A/N: My thanks to: greywolfe1701, husky2c, 25BAM50, LegendaryWriterS, Capper84, Sensuto, hillariuslyInjustic, V-Oh, Dieinhappiness, RosesAndRavens for the follow, favourite and/or review!

I really have no idea where this idea even came from.

Chapter 25: Emerald and Cerulean

Naruto slowly turned his head, careful not to let her see him staring. Just as he always did when it came to her. He could do nothing but stare. And it hurt. In the way his throat would painfully constrict, and his heart would twist inside his chest.

The little girl with the painstakingly familiar pink hair tugged on the dress of the figure beside her, who smiled before kneeling down in front of the child and offering her ear.

The girl whispered into her mother's ear and Sakura's head slowly turned to the side and before he could avert his gaze or run, her gaze collided with his.

Emerald clashing with cerulean.

Just as it once did.

...Shit.

Sakura was motionless for several moments, before she stood up and smoothed her dress out. She took the little girl's hand and walked over, her eyes unreadable and clouded.

Shit, shit, shit, shit.

Naruto eyes darted around, looking for a way to escape, before internally groaning and running a hand through his hair, his palms clammy. She was already too close anyways.

She gave him a small smile as they approached and bowed. "...Hokage-sama."

Naruto gave a quick nod. "...Sakura." He said quietly, his hands clenched tightly into fists.

A flash of pain swept over her face as she rose back up.

The little girl looked up at her mother, a curious look on her face. "What's a 'Hokage', Mommy?"

Sakura smiled down at her daughter. "The Hokage is the strongest ninja in the whole village. He protects and takes care of us all."

The little girl stared in amazement at Naruto, her eyes shining. "Wow!"

Naruto suppressed the urge to look away when familiar onyx eyes bore into his, and painful memories arose once again.

He took a deep breath before kneeling down in front of the girl and giving her a small smile.

"...What's your name?"

She straightened up, her eyes shining. "Uzumaki Keiko!" She said proudly and gave him a toothy grin.

Naruto's head jerked sharply up to Sakura, who was looking right at him with an expression he couldn't identify.

He abruptly stood up, startling the little girl, and used the shunshin no jutsu to disappear right then.

Naruto collapsed in his chair in the Hokage Tower, shocked by his own actions. He just could never seem to control his emotions when it came to her.

He had just run away from them! The Hokage!

He groaned and lay his head down on his desk.

He finally calmed down an hour later, and was staring outside the window, his chin resting on his palm. He vowed to never again cross paths with her, for all she seemed to bring him was misfortune and sorrow.

A light knock surprised him out of his thoughts and his chin slipped off his palm. He cursed softly.

"Come in!"

The door opened and a slender figure walked in, her long pink hair now tied up and her dress flowing behind her.

He sat completely still in his seat, having locked eyes with her emerald ones.

They stood for what seemed like hours, staring. Just staring. Before she slowly walked over, and took his hand, surprising him. She hauled him up gently and he let her.

He never wanted to grab her and hold her tightly in his arms more than in that moment. But never again would he be able to.

"Let's go up." She spoke softly and a burst of warmth flooded through his body.

Up to their spot.

And he had no choice but to follow. Just like it had always been.

Follow her like she was the only thing keeping him alive. Like she was the air for his lungs, and the heart that kept his blood flowing through his veins.

And she was.

They both sat on their bench, their arms just barely touching, watching the sun cast long shadows over the village.

"We haven't talked in a while." Sakura broke through the stifling silence. "Three years to be exact."

"...Busy with…" He hesitated. "Hokage stuff." And he winced at how pathetic of an excuse that was.

She gave him a look which made him clear his throat and look away uncomfortably.

Sakura sighed and turned her gaze away. "Don't worry. I don't blame you."

"She…" He swallowed thickly, desperate to change the subject. "looks a lot like you."

She smiled softly, staring at the distance and nodding slowly. "Except for the eyes…"

"At least she hasn't got his personality." He muttered as Sakura breathed out a laugh. And that was when he realized just how long it had been since he had heard that laugh. That laugh he loved so.

"She's got a personality that rivals yours." She said quietly, hesitantly placing her hand beside his on the wood.

His raised his eyes to look at the flashes of scarlet and orange bursting in the sky that he hadn't seen in over four years.

"She could have been mine." He whispered a moment later, his voice hoarse.

Sakura lowered her gaze to the ground. "I know." Her voice soft.

"Does...does he...love her?" He asked hesitantly.

Sakura had a thoughtful look on her face. "He doesn't show it...but...he does."

"Oh…good."

She placed her hand on his face and gently turned it towards hers. "I know...I know that you would have loved her with all your heart. And you would have definitely shown it."

He stared into her emerald eyes, the ones he had dreamt about. "I would." He managed to get out, his throat burning with all the things he longed to say, but couldn't. Because that wasn't fair to her, and the decision she had made. The incredibly selfless decision for the village and their friend.

She smiled at him, before her eyes flickered down to his lips and back up. As did his. She slowly began to lean forward, but he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back, fighting against every bone in his body.

Her face fell, a hurt look immediately washing over her features. "...What's changed…?"

"...Everything." His voice was quiet. "...And nothing." He let out an empty laugh.

She furrowed her brow.

"He's still got you. Like he always has."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "He hasn't got me." She said, anger creeping into her voice, before she slowly let out her breath. "But you're right about one thing. Nothing's changed. He's still the same old Sasuke as he always was. But my feelings are far from how they used to be towards him." She said with certainty. "It's just...two more, and I'll be back. I swear." She said with conviction.

Naruto fell forward and lay his head on her collarbone. Sakura's breath hitched.

Seconds later, he turned his head to look up at her, his eyes angry and wet. "Is it wrong to say...that I hate him?" He asked, a confused and extremely conflicted look on his face. "My own best friend who I fought so hard to bring back...is it wrong to say that I wished that I never succeeded?" His voice so choked with pain and shame, it broke Sakura's heart.

She gently cupped his face in her hands and kissed his tears away.

"Naruto...Sakura...please."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "There are many things I can do for you, Sasuke. But this is not one of them. And it never will be." He growled.

Sasuke knelt in front of them, his face stony. "Please...there's...no one else. And I have to restore my clan...I have to." His voice cracking at the end, finally showing hints of emotions behind that mask.

Naruto shook his head firmly. "Absolutely not." He growled.

Sakura lay her hand on his shoulder. "...Naruto…" She said, her voice unwavering, but all the words were there, unspoken for.

Naruto jerked his head around and stared at Sakura, a look of absolute shock on his face. "S-Sakura…" He choked, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

"He owes it to his family...his clan...his brother." Sakura spoke softly, her words trembling.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto's face twisted in pain.

"There's no one else." She stared at him, her own eyes reflecting the pain and sorrow in his.

He left right there and then, ignoring Sakura's calls. He ran up to the roof and fell on his knees. Images of Sakura and Sasuke walking through the village, hand in hand with their children running alongside. The very future he was always, always so afraid of.

His hands were shaking as he gasped and dry-heaved, his chest burning and his stomach turning over and over again.

"I...can't do this. I can't bear it." Naruto gasped. "I can't."

Sakura's lips trembled. "I...can't either. Every single day without you is...killing me."

Naruto stared at her, his expression tortured. Then he grabbed her face and before they could think twice about what this would bring, pressed his lips against hers.

While Sasuke was nothing but rough with her, Naruto was the complete opposite.

These were the lips she had so missed. His gentle hands and lips made the sweet moments from so long ago, come rushing back and filling her with a long forgotten warmth in her body.

Tears fell from her face as she kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck. Naruto's hands drifted down to her back and held her steadily and close against him. Her hands wound through his blond hair and he kept tightening his grip on her, and holding her close as if she would disappear once more. Their mouths moved together in sync with a motion once forgotten, that had come rushing back once their lips touched.

They broke apart moments later, gasping, their foreheads pressed against each other.

Tears were streaming down Sakura's face and Naruto reached up to gently wiped her tears away.

"I...I hate this as well. I wish...I had never agreed…" Sakura sobbed. "B-But when I see Keiko...I…" She cried harder. "I'll come back. I'll be back."

"Sakura…" Naruto hesitated, his heart in pieces. "the kids..."

"I'll bring them with me."

"And when they start asking about their father?" He asked softly. That was all he ever did. That was all he ever was with her. Soft. It made her cry even harder.

"I...we...we're not even married! I don't even love him!" Sakura's voice began to rise. "I love you! I don't love him!"

He hushed her with a kiss. "It's okay." He murmured against her lips. "It's okay." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "It's okay." Kissed her eyes. "It's okay." Kissed the corner of her lips. "It's okay. You're here, right now. And that's all that matters."

He wrapped his arms around as she continued to cry loudly.

They remained there until the sun disappeared, until the moon rose and set, and until their responsibilities returned with the sun and called them back.

They let their night vanish with the moon and stars. They left with a deep kiss filled with sorrow and longing and no words.