Naruto:

Hard Work Pays Off in the End

Chapter 2:

Naruto! Sasuke! I'm On My Way!

Author's Note:

Well, here's the sequel to the first chapter! I actually wrote this right after I wrote the first with what I wanted to say and happen already planned out. As far as right now goes, I have some plans for later chapters, but I'm ultimately unsure if I want to incorporate any other real enemies or what. I suppose I could tie this to the Last: Naruto the Movie and just do the events how I would. Then again, I might do that in a separate story. What do you guys think? Let me know what you think, though. I'm always open to that sort of stuff! I definitely plan on wrapping up the things that had been worked towards and developed during Part 2 during this story. Give me ideas of what you think or suggestions or even just tell me what you think of what I've done so far! I mean, don't get ahold of me just to tell me "Oh, you're retarded for not thinking what I do," but genuinely giving me some constructive criticism without being a douchebag is really appreciated and encouraged! Thanks for reading this rambling.

Grawman67

Dislaimer:

Of course I don't own Naruto. When you pick up the volume in the store, does it say Grawman67 or my actual name? No. Unless my name is Masashi Kishimoto (which it isn't), then I don't own Naruto or any affiliated properties at all.

Naruto:

Hard Work Pays Off in the End

Chapter 2:

Naruto! Sasuke! I'm On My Way!

Tears stung in Sakura Haruno's eyes as she continued pushing herself further and faster. Every step brought her closer to some kind of conclusion. Whatever was waiting for her at the Valley of the End was going to change her life forever.

Naruto…

This was one of her first thoughts after waking. After a long and difficult series of battles where he narrowly escaped death, he still went after Sasuke. After all this time, he wouldn't let go of his best friend. She understood that. She really did. At the same time though…

Sakura thought to herself. "He's almost died trying to bring Sasuke back. Even if he has gotten so much stronger…he can still…"

She could hardly bring herself to think of Naruto's mortality. He was stronger than anyone she knew in so many ways, but the visions of Naruto's almost lifeless body wouldn't leave her mind or her memories. The image of his burned body after reaching Four Tails still bothered her. Tears were threatening to spill.

He almost died on the battlefield and it had scared her to death. She believed in him, but she was his best friend and it gave her a little bit of leeway to worry about him.

"Best friend. Yeah, right." Sakura entertained the thought in her head during a few spare moments in the war that she would have already told Naruto that she had deeper feelings for him if it all had never happened. Then again, she was fooling herself. She hadn't told him before and she probably wasn't going to say anything anyway. The war changed her, though. They might not even be alive tomorrow.

The thoughts shifted to the other young man occupying her mind.

Sasuke…

It was true that he had found his way to the battlefield and had even assisted them, but it wasn't out of selflessness. He had even said then that he didn't care what any of them thought of him. She was glad he had been there, though. If he had never shown up, it was possible that Naruto wouldn't have succeeded and Obito and Kaguya would have never been stopped.

Ever since Sasuke had told her of Naruto's saving her from Gaara, Sakura had found her feelings for Sasuke changing. Slowly at first. Very slowly, but they certainly got to the point of being confusing by the time both he and Naruto had left her alone in Konoha. When she had been much younger, she had been so sensitive to what others thought of her and her opinion of herself hinged entirely on what the other children though. Seeing Sasuke, as popular as he was, she almost felt that, if she loved him too and maybe even convinced him that he loved her too, she could be liked and she could finally start liking herself.

Looking back on it, Sakura knew that was stupid of her. It had also been stupid of her to dismiss Naruto as much as she had. The guilt still gnawed at her at times. Day after day of being a part of Team Seven changed her opinion on the blonde haired boy, to the point to where she enjoyed his presence a bit after having Naruto to thank for her life after Gaara's rampage.

She had still been head over heels for Sasuke though and even was after he left. His absence clawed at her heart and she wrenched in despair even after Naruto had come back from his two years' worth of training. That was another thing: the two year gap in their lives. It was what she considered the period of her life where she hit her stride and actually grew up.

Before Naruto had left, they had enjoyed each others presence a fair bit more than they had had the chance to before. After he left too, she felt depressed at first, but that depression turned to resolve, a resolve that said that she would work her hardest to prepare for the day when he would come back so they could go get their teammate and friend back. The longer she had went without both Naruto and Sasuke achieved two things for her: one, she became increasingly conscious of the fact that she actually missed Naruto and that she actually cared a great deal for him and, two, that Sasuke wasn't the center of her life. She lived on without him successfully for two years and lived a meaningful life. She didn't need him to try to feel good about herself.

Things were more confusing when Naruto came back, though, as she still had feelings for the raven haired boy. Naruto, though…He had grown up quite a bit and it was apparent from the first time she saw him. He was taller than she was! His voice had managed to get deeper and he didn't sound like a little kid anymore! He was just as goofy and loud as he had been before, but he had changed like she had. It seemed like he did just enough growing up to even out, but he still kept his essence, the same burning flame of optimism that he had before he left. Sakura acted strangely around him at first and, before he even came back, she found herself both looking forward to and dreading when he would come back. She remembered feeling awkward around Naruto in a way that she had hardly been awkward around others before, the blushes that would tinge her face when she was near him, and the conflicting thoughts that constantly shuffled between the warm boy that was actually there with her and the dark and cold on that had left her behind. Naruto brought her happiness and helped to ease the pain Sasuke had left in her heart.

Sasuke, however, had grown colder, calculating, and menacing. Everything he did when they finally saw him with Sai at Orochimaru's lair spoke of pure tact, evil, and ruthless precision in everything he did. He was the dark while Naruto was the light. Sakura had long entertained the idea of being able to make him see sense, to make him come back to the light, even if he didn't fall in love with her. Those two years changed that too. She realized he would never fall in love with her even if she wanted him too. She valued him as a friend and teammate, but even that changed after seeing him for the first time after two-and-a-half years. He nearly killed her and Naruto without batting an eye. No hesitation or remorse showed in those dark eyes that had once held her heart. It was only worse after he had tried to kill her again before Naruto saved her. Long story short, her feelings had changed dramatically for both boys since the day Team Seven was formed.

As Sakura continued on her way to the Valley of the End, she could feel the fading chakra signatures of two people. Even from that distance and with how they were fading slowly, she could tell how much power they had.

Sakura's jaw tightened. "Naruto. Sasuke…Please be okay. I'm on my way!"