A/n Here it is, the final chapter! A huge thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, reviewed, and even just read this story :) Please enjoy and I hope I don't disappoint!

After Naruto and Neji helped clean me up and Shikamaru put Maki in bed the four of us stood in the family room together.

"So… what happened?" I asked finally. Shikamaru looked at Neji who looked at Naruto who scowled at both of them before turning to me.

"Well we... Sasuke was… We found Maki and Sasuke… He… We…" Naruto was obviously struggling. He had been Sasuke's best friend. Naruto was more important to Sasuke than Sakura ever was.

"We had to kill him. He was armed and dangerous. There was no other option." Neji said finally. He sounded a bit apologetic but I couldn't care less what happened to Sasuke. I smiled bitterly and hissed in pain when I tried to sit down. Exhausted, I settled for standing and resting my head on Shikamaru's shoulder.

I told them what had happened here. Every last detail; every word that was said and every punch that was thrown. The men were silent but I just shook my head with nothing else to say. It was a shame what Sasuke had done to Sakura, but obviously it couldn't be fixed. The men were suddenly shifting uncomfortably and looking at each other again.

"What?" I whined, not really in the mood for any more news. Shikamaru cleared his throat and took me gently by the shoulders so I faced him.

"Sasuke had a final message." I nodded my head for him to continue. "He wanted you to know that… that he loved you, Ino." Shikamaru struggled to say with a troubled expression on his face. I collapsed into his arms then and there, my face white as a ghost's. Everyone crowded around me, fanning my face and checking my pulse. I knew I was completely unresponsive to them because I was focused too intently on something else. Through the window in my kitchen, during the last flash of lighting, I saw a blur of pink.

And I knew that Sakura had heard it all.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-

EPILOGUE

I haven't seen Sakura since that night. The next day she and Dani had completely disappeared, leaving nothing behind. Only two days later Sai and Gaara moved in with their adopted daughter, Raya. It was actually kind of funny and I think I laughed for 2 hours straight. Maki made quick friends with Raya, but sometimes I caught her slip up when she was talking and call her Dani.

Even now, on Maki's 12th birthday, she still remembers her old friend. I don't blame her and I don't try to stop her from remembering. It's good for both of us to keep our memories of Sakura and Dani strong.

Maki's birthday party ended just half an hour ago and I've been sitting at this picnic table quietly the whole time. TenTen and Neji were there with their sports stars, Kitsu and Kai. The boys excelled at every sport they ever played and everyone in the neighborhood was their biggest fans. Hinata and Naruto brought Juun, who had won four poetry contests and six science fairs. Raya was there with her fathers, who were so proud of their gymnastics star. Every one of the kids had grown to be great at something, and even though Maki was still just Maki, I loved her more than ever.

She was beautiful and cunning. She could grab anyone's attention and persuade people of anything. She was also wise beyond her ages. She didn't trust freely and she always asked questions. She was cautious and could be closed off to the world.

She was my spitting image.