corners of his eyes. A shinobi must not let emotions show. Even as an ANBU he had difficulty controlling his emotions when thinking of Sasuke.

"Naruto? What are you thinking?! It's freezing out there. You're sure to get a cold!" the Sakura in his mind said, "Get inside and dry off!" He pulled himself out of his reverie and closed the window. He made his way over to his dresser and grabbed his weapon pouch. Walking over to his door, he picked up the picture of Team 7. Sasuke. Naruto slammed the picture down angrily and quickly walked out into the rain.

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"See you tomorrow, Sakura!" yelled Ino from her flower shop.

"Ja ne!" Sakura replied. She sighed happily and opened her umbrella. 'Maybe I should go visit Naruto,' she thought, 'Rain always makes him nostalgic.' She turned off onto a side street and headed towards Naruto's apartment.

When she reached the door, she was surprised to see it ajar. Her kunoichi senses prickled with fear.

"Naruto?" she called. When she received no response, Sakura ran in and stopped short. On the floor was the Team 7 picture with its glass shattered and spread across the floor. Nothing else in the apartment seemed to be disturbed. She walked over to the window and placed her hand on the sill. 'It's wet,' she noticed with surprise, 'Naruto, where are you?'

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"1001...1002...1003..."

The rhythmic pounding of the log helped him calm down. His hands had started bleeding around number 300 but he had long ago learned to ignore it. He sighed and sank down on his haunches, staring at the now brutally battered log. He remembered the many times Team 7 had come out here to train. How Sakura was always chasing after Sasuke and berating Naruto for any and every thing. How Sasuke never really opened up to anyone. How Sasuke...

'Damn it...' Naruto screamed in his head, 'Damn you, Sasuke! Why did you leave? WHY?!'

He sprung up and continued his relentless complain against the log with even more ferocity.

"1004...1005...1006..."

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Naruto slowly trudged home across the streets, shivering despite his best efforts. He moaned as he walked into his apartment and saw nothing in the cupboard. 'Oh well...' he sighed 'I'll just shower and go to bed for now.'

He slowly dragged himself to the bathroom and turned on the shower. When the water was boiling hot, he stepped under the cascade of water and finally let his emotions show. He let the tears fall and watched as they intermingled with his sweat and blood.

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He woke up the next morning and noticed that the rain was till pelting down on Konoha. 'It's time...' was all his weary mind could think. He got up and put on his ANBU uniform and placed his mask on.

'It's time.'

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No one commented as the guards watched a lone figure go dashing through the gates and out into the cold wet morning. One guard made as if to stop him. Another grabbed his arm.

"It's that day." The other guard nodded and watched the figure disappearing into the horizon.

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Naruto increased his pace as the rain thickened.

When he finally reached the Valley of the End, he stood on one of the statues's heads and looked out on the damage that he along with Sasuke had caused what seemed like yesterday. He jumped down from the statue and went down to the edge of the water in the valley. His hand slowly touched the ground where Kakashi had found him. Reaching into his weapons pouch, his hand closed around the cold metal of Sasuke's forehead protector.

'I will never forget you...Sasuke...'

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The end.

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