5 years ago…

"So, it's going to be you?" came the weary voice of a blond ninja. He had been in the cell for five days now. Apparently, the members of the council were more than happy to trade the life of the last of a clan with the godforsaken Kyuubi.

So there he was.

Not to mention, there was a certain someone standing in front of his jail cell. Unfortunately for Naruto Uzimaki, vistors weren't allowed. However, ANBU members were.

"It's been awhile, Naruto." came the voice of Sasuke's replacement all those years ago. Sai too, had seemingly matured in physique. Rather than remain the utterly thin and pale-skinned teenager that he once had been, he was now fully mature, with broad shoulder that didn't make him look so damned lanky anymore. "You look like shit."

There was silence for a moment as Naruto blinked at his former teammate. "Shit? Of course I look like shit. I haven't eaten for two days and I'm about to get my head lobbed off."

Even so, he still smiled weakly. Sai would never understand this man.

"Oh, and here I thought it was just because of your tiny penis." The emotionless man said with his trademark smile.

"Why you--!" However, he paused mid-stand, and simply sighed. Once again, he offered his… semi-friend a weak smile. "You know… I'm actually tempted to miss you."

"Don't worry." Sai blinked. "In about ten minutes, I don't think you'll be able to miss anyone any longer."

"Wow, I can see you got more optimistic." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Thank you."

"It was sarcasm, dimwit!" Naruto snapped, before pausing again. What was the point of even getting angry with this… robot-like-man?

"Okay."

Shaking his head, Naruto pulled something out of his back pocket, before pushing it through the bars of the cells. "Hey, could you do me a favor?"

Sai simply raised an eyebrow in response.

"Could you deliver this to Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked the emotionless man, bright blue eyes looking at his former teammate with a sad smile. "They won't let me mail anything out from here."

For a moment, the ANBU member was silent before taking the piece of rolled up parchment from Naruto's hands. "Of course."

"Thank you."

Wiping the fatigue from her eyes, Sakura simply sighed as she looked at the clock. Had her shift really lasted for so long? It was 3:00 in the morning and she had just gotten home. Life really was just getting that crappy wasn't it? Well, if it counted for anything, at least she had the next day off.

Great… another day to sit around and… mope.

No, she couldn't do that. She had to distract herself. Maybe she would go over to Ino's… and do some… girl stuff. Which would probably be like… ogling guys or gossiping or something.

Eh… maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea.

Still, anything would be better than staying at home, right? Letting out a heavy sigh, the pink-haired kunoichi accidentally knocked a rolled of piece of parchment from the shelf of her drawer. With an arched eyebrow, she bent over to pick it up, only to realize immediately what it was.

Naruto's parting letter.

The sheer memory of it caused tears to spring up into Sakura's eyes. Sinking into a sit on her bed, she carefully unrolled the fragile piece of parchment and began to re-read the letter that she had read far-too-many times. The amount of tearstains upon its wrinkly edges was proof enough of that.

Still, she had to read it. It was the only thing left of him.

"Dear Sakura-chan,

There's a lot of things I want to say to you… but I don't think I'll have any time to say all of it. So I'll start with what's most important, and end when I reach the bottom of this page.

4 years ago, you told me that you loved me… you said that you had just come to your senses and that there was no use loving a missing-nin and criminal like Sasuke-teme. Only… I didn't believe. I wanted to, believe me… I just… couldn't. It was just so odd, how you came out and told me that you loved me.

I couldn't help but feel that… I had been traded up for second best.

That… because Sasuke became a missing-nin and only grew further and further away from you… you chose to pick whatever was left.

It made me feel like garbage.

When you said, "they say a woman's heart is like the Autumn's Sky, right?" I couldn't help but feel like… like… just like.

That's why I reacted the way I did… and that's why I've been avoiding you for 4 years. Honestly, from the bottom of MY heart, I have always loved you. Now matter how many times you pushed me aside and crushed me under your boot, I always continued to love you.

That's why I never gave up. And even though you told me to give up on my promise to you… I couldn't. Because it's a lifelong promise… no matter what.

So that's why I did it. So you could smile again, and not those fake-smiles you've been giving off ever since Sasuke-teme left… but those real ones when he was around. I'd much rather see you happy with someone else than with me and not.

So go, have a great life with teme.

And never forget that I love you.

Uzimaki Naruto."

Silently, tears dripped onto the worn piece of parchment. Why? Why Naruto? Why?! Why did he do it? Why did he sacrifice himself for her sake? For HER?! She was the one who caused him an endless amount of pain, made him make promises that were practically impossible, and yet… and yet…

Why?

"Because I love you, Sakura-chan."

Rolling up the piece of parchment and hugging her knees to her chest, Sakura sobbed loudly into her form, wishing all the pain would just go away.

"I-I l-love you too… Naruto."

9 years ago

"But, Naruto… I can touch you… You bring me peace… from the bottom of my heart, I--…"

"Stop it Sakura…" Naruto cut her off, pushing out of her embrace. "This isn't funny."

She was shocked, no… more than shocked. Hadn't he always declared his love for her? Wasn't he the one who had always protected her because of this love? Wasn't it out of this love that he made her this promise? W-why was he acting this way?

"What are you so upset about…?" Sakura began again hesitantly, "I've just fallen for you instead of Sasuke… They say a woman's heart is like the autumn sky, right?"

Even as those words left her lips... she knew… somehow, something wasn't right.

If there was need of any proof, Naruto suddenly grabbed the girl's shoulder, who suppressed an 'eep' with little effect. "I… hate people who lie to themselves!"

For the next 4 years, Naruto had avoided her, dodging her wherever he went. Although Sakura didn't show it, it had killed her inside. True, at first, she hadn't really loved Naruto, she was just trying to protect him from the suicide mission that he was undertaking.

But even so, he had been her closest friend, and now that pillar of strength that he had been was gone. It was then and only then that Sakura realized how damned important the fool was to her.

Yet every time she tried to talk to him, every time she tried to get close to him, he would abruptly walk away, leaving her staring at the spot that he had once been standing. It made her feel sick, up to the point in which she felt like throwing up.

She just felt so damn alone in the world.

She could remember her reaction to Naruto's declaration, 4 years later. She was so shocked that she didn't have the chance to protest. Why? Why would Naruto sacrifice himself so that Sasuke could live?

Why was he trading himself for a traitor?!

It wasn't until she had received the note that she knew… and by then… it was already too late.

5 years ago

'Why… why is he doing this?!' Sakura's eyes were wide with fear, 'why is he saving Sasuke?!'

There was no answer from the usually loud shinobi to her silent questions as he was marched up the executioner's stand. Frantically, Sakura's eyes darted about, wasn't anyone going to do anything?

Surely, Tsudane had some sort of plan… right?

And yet, she didn't even see the Hokage stir as she watched the boy being wrestled onto the stand with completely somber eyes.

T-this… couldn't be happening!

"Uzimaki Naruto," rang the voice of the leader of the council, "you have been brought here today to take the place of the man known as Uchiha Sasuke."

"You can't do this!" roared the voice of Gai, already beginning to fight his way to the stand. "Naruto's done nothing wrong!"

"My pride and honor cannot allow this!" Lee interjected, joining his sensei as a riot began to break out among the onlookers.

"Control the crowd." The councilmen snarled. Immediately, ANBU sprung into action, driving the rioting crowd back and away from the executioner's stand. "Hurry up, get it over with!"

"NO!" Sakura screamed as the axe was raised, "NARUTO!"

However, she was too late, they were all too late. The last thing a pair of bright blue eyes seemed to register was a flash of pink hair running towards him.

Moments later, a head full of blond hair dropped to the floor with a sickening thud.