"Sakura."
Sakura froze. She could recognize that voice anywhere. That voice sounded so far away, but it was so close at the same time. She could feel him. He wasn't far.
"Naruto..." She whispered shakily, hand clutching the phone. People started to brush pass her, chaos and panic swimming in the air. The streets of New York were no longer safe. They fled for shelter, running away from the direction she faced. Everyone scrambled pass Sakura. But it was so crowded. They were sardines in a can. A lost child. A frightened man. An abandoned old woman. All packed together. Suddenly ripped from the reality they thought was safe.
But Sakura just stood there. She let the people shove harshly pass her. A million faces per second. It was madness.
The air was arid and hot, but her blood ran cold.
Naruto.
Naruto, her love.
Her everything.
He was in the second Twin Tower.
The burning Twin Tower.
"Sakura," his hoarse voice buzzed through her phone. "I'm going to be fine, don't worry, I'm getting in the elevator in just a sec--" But she couldn't bear it anymore. She knew he was lying. He was trying to be brave. He was always trying to be brave. He was going to let the others get in the elevator first. He always put the others before him. That idiot...
It took her a second to realize she was crying.
"Sakura, Sakura!" Her uncontrollable sobs made it hard to hold the phone.
"Sakura," Naruto said more firmly. "Listen, okay? Get to somewhere safe and make sure Tsunade and 'Suke are safe too--"
Rivulets of tears ran down her face. It was getting harder and harder to hear him now. She could hear screams and sobs blaring from where Naruto was. Oh God. She could just imagine his brilliant blue eyes, his cheeky grin and that beautiful, beautiful blond hair. This wasn't supposed to happen. They were supposed to be together. They were supposed to be happy.
"I love you, Naruto, I love you," she cried. "Please, don't leave me, please. Get out of there. Now."
A moment's hesitation. Then a sad chuckle. "Sakura - I love you too. I always will. I love you, Sak--"
Then the line went dead.
Just as the second Twin Tower fell.
Sakura's heart dropped like a stone.
She didn't even notice the other tower falling. Her chest hurt so much she didn't care.
An angry rush of grey smoke flooded the streets. Her body started to register what happened. More screams. Sirens. Everyone covered in grey. She could feel someone shaking her, vaguely hearing, "Miss, miss! You've got to move, miss--"
But it didn't matter. Her mind was entirely somewhere else. All that was going through her head was,
Naruto's gone.
He's gone.
Depressing one shot... This is in memorial for 9/11, for the lost ones, and the ones who lost someone special.