Hey all, Slyvia here again.

Well, vacation was terrible and school sux, i have math with absolutely NONE of my friends, grr, stupid juniors, think they're all that but they're not!

Oh, well, Read and Review the chapter, don't worry, this story is NOT over...

She was gone.

Sasuke looked up at his burning house, watching the flames dancing across the clearing. He watched as one flame burned and popped out and stared as the flamed melted away.

He watched as glass shattered and a body tumbled to the ground.

Sasuke lifted his head, watching as the body twitched and writhed, he noticed a flash of pink as he staggered to get up.

"Sakura!" he screamed as he limped over to where her body laid, "Sakura!"

He turned her over in his arms as her face was covered in blood along with the rest of her body. Kakashi limped over to where Sasuke held her body.

"Sakura! Come on, come on," Sasuke pleaded as he touched the side of her face.

He noticed the katana sticking out of her stomach and slowly pulled it out, receiving a groan from Sakura.

He sighed, relieved that she was still alive. He called her name as she coughed up blood and shook.

"She's breathing but barely…." Kakashi drawled as Naruto crawled over to them.

"Sakura chan? Wake up, Sakura chan!" Naruto called as he took her hand in his.

"Sakura! Can you hear me? Sakura!" Sasuke called as he wrapped his arms around her body.

"…S..Sas…Sasuke?" Sakura whispered as she clutched the pictures of Sasuke's family in her arms.

"I'm here Sakura, I'm here," Sasuke whispered as tears dripped from his face onto hers.

"Sas…S…Sas…" Sakura gasped out as more blood seeped through her mouth.

"Sakura," Sasuke pulled her body as close to his as he could, "Come on, stay with me, stay with me!"

Sakura's body shook as Kakashi and Naruto cried out her name and placed their hands over the deep hole in her stomach from Kitaro's katana.

Her eyes fluttered as Sasuke's face faded in her mind. She could vaguely make out the outside voices as Sasuke touched her face, screaming out her name.

'It hurts so much,' Sakura thought as she started to choke on her own blood, gasping for air in Sasuke's lap, 'It hurts,' she repeated.

Darkness crept into her mind as Sasuke's voice faded; his screeching became a whisper as her eyelids drooped.

'Sasuke,' she thought as she tried to open her eyes.

But it was no use.

Every time she tried to re open her eyes they slammed shut. Her body felt numb with each attempt she made to move.

"Sas-"she started before her throat closed and her lungs constricted in her chest.

The pain started to fade from her body as the darkness flooded her vision.

No longer did she hear Sasuke's cries, Kakashi's pleas, and Naruto's prayers. No longer did she feel Sasuke's hand on her cheek or the clenched fists trying to stop the bleeding on her stomach and side.

No longer did she feel anything.

Sakura's body stopped shivering in Sasuke's lap as Sasuke shook her slightly.

"Wake up," he cried as he laid her down on the ground, "wake up, come back," he repeated as stroked the sides of her face.

No, he couldn't get her back just to lose her again. She couldn't have fought her way out of the burning building just to die in his arms. No, she couldn't leave him after she tried so hard to come back. No, she couldn't die.

"Please, Sakura, come back, wake up," Sasuke chanted in a daze as he lowered his forehead on top of hers.

Naruto stared as Sasuke cried into Sakura's face.

He'd never seen Sasuke cry.

"Sasuke," Naruto croaked as he moved to touch his arm.

Sasuke jerked his arm away as he shook Sakura again, still pleading for her to wake up.

The other shinobi appeared at the house soon after and all watched as a pool of blood surrounded Sakura's body.

Ino and TenTen ran to their fallen boyfriends who only brushed them aside and continued to watch Sasuke rock back and forth against Sakura's body, screaming her name.

"This isn't how it's supposed to be," he cried, "please, wake up, look at me!" he screamed as Naruto touched his arm again.

Sasuke didn't notice Naruto's hand on his arm or Tsunade and Shizune rushing to try and heal Sakura; all he did was caress her face, smearing her blood into her hair.

"Don't do this," Sasuke cried, his tears mixing with the red liquid on her face, "Don't leave me, don't, please, don't leave me."

Sakura's body did not stir.

Tsunade screamed in frustration, tears rolling down Shizune's face as she tried furiously to pump chakra into Sakura's body, sealing up the deepest wounds and trying to re start her heart.

Kakashi slumped next to Sakura, trying not to cover his ears at his student's agonizing screams. Yamato appeared next to him and dropped to his knees, shaking as he stared at Sasuke.

"I should've been there, I should've," Yamato repeated over and over again.

Kakashi shook his head as tears rolled down his face, "Would it have made a difference?" he asked.

Naruto's head whipped around, wanting to shout and scream at his sensei for saying something like that. He wanted to punch his teacher in the face, beating him senseless for saying they didn't help her or even try.

But he didn't. He couldn't say anything because it was true. They weren't there for her, to help or save her. They fell into a trap and for that act; they were punished with Sakura's death.

'Why? Why?' Naruto inwardly asked.

"Please Sakura, I love you, please, come back to me," Sasuke's eyes widened as he pressed his forehead hard into hers.

"We have to get her to the hospital," Tsunade sniffled.

Shizune nodded as Tsunade attempted to pry Sakura's limp body from Sasuke's.

"No," Sasuke growled as he turned to face the Hokage with his sharingan.

"Sasuke," Tsunade started.

"Leave her alone!" he screeched as he wrapped his arms protectively around her body.

"Stop it Sasuke," Tsunade bellowed as her eyes stung wit tears, "You need to-"

"No! Just get away from me! Just stay away!" Sasuke continued to yell.

"Sasuke," Yamato said crawling over to his teamate, "you have to let her go."

"No! She's not gone, she's going to be fine," he lulled himself into a false sense of reality as Yamato placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Sasuke."

"She's going to get better, she's going to wake up," Sasuke repeated as he stared out into Konoha.

Yamato slowly took Sakura out of Sasuke's hands as Sasuke continued to ramble, trembling as tears ran down his face.

"Tsunade sama," Yamato said as he lifted Sakura's body off the ground, "let's go."

Sasuke shook on the ground as he slowly stopped talking.

"Come on Sasuke," Naruto started as he slowly got up, pulling the Uchiha up with him, "we have to go to the hospital."

Sasuke stared up at the ceiling of the hospital room. His body was completely bandaged as his eyes clouded over with tears. The night breeze filtered through the room as the rest of the occupants looked over at Sasuke's bed.

Neji hadn't been able to say anything to Sasuke ever since they'd came back, he didn't know what he could say.

Shikamaru said the only thing he could, "I'm sorry Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't answer.

Sai could barely move or breathe as he stared at the bed next to him. His face was covered with plastic breathing apparatuses as they steadily pumped air through his lungs. His hands shook as he fought back tears.

He didn't want to see Sasuke in pain, none of them did.

Kakashi looked across the room as his student refused to eat or sleep. Kakashi wanted to scold Sasuke about being difficult but he couldn't. How could he?

"Sasuke," he muttered through his mask.

Naruto tried to lighten the mood, "Sasuke, maybe there's a chance, Tsunade's a great-"

"Naruto," Kakashi cut in as Naruto's crooked smile faded at the sad realization of his words.

Sakura wasn't going to make it.

Sasuke continued to stare up at the ceiling, refusing to allow his body to sleep or eat. Any nurse that tried was ignored, nothing more, nothing less.

Sasuke's eyes burned as he replayed the scene in his mind.

Tsunade walked into the room where the six shinobi were recovering.

Shizune and the other medics had quickly healed them to the best of their abilities and put them in the same room together, secluding them from the rest of the world.

"Tsunade?" Shikamaru said as the Hokage closed the door behind her.

Sasuke didn't look over to the Hokage as the rest did. Sai's mechanically breathing echoed through the room as Neji craned his neck.

"Sasuke?" Tsunade whispered as she looked over to the raven haired boy.

He didn't spare her a glance, he knew what she was going to say, he knew what was going to happen. And quite frankly, he didn't want reality to hit yet.

He was numb in his make believe world. Nothing existed, nothing mattered, nothing was there and that's the way he liked it.

"Sakura…is she?" Naruto croaked as he began shaking.

"I don't know…." Tsunade whispered, never taking her eyes off Sasuke.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Neji wondered, slightly angered by the Hokage's dazed reply.

"It's touch and go," she sniffled, "I don't know what's…." she trailed.

Sasuke finally broke from his trance and looked over at the Hokage, staring into her puffy hazel eyes.

"

Sasuke didn't say anything as he looked back up at the ceiling, never breaking his gaze.

He didn't eat, he didn't sleep or move. He just wanted to die.

Death: only in death could he be with her. He could see her again.

He was punishing himself for letting her die. It was his fault, he convinced himself, it was his fault that she was dead. He let her die and he didn't deserve to live anymore.

'Why? Why didn't I let her come with me?' Sasuke thought as he angrily glared at the ceiling, 'Why didn't I listen to her?'

He clenched his fists, remembering Naruto asking if they could see Sakura, just one more time before she went. Tsunade shook her head.

Sasuke wanted to see her again, to feel her at his side, to feel her smile touch his heart. He wanted her to live again.

'I want to see her, I have to,' Sasuke thought as he slowly moved his legs.

He softly grunted in pain as he struggled to sit up. The others were sleeping as he shuffled his footsteps across the room, grabbing various tables to get to the door.

'Sakura,' he thought as he limped down the hall into her room.

He slowly opened the door to find her lying in the bed, covered with a white blanket. Tubes protruded from her body as a monitor beeped next to her bed. The green line blipped with her slow heartbeat.

Sasuke cringed. Her heart beat was faint.

"Sakura," he whispered as he walked over to the side of her bed.

Softly he touched the side of her face, carefully avoiding the bandage over her lower cheek.

"Come back," he whispered as he leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers, "Come back to me."

The heart monitor steadily beeped as Sakura stayed silent.

"Please wake up," he whispered, "Just open your eyes, please, don't leave me."

She didn't stir.

Tears burned the rims of his eyes as he touched her face again, "Please Sakura, please….I love you."

Still, she didn't' move.

Slowly Sasuke sat down on her side of the bed, he couldn't leave her, no he wouldn't, not this time.

He swung his legs up on her bed and laid on his side, moving in between her arm and body, he placed his head on her upper shoulder, pushing his nose into her neck. He gave her a soft kiss as he wrapped his arm around her torso.

He couldn't leave her: he couldn't abandon her. If she was going to die than he would stay with her for as long as he could.

Tears leaked from his eyes as he begged her to come back. He wasn't ready to let her go, not yet, not when they had just found each other again.

He was pleading with her to escape death. To fight and come back to him, he was being selfish. He knew that.

But he didn't care.

He would've given anything to see her bright green eyes again. He would do anything to see her smile, if she wanted the moon at her feet he would find a way to tie a rope around it and pull to her. If she wanted to go back in time to save the third Hokage from being killed, he would find a way to run the world backward to save him. If she wanted him to move the mountain beside of Konoha so it blocked the sun, he would do it.

If she wanted him to love her, he would never think twice and do it.

And if she wanted to leave him…..

He wouldn't let her. He would do anything for her as long as she stayed with him, as long as she smiled up at him with her big bright eyes and warm smile.

"I'm not leaving you Sakura," Sasuke whispered, "I never will."

"I promise," he continued as he raised his head and kissed her lips.

He lay back down and stared past her body to the moon shimmering outside.

He started to fall asleep when her room door cracked, the hall way light creating a sliver on the far wall. He didn't look up when he heard shuffling and raspy breathing.

Sai walked to the other side of Sakura's bed, heaving with each step as he stumbled to get onto the bed. If things had been different, Sasuke would've glared at the artist and pushed him off, saying he was a pervert but, Sasuke lifted his arm from Sakura's waist, raising it to cover her chest so Sai could lie on her side.

Sai gave his real smile as he grabbed Sakura's hand and brought it to his lips, softly running them across the knuckles as he lay his head down on her small hand, clenched with his. He curled his legs against her body so he had enough room to sleep on her bed.

Sasuke smiled back at the artist sadly. They knew it wouldn't be long.

Sai put his arm around Sakura's lower body as he snuggled into her warmth as Sasuke did the same, each holding onto her as if she was their life.

She was.

Sai had his own bond with her. She was his friend, the only one who really understood and comforted him when he couldn't express an emotion. If he ever felt lost, she would understand from his silence and take his hand, leading him back into the world he recognized. He only wished he could do the same for her.

Sasuke sighed as the door creaked open again, this time rushed shuffling scampered across the room and stopped at the end of the bed.

"Sakura chan," Naruto whispered as he crawled over Sasuke.

If it had been different, Sasuke would call Naruto a dobe and Sai would call him dickless. But not now. They put aside their petty rivalries and contests to work for something better.

Naruto settled himself on his stomach between Sakura's legs, an intimate position that Sasuke would punch him for but, considering the amount of room, Sasuke shifted his legs so Naruto could climb over him while Sai lifted his arm higher on Sakura's body to allow Naruto to lay his head on her stomach, silently drenching her in his tears.

Naruto couldn't leave her, none of them could. Not when she never left them. He smiled when he remembered the chuunin exams and how Sakura took care of him and Sasuke after their fight with Orochimaru. She fought the three sound ninja to protect them.

"You always took care of us Sakura chan," Naruto sniffled into her stomach as Sasuke and Sai nodded, their own tears stinging, "I'm sorry…..we never said thank you."

Sai shook at her side as he tried to suppress his tears as Sasuke gave a small smile down to his teamate.

He was right: not once did they ever thank her for what she did.

Naruto's knees bent as they caved to the side and sat on Sai's legs. The artist didn't complain and simply shifted his one leg behind his other to get more comfortable.

Again the door creaked open as one set of shuffling followed by quiet footsteps came into the room.

"Guys…." Yamato whispered as he helped Kakashi to Sasuke's side of Sakura's bed.

None of them moved as Kakashi sat slowly down, lightly taking Sakura's hand in his. He held her hand as he sat against her bed, laying his head down behind Sasuke's back on the bit of bed that wasn't occupied.

He ran his fingers over her cool skin, realizing that this was the last time he would see her.

Yamato pulled a chair across the room at the head of Sakura's bed and laid down, putting his head next to hers as he touched her hair, playing with a few strands between his fingers.

"She got her wish," Kakashi whispered as he rubbed the top of her hand.

"What?" Naruto asked, his voice muffled by Sakura's stomach.

"All she ever wanted," Yamato said shakily, "was to be a team again."

Kakashi nodded, "We're all together again, just like she wanted."

Sasuke further buried his face into neck, desperate for her to feel his love and wake up.

She may have been alone in escaping Kitaro; she might've been alone in facing her fear and demon in killing Kitaro; she may have been alone in getting out of Sasuke's burning home but, she wouldn't be alone anymore.

"We'll be with you to the end, Sakura chan," Naruto sniffled again.

"We're a team," Sai heaved, "We'll always be."

Sasuke shook with tears. What could he say?

She saved him from darkness. When he faced the pitch blackness of his heart, he felt her warmth and light over his shoulder. She gave him the strength to turn around and take her hand, pulling him back into the light as she smiled and whispered to him.

'She told me never to let go,' Sasuke thought as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Don't let go yet Sakura," Sasuke whispered, "Don't leave us."

The five shinobi refused to go to sleep. Even though they couldn't help Sakura kill her nightmare, they were there to help her find her peace. They would help her into heaven and stay behind as she walked away from them.

They would hold her hands and feel her against their skin until she had to leave them. Forever they would stay back from the gates of heaven while she smiled and walked away from them. And forever they would watch her back as part of their team faded from their view.

Forever would be a long time before they would see her again.

Sasuke and the others vaguely noticed Neji and Shikamaru crawl into Sakura's room with the help of Ino and TenTen as they lay down on their girlfriend's laps, listening to the beeping of Sakura's heart monitor. They too would stay until the end.

Choji came in with Asuma as they sat next to Ino, staring up at Sakura's bed, covered by her team.

Choji didn't eat and pulled his knees to his chest as he rested his head on top of them.

Hinata walked into the room and smiled sadly at her boyfriend, staring in a daze at Sakura's stomach. She would be there when he needed her.

Akamaru whimpered as he and Kiba followed Hinata and Shino behind him. Kiba gave a small smirk and wiped a tear from his eye as he sat against the wall next to Ino's team. He lay against Akamaru as Hinata leaned against the dog as well. Shino silently hoped Sakura would wake up as he took his place beside Hinata.

Without a word about youthfulness, Lee and Gai walked in, followed by Kurenai who sat next to Kiba, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Lee and Gai sat next to Neji and looked sympathetically down at him. Each shinobi prayed silently that by some miracle Sakura would wake up. They didn't sleep, not wanting to miss a moment they had left with their friend.

The hours dragged on as no one spoke, each one of them not finding the capability to speak. Even if they could, they would know what to say.

"Do you think we should leave them?" Shizune whispered as she stood next to Tsunade and Jiraiya outside of Sakura's room.

They peaked in and watched the sad and angry faces of Sakura's teamates all around her as each of the rookie nine and Gai's squad filled the floor of her room.

"Yes," Tsunade sighed.

"But she-" Shizune started before Jiraiya cut her off.

"Give them this," he whispered, looking down at the floor, "let them be a team one last time."

Tsunade cried into her hand as Shizune nodded.

Jiraiya pulled Tsunade into his shoulder as he let his old friend cry into his shirt. Shizune slumped on the ground as Ton Ton crawled into her lap.

Sasuke took a shaky breath as Sakura's heart monitor beeped on through the night. Every time he would fall into a daze his breath stopped, he knew that each minute that heart monitor beeped she was closer to leaving him.

"Sakura," he whispered, "I love you."

The heart monitor beeped again as Sasuke gave her another kiss on her lips, savouring the feel of them. It would be the last time he would get to feel them on his own. It would be the last time he would lie against her side and it would be the last time she would be with him.

The heart monitor beeped until one fluid green line flowed across the screen with a searing siren.

That was a little sad.

I kind of put all the things i want to happen in Manga and Anime into this story, wanting Naruto and Sasuke to finally realized how much they need and love Sakura. And it's true, never once in the Anime or Manga has Naruto or Sasuke thanked Sakura for saving them. Orochimaru or Gaara? NOPE, and neither have ever really said they appreciate her when she would visit them in the hospital so this is bittersweet.

Just KEEP READING AND REVEIWING!

I know you're all pissed but, just trust me on this one, things will pan out. Don't worry.

Slyvia :P