Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Warning: Contains spoilers, blood, language, and angst

Village First Faithful,

I hope that all of you enjoyed Christmas. Thank you so much for your kind words of support and constructive criticism for last chapter. It means the world.

I have to say that this is one of my favorite chapters. It was so much fun to write and hopefully, it will be just as fun to read. Again, there are many moving pieces in this particular chapter and everything will not make sense until later down the line. Everything just thickens from here.

I won't take anymore of your time. Read, enjoy, and review. Thanks a million and you will hear from me next week! Happy 2014!

~L.H.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Learn to hate, Taught to Love

Flashback:

She could see her breath.

"Are you ever scared, Naruto?" She called out softly to the man that lay next to her under the night sky. It was another cold evening, her rosy cheeks were a testament to the fact, but his body heat kept her comfortable. He was like her own personal space heater. He was always so warm.

She understood that it was a stupid question to ask him. They were in the middle of a war that was lasting much longer than most had predicted it too. The end was nowhere near in sight and people they loved just kept dying at an alarming rate. For a harrowing second she thought that he had left her, or that she just imagined his presence from the get go. She rolled to her side and the feeling of relief that flooded her could only be described as the best thing in the world. He was still there. He was still here with her.

His blue gaze was regarding her with seriousness that seemed to have become a permanent fixture on his face. Just to reassure herself that he was in fact here and to give her something to do with her hands, she traced the lines marring his cheeks. Gone was the baby fat, and the round features of an adolescent boy. Both were replaced with sharper, more defined, contours of a man's face.

Sakura shivered and pulled his jacket closer around her frame. He was no longer the boy that she had been so nasty towards in the past. He was stronger, bigger, and tougher than her. Maybe he was even smarter than her at times, as well. Not once had he broken eye contact with her. "I'm constantly scared, Sakura-chan." She searched his face for a hint of playfulness or teasing. But she found none, he was being serious. He was being honest.

The intensity of his eyes was starting to become too much for her, so she flipped on her back and stared at the stars. She was a coward but she did not have disillusions about herself. She was cowardly. She chose to just accept that about herself. If she closed her eyes and pretended hard enough they could be back in Konoha, safe, happy, and still have all their friends alive.

She regretted asking her question. It had left her lips without her even thinking it through. She did not want to bleed doubt in Naruto and she certainly did not want him to think that she had lost faith in him. She would sooner slit her own throat than to say something of that nature out loud. She trusted him, she trusted him more than anyone. She even trusted him more than kami.

She could feel his gaze on her. He had learned to be patient in his twenty years of life. "What are you scared of?" She asked him hesitantly. She was curious. What brought fear in someone as fearless as Naruto? What made his knees shake and his heart stop? What caused him pause? What frightened him? She had to know. She needed to know.

She heard the soft sound of the grass being trampled on. The heat he was emitting was even more noticeable. He had moved closer to her. Their close proximity caused the color on her cheeks to darken but it was not because of the biting cold. Sakura burrowed her face deeper into the folds of his jacket.

It was dark around them but she would not put it past Naruto to notice her flushed cheeks. He had always been a keen observer when it came to her. She felt him take her hand in both of his. Her ice cold skin was surrounded by his warm hands. He blew his hot breath on her freezing fingers. He took turns between blowing on them and rubbing them. He was driving her crazy with his unbelievably thoughtful behavior.

When did he do all this growing up? It seemed to her that she had just blinked and he had suddenly matured, grown, flourished. She felt that she had missed it. She had been cheated out of the opportunity to watch him grow, to be a part of it. Jiraiya had snatched two years from her and a small part of her resented him for it.

Neither of them wanted to call it a night and go inside. They rare had moments like these to themselves, anymore. They made the most of them when they could. "What scares you?" She tilted her head and whispered slowly. If she reached just a little more, their noses would be touching.

The grim expression on his face did not cause her heart to lurch, no it was the unbridled fear in his eyes. He was bearing his soul for her again, he was far better with words than she was. He was better at everything than she was. He was incredible, extraordinary. She was merely average. She was lucky to have him in her life, not the other way around. "Losing anymore of my precious people," Sakura closed her eyes and exhaled deeply through her nose. His bangs fluttered in the air. Her hot breath warmed his numb face.

"It can't be helped, Naruto." She felt absolutely deplorable for pointing out something that was painfully obvious. She did not want to be the one to remind him that he would fail. She did not want to be the one who had to tell him that more people would die. She did not want to be the one to bring to his attention that he could not save them all.

But she had to be. Who else would keep him grounded and attached to reality? Who else would tell him that enough was enough? Who else would look after him the way she did? Who else could keep him focused on the bigger picture? If she did not, no one else would.

She opened her eyes and was startled to see the hard expression in his eyes. The hope, passion, and emotion had yet to weaver. "But most of all I fear," his voice was soft but she heard every word. She felt every word. Her jade eyes followed the path of his hand as he pulled his jacket even tighter around her, "losing my most precious person of all."

He had also lost all shreds of subtlety as he grew older. Sakura tore her eye away from his face. Even she could not misinterpret his message, his feelings, or his love. The atmosphere around them was suddenly too thick, too uncomfortable, too raw, and too heavy for her liking. "Would you start a war over me?" She asked into the air, absentmindedly. She had to spearhead the conversation into territory she was comfortable with. If she could mock him then they were in the clear.

She smirked at him, perfectly masking her breaking heart. Her jade eyes watched as the smothering look lightened from his orbs. Before long he was mimicking her smirk, although his was a bit more sinister, darker, and more dangerous. And she loved it. He was not one dimensional. He had his faults, his shortcomings and she appreciated him all the more for it.

"This war doesn't even come close to what I would do for you." His large smile out illuminated the countless stars in the sky. His demeanor was infectious to anyone that had half a heart. She could not fight the equally large, lopsided grin from stretching across her lips. Her cheeks hurt from all the smiling she was doing lately. The muscles were not used to it anymore. She needed to have more Naruto in her day-to-day routine before she completely lost the ability to be thankful for the small things in life. "You wouldn't be able to handle it, no one could. You've seen nothing yet, Sakura-chan!" His eyes twinkled with unreadable emotions.

She did not doubt him. He was not exaggerating. He was not making himself look bigger than he was. He was not inflating his ego. He was being truthful. He was being Naruto. He would do anything for her. And his scale was more outrageous than most people's.

Her face reddened in earnest now. His grin grew in size when he finally noticed the increased brightness of her face. "Cold, Sakura-chan?" He teased her with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

Sakura scowled at him but they both knew her heart was not in it. His silly teasing confession had stolen it. She did not doubt him. If he lost her, he would not rest until he found her again. He would not give up until they were reunited in one way or another. He was stubborn like that. But she supposed that even stubbornness could be an asset in the right circumstance. "Come here, you baka. Before you freeze," she grabbed him roughly by the collar and tugged him closer to her.

She ignored his surprised utterance of 'Sakura-chan!' and his smug expression as she draped the jacket over the both of them. She did not even punch him in the face for being bold enough to wrap his arms around her waist and push her closer to his chest. She did not put up a fight because she found herself enjoying his body heat too much to complain. She even smiled against the skin on his neck. He had truly grown and she could not be more proud of him.

And that was how smirking Kankuro had found them in the morning. And it was at that time she punched the puppet master for making a particularly dirty comment. She also punched a hyperactive blonde who was a little too eager to play along with the imagery that Gaara's elder brother had so vividly described.

Naruto had grown in many ways, but he was still an idiot. But he was her idiot.

End of flashback.

She groaned into her hands.

"He loves her!" Tsume pulled at her hair in frustration. Her face was set in a distasteful expression. The Nara woman pressed her lips together firmly. She got up wordlessly and cleared the dishes that rested on the table. The tea that they had just had did nothing to relive the knot in both their stomachs. The sound of running water reached the Inzuka's ears.

"And by "her", I surmise that you aren't referring to Kushina." Her voice called from the sink. She finished washing the cup in her hands. She set it aside and reached for Tsume's cup. Sakura had given the china set to her as a birthday present. She had come to love the simple red floral design. Sakura did have impeccable taste. Yoshino watched with wide eyes as the cup slipped through her fingers and hit the bottom of the sink. It shattered into an uncountable number of pieces. The water flowed through the spider web cracks.

The Nara gripped the side of her sink. Her knuckles turned white. She felt Tsume's presence behind her. "Kami, Tsume when was the last time you saw Sakura?" Her eyes frantically searched the Inzuka's face. Tsume's brown eyes widened in horror once she arrived to the same conclusion that Yoshino had, no one had seen Sakura since she left the Uchiha compound. "Tell me that she's going to be okay. Tell me that I'm worrying for no reason. Tell me that she's fine."

Tsume looked away from the anxious woman. Under the hard exterior Yoshino was just as vulnerable as the rest of them. She worried about her friends as much as Sakura did. She was as kind as Mikoto and as open as Kushina. Tsume squeezed her shoulder. Both women knew that the gesture was hollow. There was no comfort behind it, no substance. "He loves her. He won't let anything happen to her." She said simply in an unconvincing tone.

The Nara woman turned her attention back to the broken china in her sink. She nodded mutely. She wanted so badly to believe what Tsume was telling her. But a small part of her was not put to ease. "What about Kushina," she whispered. The dog user did not have the heart to answer her.

He stood facing the wood of her door with conflicting emotions raging through him. On one hand he was worried, very worried. But he had given Sarutobi his word. And it had only been two days since Sakura's kidnapping. He would have to wait another twenty-four hours before he could go after her. And the closer he got to the third day, the longer the hours seemed to stretch.

Yet he could not help from having faith in her. She was resourceful. She was tough. She was fighter. She would be okay. She would be fine. He had faith in her. And believing in her to stay alive long enough for him to get to her was the only thing keeping him going. The alternative was too painful to think about.

But even he could not completely ignore the dread that was slowly creeping through him. He would hurt someone today. He would hurt Kushina. The poor woman had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had been a casualty in his feelings for Sakura. And he was sorry that was the case. He had never meant to hurt her but that would provide her with little to no comfort. All that she would be concerned with was the fact that he was hurting her. He was leaving her. He was leaving her for her friend. It did not sound good in his head because it was not. No amount of sugarcoating would ever make this okay.

He leaned his head forward until his forehead brushed against the cool mahogany. He knew what heartbreak was. His own heart was currently in that state. He wished there was another way but there simply was not. He had to be realistic. Not everyone could be spared pain or avoid having their feelings hurt. Not everyone can live life by being happy a hundred percent of the time.

It was time for him to be selfish. It was time for him to put himself first. Even if she rejected him, he could at least look himself in the mirror and say that he tried his best. He loved her and he would not only tell her but he would show her. It was time that he did one the hardest things in his life so that he could have a legitimate shot at being happy. It was all or nothing. Either he would be with Sakura or spend the rest of his days alone.

The time for him to end it had arrived. This game had been going on for long enough. Sakura, Tsume, and even Masaki had been right. The time for playing games was in the past. Now he had to be an adult and accept the consequences of his actions. He hoped beyond hope that she could find space in her heart to forgive him. But he was prepared to live with the possibility that the Uzumaki would despise him for the rest of her days. He had learned to be okay with that. He had to be okay with it. It was too real of a possibility.

He tilted his head back and took two steps backwards. His fist knocked on the door. He heard her call out from behind the slab of wood. The door knob jiggled before opening. Recognition flashed in her irises. The large smile in her face and the curve of her eyes formed a lump in his throat. "Minato, sweetie!" She greeted him with enthusiasm. She held her arms open for him to embrace her, just like they had done a hundred times before.

Only this time he remained rooted in his spot. This time he did not smile at her. His face remained impassive, emotionless, and blank. His eyes were as dull as the dreary, overcast sky. He watched with a solemn heart as the emotions transition across her face. First came confusion, the smile slipped off her face, then came curiosity, her brows furrowed, then came worry, her lips tugged downward. Her arms hung limply by her sides. She opened her mouth to speak. "Is everything okay, Minato?" Her eyes glimmered with concern.

The blonde's face pulled into a look of pain and pity. He licked his lips before speaking in a gentle but firm voice. He did not have to be completely heartless. He did not have to completely crush her. He could still be humane. "Kushina, I think-"a sudden ball of heat and light snapped his attention to the main gates. His eyes narrowed. They were here. They were finally here. The people that had taken Sakura away from Konoha, away from him, were here. They were the same people that had hurt her.

"Kami," her startled voice reminded him that she had seen the fireball too. He turned his head in time to see Kushina cover her mouth with her hand. The reflection of the flames danced across her wide, blue-grey eyes. His gaze hardened. They were also here for her. He quickly shoved her backwards into her apartment. He did not have time to worry about hurting her feelings or confusing her. He had to protect her, the village. He had to protect them all before he could go to Sakura.

"Stay hidden." He barked out an order in a harsher than necessary voice. The adrenaline surging through him was taking over. He ignored the confused and hurt look on her face. The blonde jumped over the railing and broke into a fast sprint. He was moving with the wind. He was a blur. The world around him was a blur. But his head was clear. He was at peace with himself, with what he had to do.

Kushina straightened to her full height. She watched him leave with fear set in her eyes. She had never seen him look so focused, so serious, so protective, or so lethal. She pressed her hand to her heart. He had never spoken so coldly to her before either. Her stomach churned. He was not telling her something. He knew something that she did not. She ignored the dread in her heart and followed after him. She would save him. She would save them all.

Sakura let out a weak groan. The sound was pitiful to her ears. She tried unsuccessfully to moisten her mouth, it was incredibly dry and her saliva felt thick and sticky. It made her want to gag. 'Water,' her sluggish brain demanded. She was parched and when she ran her tongue over her lips she found them to be chapped, bloody, and raw. She needed water and judging from her dehydrated state Sakura guessed that her last intake of fluids was two days ago. She was severely dehydrated. She was on the verge of death if she did not receive any water soon.

The side of her head felt wet and sticky but when she tried to probe it with her fingers he found that she could not. Her eyes snapped open. The cell she was in was dimly lit. It did not take long for her eyes to adjust. Sakura tried to struggle against her restraints. Her arms were pulled above her head and it was very uncomfortable. She felt increasingly lightheaded with every movement. The darkness was promising her less pain, confusion, and anguish. She fought back against the pull.

"Don't bother." A raspy voice drew her attention to her left. She gasped at the sight before her. She recognized him. She recognized him not because she had seen him before, but because Naruto's description of him had been spot on. She recognized his sullen face, tired posture, and unmistakable eyes. Things were worse than she could have ever imagined.

"Nag-Nagato," she croaked as she stared horrified at the talking skeleton. His dull red hair contrasted sharply against the pasty parlor of his skin. The medic in her was screaming for her to help this man. He was emaciated. He needed help. He needed her. He was all wrong and she wanted to fix him.

Numerous pipes that she recognized as chakra receivers were pierced through the man's back. His dull purple eyes stared at her disinterestedly. Next to him stood Konan and the blue haired kunoichi regarded her with cold eyes. Naruto had described her perfectly as well. But she was having trouble remembering just what she specialized in. Her brain was still trying to recover from its initial shock.

'If Nagato is here, that can only mean Konoha is being attacked!' She was forced out of her dazed state at the sudden realization. Her village was vulnerable. Her fellow shinobi, citizens were in danger. 'Kushina!' She tugged desperately against the cuffs on her wrists. She did not know the source of the strength, the fight, but it was waning fast. She only succeeded in tearing the skin around her bones. She let out a pained yelp but she did not ease her tugging. She needed to get out of here and fight for her village. She needed to protect the people that mattered to her. She had to save them. She had to. It was her job.

She ignored the wetness streaming down her arms. She ignored the throbbing pain of her swollen and cut wrists. She looked at the man's eyes pleadingly. "Please," she knew that begging would do no good. But it was all she had left. Her strength had left her, her control over her body was leaving, and her conscious was only a temporary ally. All she could do was appeal to his morals, to his heart, to his sense of right. She was tired of fighting. She was tired of violence. No one ever truly won. It was just a vicious cycle. She wanted to break the chain. She wanted to put an end to it all.

"You have quite a reputation amongst us, kunoichi. Tell me, what do you have against peace?" His eyes were so dead. His voice was not much better.

Minato blinked the white spots from his vision away. His body hurt more than it ever hurt before. He was in pain. The amount of pain he was in should not even be possible. He should have gone into shock by now. He should have succumbed to the pull of a subconscious state. He should be dead. Why was he still feeling? Did his body not have a desire for self-preservation? Where was his mercy?

He had lost the ability to hear out of his right ear. Dark, thick, sap-like blood trickled down to his shoulder. Everything sounded distant and muddled, almost as if he was underwater and people were talking above surface. He was disoriented. He was slower. He was messier. He was losing. He felt blood drip from his chin down his neck. He blinked slowly. He took a shallow breath. His broken ribs were making it difficult to inhale deeply. He was in pain. He was losing. His motivation was leaving him. His strength was almost gone. He did not have much time left.

He looked to his left and his heart clenched. His sensei was lying face down, unmoving. Jiraiya was dead. He had lost. He had given up. He had just left him alone. Minato had just been orphaned all over again. He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. He turned his head slowly back to the right. His eyes steeled over. His feral face was barely recognizable. He glared at the trio before him. Now was not the time to mourn the loss of his father figure, he had to save his village. He still had to fight until he could. He had sworn to protect Konoha with his life and now he was finally getting his chance.

Konoha was burning. The village was on fire. His insides were an inferno. There was only three left: the orange haired male that had three rods through his nose and he had the ability to pull things together or apart, the long haired woman that specialized in summoning, and the thicker set man who had the ability to steal chakra. They had at least been able to deduce what each member did and what their strengths and weaknesses were. But that did not make the task any easier.

He looked to his right, Fugaku was on his side. He was down and out. His legs were broken. His arms suffered a similar fate. The Uchiha would be unable to physically help him, but his intellectual input had been exceedingly helpful. He was the one to conclude that each body could only use one type of justu. He was on his own. He was the last legitimate line of defense the village had, other than the Hokage.

Minato looked as his summoning of Gamabunta, Gamahiro, and Gamaken squared off against the opponent's birds, snakes, and oxen. Tsunade had managed to evacuate most of the civilians thanks to her own summoning. Konoha had been prepared for an attack but not one of this magnitude. The power that Akasuki wielding was awe inspiring but also fear inducing. They had been ready but they were still woefully unequipped to handle so much, so fast.

His own students were working tirelessly to transport the wounded from off the front lines. He was sorry that they had to see so much death, so many grotesque things, he was sorry for a lot. But his biggest regret was that he would not be able to say goodbye, to them or to her. He was a realist.

It was no longer about him living to see another day. It was about Konoha living to see another day. He was dying. But he would be damned if the village followed after him. This was his legacy. What he did now would be what he left behind. What he accomplished today would be what people remembered. He had the burden of the village on his shoulders and he was prepared to do all he could for Konoha. His only regret was that he had been unable to do the same for her.

Minato threw his kunai towards the thickset man. He was the one who was making it extremely difficult for him. The man turned his head to avoid the blade but did not have enough time to counter against Minato's shin. The blonde's leg made solid contact with his head. His ears buzzed. His head throbbed. His ribs cracked even further. But he was far from finished. His body would have to hold up just a little longer.

Before the man could recover Minato had already thrust his spinning rasengan into the man's chest. He leaped back as the man flew backwards. He fell in a heap and did not get up. The blonde stared at the two remaining invaders with dread. It would only get harder from here.

"Kakashi!" Obito's voice raced through the wind. It was raining. It was almost impossible to see. It was even harder to hear. "We found another one!" The Uchiha roared through his cupped hands. The Hatake nodded his head in understanding. His grey locks were plastered against his forehead, obscuring his line of vision. Tsunade's summons were trying their best but not everyone had been within the slug's reach.

The two teenage boys lifted a large pile of rubble from a barely moving man. They recognized him immediately. Rin crouched by his side with her hands glowing a soft green. "Choza-san, please don't move." She set her face in grim line and stared to heal him. The body of a fallen invader was not even three hundred feet from her but she trusted her boys. They would keep her safe while she worked.

Choza groaned as he tried to move something, anything. The boys brought another barely alive shinobi to Rin's side. The brunette tried not to let the hopelessness show on her face. There were simply too many injured and not enough healers. She was beginning to lose faith in herself, her team, and her village. How much longer could she keep this up? She was only delaying the inevitable.

"Kid," Choza croaked out weakly. Rin snapped her head back to the Akimichi. He coughed violently. He had brought her back from her depressing thoughts. She pushed back the helplessness and focused on the man's face. A bubble of blood burst out of his mouth. It took all her control to not recoil in horror.

"How is he?" He managed to say in between breathes. Rin lowered her eyes. She tried not to cry. Her bottom lip trembled. The man lifted his head off the ground a fraction. He could not see the state of his comrade from his vantage point. He grunted from the effort he was exerting.

"Nara-san is dead." She stammered through her tears. She looked over her shoulder at his rigid corpse. He looked so pale. "I'm sorry there was nothing I could do." She looked down at her clenched fists. They threatened to tear through the fabric of her skirt. She was shaking. She had failed. She had failed Sakura, her village, her teammates, herself. She had failed them all.

Choza lowered his head and blinked lethargically at the dreary sky. His best friend was dead. And Kami knows how many more would join him. "I'm sorry." The girl was apologizing again. The Akimichi pushed aside his own turmoil and attempted to smile at her. She was huddled over because of the freezing rain and her disappointment.

His chest felt tight but the pain was nothing compared to what he was feeling before. She had eased the pain, the hurt, and despair. It was only fair that he attempt to do the same. "Don't be." He was pleased that he was no longer stuttering. "Sakura would be really proud of you."

He watched as her eyes widened in surprise. He raised a shaky hand and ruffled her hair. She was so young. Too young in his opinion to experience such hardship, she should still be in the academy. This war had forced them to grow up too quickly. He hoped that none of them fell through the cracks.

"Really?" She asked weakly, unsurely. He offered her a real smile. He nodded his head. The action brought pain but it was worth it. He would gladly shoulder the pain than to trust it upon someone so young, so innocent, and so sweet. She was just a kid. She deserved so much more.

He watched her work with new found vigor. His words had accomplished their task. They reminded her of her hero. And her hero never gave up, no matter what she was faced with.

Masaki drowned out the sounds of battle going on outside of the Hokage Tower. He stood vigilantly by his kage's side as the village burned around them. He hated it. It hated it all. He should be out there, fighting. But he and a handful of ANBU were the Hokage's last line of defense. They had to remain at their post. Protecting the Hokage came first. It came before Sakura. It came before everything.

His eyes focused on a streak of bright red. He narrowed his eyes. He watched as the source of red ran towards the black, ashen battlefield that was once lined with houses. 'What are you thinking, Kushina?' His face was set in a hard line. She was running towards Minato. She was running towards the enemy. She was running towards her death. And she would jeopardize the well being and safety of everyone else.

But was it really such a bad thing? The question raced through his head. It repulsed him at first but the longer he thought about it the less offensive it became. Losing her and the kyuubi would actually bring more benefit than harm, in the short term at least. All of this destruction was because of the tailed-beast. The Hokage was always speaking of putting the well being of the village before an individual. So what was he doing by risking the lives of every Konoha citizen for Kushina? Why was he showing bias towards the redhead? Was she really more important than Sakura? Or was she more important because of what was residing in her?

Would it really be all that bad if they gave her up? The village was devastated. The death toll would continue to rise unless they gave the organization what they were looking for. He did not know much about Akatsuki but it did not take a genius to figure out what they wanted. They wanted Kushina or rather, what she housed in her belly. They wanted the beast and she was about to give it to them. Maybe then the carnage and death would finally come to merciful end. Maybe just maybe they would leave Konoha once they had her.

He hated it. But he was needed here. He was protecting the kage. But no matter how many times he told himself that it was an important job, he felt cheated and slighted. He should be out there, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with Minato. His eyes darted to the stone faced kage. Their eyes met for a split second.

Masaki hung his head. He was kidding himself. Minato and he were not equals. Minato had surpassed him long ago. And the gap had continued to grow wider, not smaller. He would only get in the way now. That was the reason he was here. Minato had leaped ahead and left him behind. He was so far ahead that he was completely out of reach, out of earshot, and out of sight.

Minato and Masaki were not even in the same stratosphere.

Sakura swallowed her fear and forced herself to look him in the eye. They stared back listlessly at her. There was nothing in them and that did not change no matter how hard she looked. She needed to talk to the real Nagato. The gentle soul that was somewhere in the monster that was before her. She had to appeal to the scared little boy that Jiraiya had left an impression on. She had to find that Nagato, the Nagato that still had something to lose and had something to set his hopes on.

"I have nothing against peace. I welcome it, but the way you are going about it is not the answer." She felt her energy being seeped out of her. If it kept up at this rate she would end up looking like Nagato."Why did you kidnap me? How did you find me?" She looked at Konan with sad eyes. She felt pitifully weak. She felt useless. She felt like a nuisance.

"Your chakra is easily detectable by the Rennigan. It was simple once we knew what to look for." The hollowness in Konan's eyes was unsettling. Sakura's stomach constricted. "Your chakra special, it has healing potential. It's is readily accepted by others without corrupting their systems. It is capable of healing any illness. It will be used to give Nagato strength."

Konan's emotionless voice cut her like a thousand kunai. She was nothing more than a tool in the woman's eyes. Sakura was as valuable as her chakra to these two. She doubted that they even saw her as human. They probably did not even register her suffering. They probably did not even feel a shred of sympathy towards her.

Nagato's health was declining far more rapidly in this world and that was explained by Akatsuki's level of activity. They were attempting to level Konoha. Kami knows how many villages shared a similar fate. She had no way of assessing just how much damage Nagato had caused. But judging by his appearance, they had done a substantial amount. Her eyes roamed his frame. He did not have much time left. They were desperate, desperate enough to abduct her in the middle of the night in her own village. They needed her. They needed her chakra. They needed Akemi's chakra.

They needed to keep him alive by supplying him with chakra. They were feeding her chakra into him. The transfer was an extremely slow and painful process. They could only get to the source they were after by draining her main network. Introducing her charka into his coils had to be done slowly and deliberately, given his delicate state. That explained why she was still alive. Somehow they had managed to figure out her truth. She was going to die and everyone she cared was about to join her. She was not ready to just accept that.

"Please stop! You don't understand that you're being used!" She struggled against her restraints but she knew it was useless. Her throat protested against the abuse she was putting it through. Her vocal cords felt tight, she was afraid they would snap from the tension.

Nagato and Konan could have been slowly draining her of her chakra for at least two days. Her vision was beginning to blur and her ears were ringing but she forced herself to hold on. She got onto her knees and leaned out as far the restraints would let her. Not only were the absorbing her chakra they were repressing her ability to mold it. She gave another pathetic tug.

Her arms were completely covered in sticky, sappy blood. She kept aggravating her clotting blood with each attempt. She was hurting all over. Her body was begging her to just stop, to not move, to not aggravate her injuries, to just give into the pull of sweet darkness. She wanted to just sleep so badly that she had to inflict more pain to stay conscious.

She could not give up. Naruto never gave up. She had to honor his memory by adopting his mannerisms, his way of life, his nindo. She could not give up. Too many people were counting on her. She did not have the luxury of being able to give up. It was never an option. She fought on because it was her necessity, it was her burden. She was not strong enough to give up. "You don't understand." She repeated in a stronger voice. His memory was fueling her.

"You don't understand!" He said emphatically but his sudden outburst was cut short by a violent fit of coughs. Konan called out his name with concern. "You don't understand the pain of loss. But you will, as we speak, Pein is killing everyone in your precious village." Sakura felt tears prickle in her eyes. She should be in Konoha fighting for her village. She should be protecting the weak and scared. She should be doing her damn job!

"Please! You'll kill innocence." She was stopped by Konan. The woman had backhanded her. Sakura's head jerked painfully to the right and it took a moment for vision to stop swimming. Sakura tasted blood in her mouth. She gagged. Her head hung loosely against her arms.

"Innocence? There is no such thing as innocence at times of war. Everyone is guilty of something. Even children, they are guilty of ignorance and naivety. There is no innocence in this world. There is only pain." The sound of his voice made her heart hurt in sympathy. This man was in an unimaginable amount of agony. Konan had returned to Nagato's side. Sakura's arms ached painfully above her head. She tugged at the restraints. She heard the sound of something break and land on the floor.

Her eyes focused on the small remnants of her small, silver bracelet. She should have felt more regret as she looked at it but she understood that it was a fake. She felt nothing. It represented nothing. She was numb. It represented a lie. She did not care. It was all a big mistake. The round circle was never the oval of her clan. It could never be the oval of her clan. She had been desperate for anything to remind her of her former life that she had made many leaps in judgment. From this angle the circle looked more rectangular than anything.

She had been desperate for her past that she had forgotten to live in her present. She needed to stop looking back so she could finally move forward. Those people had become a crutch for her. It was time to let go. It was time to walk under her own power. She had to run with no one holding her back. She had to shed the added weight and baggage of her past. It was time to stop looking over her shoulder. It was only holding her back. The past was the past and she needed to let it finally rest.

She was finally seeing everything for the first time. The past shaped her but it did not define her. The past was a part of her but it was not her essence. She was more than that. She was what she wanted to be. She set the standards for herself, not someone else. She could be anything she wanted to be. And right now she wanted to be a hero, a savior. She wanted to be what she knew she could. No one had the right to judge her. Only she had that privilege. Only she could do so because she was the one that had to live with herself. She had to simply live her life.

How foolish had she been to get hung up on the minor details? How much time had she wasted? How much more could she have done? What remained for her to do? What could she do now? What was she going to do now?

She tried once more to stand on her feet. "There is pain in this world. But there is also happiness. Even if the pain in the world is overwhelming we fight on. We struggle for our happiness. Pain is a part of life but so is love, friendship. None of those things would be as precious without pain." Her voice was hoarse from shouting but she needed to fight for the people she has learned to love. Maybe if she spoke louder he would actually hear her? "Sadness is a part of life, so is loss and betrayal. We have to move of from the despair." She blinked to keep her vision as crisp as possible.

Nagato looked at his with disbelieving eyes. "Why do you continue to struggle? Why do you fight back even though you know it is futile?" There was genuine interest in his eyes. She amused him. She sparked interest in him. She was finally making the impression that she wanted to. She was breaking through to him. He was hearing her for the first time.

Sakura forced herself to focus. She looked at the tip of her nose and waited for her vision to stop swimming. She met his eyes with fierceness in her own. Naruto had told her everything. Naruto had told her about Nagato's, Konan's, and Yahiko. The smiling faces of Team Seven urged her to continue. They encouraged her to keep fighting until the end. They were on her side, in her heart, in her memory. They were her reminder that she too much unresolved business to give in, to break, to cry, to lie down and die.

"I fight on because of my comrades, because of the people I love. You experienced pain in your life. You experienced terrible loss but even you can't deny that you also experienced the precious things in life. You experienced a sense of belonging when you were with your comrades. You're loneliness and self doubt was forgotten when you were with Jiraiya-sama, Konan, and Yahiko. You felt happy when you were with them. The pain couldn't touch you when you were together. You've been wronged but we all have been wronged too. We have to keep fighting and struggling to be happy. But in the end all the pain is worth it. There is always a reason to fight."

Her voice broke. Tears streamed down her face, or at least they would have if she had not been so severely dehydrated. Her heart ached for the man in front of her. Danzo had put him in an unbelievable situation. Danzo had essentially killed his closest comrade and friend. Nagato lost a part of him when Yahiko died and Nagato was still desperately trying to find it. His eyes widened as he wheezed. "You've experienced pain." Sakura nodded at him brokenheartedly.

"I have," she verbally confirmed but it was unneeded for anyone other than herself. Admitting the fact was almost liberating, if the she was not physically restrained she could have floated away. She was happy. She was relived. She was finally ready to accept that none of this was entirely her fault anymore.

It was okay to admit that she had been wronged, that she had brought down to her knees, that she had the wind knocked out of her. She had her faith tested. She had her heart broken. She had been completely torn apart. She had been close to being defeated on more than one occasion. She had lost her will, her fire, her desire, and her fight. But that was in the past. All of that was okay because at the end of the day, she was still standing. And that was an accomplishment in of itself.

She was still alive.

"Minato!" He registered a feminine voice scream his name just a metal rod was plunged into his chest. He had managed to take down the summoning specialist but the leader remained. He vaguely realized as his own summoning vanished in a cloud of smoke. He had lost, Konoha would be destroyed. Everything he had ever worked for would be obliterated. He had been unable to stop them all. He was going to die but he was not taking the man along with him.

'Sakura,' he closed his eyes and sank to the ground. She was his biggest regret. There was so much he wanted to tell her, show her, have her understand. His head hit the gravel painfully. Pink danced in his line of sight. The whiplash made his vision swim. He had failed Konoha. He had failed his students. He had failed her. And that would haunt him even in the afterlife. He looked through half laden eyes as a blurry figure ran towards him. He could not see her clearly but he did recognize her bright fiery hair.

"Minato, it's okay. I'm here now." She made soothing sounds as she pulled his head painfully into her lap. She stroked his hair. She was crying over him. Her red locks fell around him like a curtain. 'Kushina?' he furrowed his brow in confusion. 'Where is Sakura? Is she still mad at me? Why isn't she here?' The last thing that raced through his mind was a face, a green eyed, pink haired, large foreheaded face. His lips pulled into a small smile. He looked at the blurry woman before him with unfocused eyes as he exhaled his last breath.

"Minato!" Kushina wailed against his still warm body. "Please, Minato!" She was shaking his corpse desperately. "Please get up. I need you to get up. Please get up, for me." She slapped his face gently trying to wake him. She slapped him harder when he did not stir. She slapped him until his cheek was as red as her own hair. She slapped him until she finally broken down. "No, please. Please." Her tears were soaking through his already drenched clothes. He was covered in blood. Her heart broke as she looked down at him.

Snort was running down her nose but she paid it no mind. She held his head tenderly against her chest. "Minato please, you can't die. Please don't die. I need you." She whispered into his hair brokenly. "Minato please wake up. Minato," she was growing increasingly desperate.

The crunching of boots in gravel snapped her attention to the man standing over her. She glared at him with hateful eyes. She had never so willingly let herself give into the pull of the kyuubi. "You! You hurt Minato! You bastard." Kushina swiftly grabbed a kunai from Minato's thigh holster and flung it at the orange haired man. "Don't you dare come any closer!" She watched through narrowed eyes as the kunai bounced off of him harmlessly. It never even reached him. It had bounced off of thin air.

She looked down at the unmoving blonde in her arms. "I'll protect you Minato. I promise." She tightened the grip she had on him and covered his vulnerable state with her own body. She held him close to her chest and leaned over him. "I'll protect you," she whispered as she braced for the blow.

"Yes, yes I have. I've experienced pain." Her voice was soft and her eyes were honest. Nagato recognized the hurt and despair in her eyes so well. Her eyes resembled what his had back when he still felt, back before his despair swallowed him.

"Konan bring her to me." He looked at the blue haired woman. His teammate's shoulders stiffened at his words. She turned her head to look at him fully.

"Nagato it could be a trap." She warned him quickly. Nagato shook his head and looked Sakura in the eyes. The mutual trust was there. They understood each other for the first time.

"No, Konan you cannot pretend to understand the pain of loss." Konan reluctantly unchained Sakura. Sakura's knees felt like jelly, she was relying on Konan to get her to Nagato.

Sakura felt herself being lifted until her forehead was pressed against Nagato's. She was faintly aware that she was standing on a platform of paper as Konan held her. Nagato closed his eyes and Sakura found herself mimicking his action.

"Show me your pain."

She did.

She showed him losing everyone she had ever loved. She showed him the warmth she felt when she looked at her friends. She showed him the smiling faces of Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Ino, Shikamru,Choji, Lee, Neji, TenTen, Hinata, Kiba, and Shino. She showed him her parents, her teachers, her mentors, her acquaintances. She showed him her life. Then she showed him her losing all of them. She showed him her inner loneliness. She showed him her despair. She showed him everything and she experienced each emotion along with him.

Nagato jerked his head back and greedily sucked in air. Sakura felt herself collapse in Konan's arms. She gasped to catch her breath. Her chest heaved with each deep breath she took. The back of her heads rested against Konan's collarbone.

She looked at Nagato with half laden eyes. A thin sheen of sweat clung to her. "They treated you worse than a pawn. Your whole life has been devoted to Konoha. They groomed you from birth." Sakura carefully processed his words. Nagato had obviously figured out something that she was still missing. He knew more about her predicament then even she did. "Why aren't you bitter? Why aren't you crippled by your pain? Why do you remain loyal?" He stared at her with wide eyes.

"Because the best way to thank the people I loved for their friendship is to keep living. I shoulder my pain, their pain and I keep it with me, but I do not let it define me. I am more than what my pain has shaped me to be. I do not hate those who caused me pain. If I hate them, then I will have to hate myself because I caused pain on my loved ones as well." Nagato drank in every one of her words. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "They died for their village. The least I can do is fight to protect it."

"You are truly incredible Haruno Sakura. Do not let your pain overwhelm you. Keep fighting for your precious people. End the cycle of hate in this world. I will undo all the damage that I have caused today. I am glad that I have met you Sakura. You will realize Jiraiya's and my dream." Sakura watched with a heavy heart as the man began to pump all of his chakra from out of body and back into his victims.

Sakura unsteadily rose to her feet with strength that she did not know she had. "Please let me help you!" She made a movement towards him but Konan stopped her by grabbing her at the elbow. Sakura looked at the woman with wild eyes but Konan only shook her head once, decisively. She turned her head but not before Sakura saw the tears marring her cheeks. "Take some of my chakra. It'll keep you alive!" She sank to her knees. The weakness was starting to overwhelm her. "Just take it! Please let me help you. I want to help you."

She pleaded with him. He only needed a fraction. She would gladly give him half of it if it meant that he would live, even if it was only a temporary fix. He was a good person. Extraordinary circumstances had caused him to change but now he had changed back. The world needed more people like Nagato. She wanted him to live long enough to meet Naruto. Then he would see who the true hero was. She wanted him to have another chance at being happy, like she had.

It was no fair. Good people kept suffering. Good people kept dying. Why did Nagato have to experience so much hardship? Why did he have to suffer so much? Why did he have to have so little when she had so much? Why was everything so much harder for him? Why did he not get to be happy? Why did he have to die just as he saw the error in his ways? Where was his happy ending?

Sakura felt her heart break all over again. She stared back at Konan with her heart in her throat. She glanced at Nagato with despair. She knew she could not save him. He knew it too. If she was to live then he had to die. If her village was to come out unscathed then he must sacrifice himself. "I won't forget this. I won't let the village forget." She turned her head. She was unable to look at him any longer. She did not want to see him suffer any more. She whispered against Konan's shoulder. It was the very least she could do.

He smiled grimly down at her. She did not see the gesture but she heard his words. "You can help me by staying alive and ending hate from the shinobi world. I entrust you with my burden." Sakura bit her lip as the heard man still. She did not know who was holding who at this point. Konan was shaking just as much as she was. Sakura looked at the unmoving body of Nagato and let out another dry sob.

The blow never came.

Her grip on Minato's motionless frame was so tight that her knuckles had turned white. She was pinching her face together bracing herself for pain. But when nothing happened she risked opening her blue eyes. She shot her head up to stare at the man. He was completely halted in his tracks.

It was almost as if someone had cut his strings. He crumbled to the ground in a heap. Kushina looked at him with unbelieving eyes. His purple orbs stared lifelessly back at her. She was so engrossed in studying him that she did not even feel the movement in her arms.

"Sakura," his weak voice greeted her ears. She looked down at him with wide eyes and a slackened jaw. A white and blue slug hung on his shoulder. It was glowing a soft green. It was healing him, she realized a moment later. His rich, blue eyes stared at hers. The recognition flashed in them as well as something else. Something akin to disappointment fleeted through them. He was disappointed. He was disappointed to see her. Fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks.

"Minato," she tested the way the name fell off her tongue. It simultaneously provided her with strength while taking her hope. She ignored the hesitation in his features. He was disappointed, there was no mistaking it. She ignored the sound of her heart shattering. She ignored the pain that shot through her. She ignored it all because she did not want to believe this, any of it.

"Minato," she repeated his name firmly. The blonde was looking at her in apprehension and she was mirroring his expression. She cupped his face as if it was the most precious thing in the world. And he was, to her at least. "You're alive," she could not believe her eyes, ears, and sense of touch. He had died. She had held him in her arms when the light vanished from him. She had felt his body become heavy and rigid. He had gone cold. "You're alive, honey."

But here he was moving, talking, blinking, and breathing. He was alive. He was alive! "Minato!" She cried his name in between a sob. She clung to his head desperately. "Minato, Minato," she kept repeating his name brokenly.

"Kushina."His hand came to rest against her upper arm. She was not sure if he was going to pull her closer or away. He did neither and she did not know how to feel about that development. The blonde smiled at her but there was nothing in his eyes. They lacked warmth, familiarity, happiness, and most importantly affection. He was looking at her like one regarded an acquaintance. She meant next to nothing to him. She could see it now. Someone had lifted the veil of ignorance and denial from her eyes. She was seeing it all now. She saw everything clearly. She had been a fool.

Not once in the seven months that they had been together had he said her name the way he had said Sakura's just moments ago. Not once had he looked at her with so much emotion as he did when he confused her for the pinkette. Not once did he ever think of her the way he thought of Sakura. He loved Sakura, and that meant that he had no room in his heart for Kushina.

She was kidding herself, Minato was a different man. Kushina lowered her head until her lips were pressed against his. His lips were unresponsive against hers but she had suspected as much. He did not love her. She broke contact and dried her own tears. There was no one to dry them for her now. She was alone once again.

"Minato, you love her don't you?" She looked at him with sad eyes. He pointedly looked away from her and remained silent. His jaw flexed. His actions and silence were as good as a confirmation. He loved her and it broke her heart. "You've always loved her from the start, right? You loved her even before we started dating, didn't you?" Her voice wavered but she forced herself to stay composed. "You loved her this whole time, didn't you?"

Minato slowly turned to return his gaze to her. "Kushina, I never meant to hurt you." His voice was gentle and remorseful. It broke her down. Tears poured out of her eyes. She was sobbing uncontrollably now. She did not even notice that Minato had gotten up from her lap.

She barely even registered the fact that he was embracing her. She cried into his shoulder. She felt fragile, small, so delicate. She was pulling him closer out of need. But she wanted nothing more than to push him away. He had done more than hurt her. He had broken her. He had shattered her. He had devastated her. "I'm sorry Kushina. I'm so sorry." His voice sounded so soothing and sincere to her ears that her brain did not almost pick up on the fact that he was apologizing. She had to remind herself that she was hurting because of him so he had no right to comfort her.

Kushina pushed off his chest. He did not resist her movement to break free. And part of her was disappointed about that fact. He was only offering her comfort because she needed it and not because he had wanted to. "I'll be fine," she tried to smile reassuringly at the blonde. But the guiltily look that crossed his face let her know that she had failed. "You should probably go find her," she tried her hardest to not sound bitter but even she detected the edge to her voice. "She's probably waiting."

The "she" Kushina was referring too seemed like a distant entity. Her brain was still slow to come to the realization that "she" was actually Sakura, her Sakura. The woman who was supposed to be her friend, but did friends steal friend's loves? Was she the one that had stolen Sakura's? Was she in the wrong or was the pinkette? She was unsure. The lines had been blurred and she was in no state to think about it too deeply now. But she knew one thing for certain. Both of them had been lousy friends to each other.

"Kushina are you sure that you'll be okay? I'll walk you home," Minato got to his feet and offered to help her up. Kushina stared unblinkingly at his hand before she glared at Minato. She could not believe the gall of this man. Why did he have to be such a gentleman as he broke her heart? Why did he have to be so considerate as he ripped out her heart? Why her?

"I said I was fine, now go!" She shoved his calves roughly, from her seated position. "I don't need your pity." She crossed her arms and looked away from the blonde. She missed the sympathetic look on his face, which was probably a good thing. She would have snapped had she seen it.

"Goodbye Kushina," she did not even acknowledge his goodbye. Only after she was certain that his footsteps were gone did she allow herself to cry in earnest.

The sounds of her wails rang in his ears as he headed for the Hokage's office. His right cheek stung painfully but he welcomed the pain, it reminded him that he was alive. He was still alive. He had another chance to correct his mistakes. And when his time did come up, he did not want to have any regrets weighing down his heart. He had been given another chance and he would not squander it.

Sarutobi had not taken part in the battle at the insistence of his shinobi. It had been their job to protect him and they done just that. Or at least someone had. The building was coming closer and closer. His pace increased. He needed to see the old man with his own eyes. He owned the man an apology. It did not have to be verbal but something needed to be done. He finally understood where Sarutobi was coming from. He believed in Sakura and it all turned out for the best. Minato reminded himself that betting against Sakura was incredibly foolish. She came through for the village even when he had failed.

Minato was not in any extreme physical pain but he did have a heavy heart. He hated they way he left Kushina. He had meant to break the news to her slowly and with more care, but he had never imaged the scenario he had been put in. He never dreamed of waking up from being dead and accidentally calling his girlfriend the name of the woman he loved, the name that was not her own. But everything was out of his hands at this point, so there was no sense it worrying about it now.

Someone brushed into his shoulders as he headed up the stairs. Minato did not slow down or turn to apologize. He was currently experiencing tunnel vision. He only had one thing on his mind, one destination.

The Hokage tower was still standing, albeit barely. He opened the slightly charred door. Jiraiya was already in the office. Minato shared a grim look with his sensei. "You're alive," the sannin said in a detached tone.

"So are you," Minato countered. He matched the tone of his sensei effortlessly. Even in their clipped greeting Sarutobi could see the relief. Both of the men's shoulders had dipped. They were both alive and no one was happier for that fact than Sarutobi. They had all survived. They had been lucky and blessed to be awarded someone like Sakura.

"Hokage-sama," the Hokage was brought out of his thoughts by Minato's voice. "What happened?" The Sandiame closed his eyes and he formulated his thoughts. He, himself, had been dwelling on that simple question for the past three hours. The minute his shinobi rose from the ashes, his mind had been in high gear. He did not much but he was under no pretense to hide it from them.

It was after a long period of silence did the Hokage finally speak. "I don't know all the facts, Minato-kun. But I have a feeling that our friend from the future might be able to help us." The Hokage spun in his seat to look out his windows. All three men immediately noted the startling contrast between bright pink hair and the ashen landscape. It had escaped the confines of the braid and the pink mane fluttered around her. It bounced with each step she took. She was the only bright spot in the expanse of black and grey. She was the only color, only sign of life in the death. They watched as she disappeared into the doors of the hospital.

At the sight of her, Minato's whole body relaxed. He could finally breathe again. He could finally let out that breath he was holding. She was safe. He could let himself unwind the tension in his muscles. He nodded his head curtly and made for the exit. Jiraiya stepped in front of the door to stop him.

"Give her time, Minato. She's been through a lot. So have you, go home and get some rest." The sage clapped a large hand on his shoulder. Minato begrudgingly nodded his head. "I'm glad that you're okay kiddo, the both of you." His eyes flicked to the hospital unnecessarily. Minato knew his sensei well enough to know whom he was referring too.

"Thank you, sensei and I'm glad that you're okay as well. You too, Hokage-sama."Minato turned to smile easily at the kage. They had not left on the best of terms from their last conversation. But Minato wanted to make it clear that he did not have any hard feelings against the man. Sarutobi was grinning knowingly at him. He had the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. He would have a successor, a very capable man take his place soon. He could finally retire in peace.

"Trust me, Minato. No one is happier to see Sakura-chan back then me." Minato pressed his lips in a firm line. Of course the old geezer would be concerned with retiring as soon as possible. But deep down he knew it was more than that. The pinkette had managed to make a niche for herself in all of their hearts. It was impossible to imagine life without her. He did not want to imagine life without her. He much rather spend his time imagining his life with her.

He nodded at the men and left without another word. He would sleep well tonight. He felt lighter than he had in months.

Sakura felt herself getting stronger with each step she took towards Konoha. She took another small sip from the canteen Konan had given her. It took all her resolve and self control to keep from downing the precious water all at once. She needed to pace herself because her body would not be able to handle it so quickly. Sakura did not let herself dwell on her sadness. She had promised Nagato that she would not let her pain and loss cripple her. She walked into Konoha with her head held high.

The village was in ruins. Pein had done catastrophic damage when it came to both human life and structural damage. Konoha had been more or less burned to the ground. The smell of ash and smoke burned her nostrils and would have made her teary eyed if she had any to spare. The heavy smoke made it hard for her to see but that was the least of her concerns. Konoha would recover. The village was strong and the people that called it home were even stronger. They would come back from this. They would be just fine.

She walked through the village unnoticed as people embraced their supposedly dead loved ones with renewed vigor. The people had survived that was the important thing. Sakura did not worry about Iwa attacking them because that village was still reeling from the damage Minato had single-handedly done to it. As an added bonus she had recognized some Suna headbands scattered around the battlefield. It seemed that their Hokaga had been more than willing to accept the aid of their new ally.

Minato would be named Hokage by a year's time. The war would end a little before that, if not sooner. She watched with a small smile on her face as loved ones embraced and cried. She was too happy to feel left out. She did not recognize anyone she knew so she kept going.

She heard people calling out what could have been her name, she was not sure. She spotted Kushina's red hair from a mile away. Sakura also recognized the blonde head that was in her lap. She tried her best to feel happy for her friends as Kushina placed a wet kiss on Minato's lips.

She ignored the sound of her breaking heart and continued to head towards the hospital. Tsunade had swept her into a brief hug before she barked orders at her. Sakura did the best she could to follow them. Thankfully the blonde was patient with her. The blonde sannin looked to be in peak health. Sakura was thankful that maintaining remote healing was well within young Tsunade's capabilities. She did not have to fear her going into a long comma.

She remembered Konan's parting words. "He trusts you Sakura, so I trust you. Please do not let us down." She had no intention of doing so.

"Otosan?" Itachi called out quietly from behind the door. Fugaku grunted, giving permission for his boy to enter. Itachi closed the rice paper door behind him with minimal sound. The boy sat on his knees in front of his father's bed. "How are you feeling?" Itachi's voice was soft but it aggravated Fugaku's migraine. His whole body was incredibly sore. The medics had done their best to patch him up but even they were limited in what they could and could not do. The slightest of movements caused waves of pain to rush through him. He gritted his teeth together as he stare moodily at the ceiling.

Itachi's lips twitched downward for the briefest of moments. He had wanted to be on the front lines fighting for his village but a small part of him was relieved that he did not have too. He much rather help the school children and civilians to safety than have the blood of his enemies' on his hands. But he could never tell his father that. It would give him immense shame. He was the heir to the prestigious Uchiha Clan. It was imperative that he be smart, strong, and ruthless on the battlefield.

"Did Namikaze-san defeat the invaders?" He had heard from the shelters just how powerful the six invaders had been. He had seen the destruction with his own eyes. Minato was truly amazing for saving them all. Itachi was pulled out of his thoughts with his father snorted loudly.

Fugaku turned on his side and pinned Itachi with a look of displeasure. "The Namikaze died before he could kill them all." Itachi hid his surprise behind his emotionless mask. He had just seen the blonde passing by the compound not too long ago. He had been heading in the direction of the Hokage Tower. Itachi was certain it had been him.

"It was that brat," Itachi turned his gaze to his father's angry face. "She did this." Itachi watched in stunned silence as his father turned his back to him. He had been dismissed. Itachi raised himself to his feet. How could someone, a medic, as delicate looking as Sakura defeat such a powerful enemy?

He knew that his father had dismissed him but a question was burning at Itachi's throat. "Did she fight him?" His question was greeted by silence. The boy tired not to let the disappointment bother him. He was used to his father ignoring his questions but this time the pain felt worse. Even his mother's kind words and smiles would not be able to ease the pang in his chest.

He was half way out the door before his father's voice halted his movement. "No," Itachi slid the door close. He felt an unfamiliar sensation flow in him. It was hope, he would later realize.

Sakura healed what must have been a hundred minor injuries. The hospital was in chaos but she found herself thankful she was alive. She checked all the people that had come back to life more to reassure them than her. She knew Nagato would be true to his word.

Tsume and Yoshino had nearly broken her ribs when the crushed her in a hug. The Nara had sobbed into her shoulder expressing great relief that Sakura was alright. She had been missing for two days before the attack had happened.

Sakura reassured her friends that she was fine before she escaped the chaos of the hospital to check in on her Hokage.

He looked worse for wear but he was alive and Sakura could not bring herself to complain. He had acknowledged her presence. But he had bigger problems on his plate. It was either deal with one potentially unstable kunoichi or reassure a village full of potentially hysterical citizens.

She left the office without a word. Her absence was barely noticed. She would have to report to the Hokage what happened but that could wait until tomorrow.

Somehow someway her students had found her. They held on desperately to her and she let them. She needed something to do with herself and she knew how to play the role of protector, and provider well. After all, she had spent the better part of her genin years looking after her two teammates. The fact that they had made it to their late teens was all on her. They would have killed each other on day one had it not been for her mediating.

She patiently dried their tears, wiped their noses, put their fears to rest, and held their hands. They seemed terrified at the prospect of letting her out of their sight. They had been through so much. She could tell just by looking at them. They seemed more weathered, hardened, seasoned. They finally understood what it meant to be a shinobi. They clung to her and she let them. The need was mutual. She did not want to be alone. She was terrified of the thought of being alone right now.

Miraculously her apartment building was still standing. She put Kakashi, Rin, and Obito to bed. She did not even care that their soot filled bodies would completely ruin her sheets. She was just glad that they were alive despite everything. She looked down at them fondly before slipped out of the room silently.

She was pleased to note that all three of them were holding on to each other's hands desperately. They would need each other in years to come. She prayed that they would never have to experience her pain of being the only surviving member from your team.

She stared at the moon from her window and realized with a start that she did not know what came next. Everything was fluid and it was changing rapidly. She had managed to change so much in the amount of time that she had been here. She no longer had a blue print or cheat sheet.

She was blessed with the opportunity to help those she cared about and she hope that she had helped them for the better. Akemi had told her that her friends would find a way onto this earth and she believed in her.

So maybe Naruto would not be Minato's and Kushina's son but he would still be Naruto. She smiled at the thought of her favorite blonde. It was because of him that she forced herself to keep doing. She was breathing for Naruto and her mission. She still had hearts to mend and she still had events to change. And Nagato had given her an additional mission. His burden was now hers. She needed to end the cycle of hate in her profession. It would not be easy but she was willing to devote the rest of her life to it. After all, she wanted to make Naruto as proud of her as she was of him.

Preview of: Chapter Twenty-Seven Collateral Damage

Sakura felt arms snake around her waist from behind. She felt a cheek being pressed against hers. A nauseatingly familiar scent reached her nose. She stifled the urge to gag. "Sakura, I'm glad I finally found you." Sakura's heart plummeted at the sound of his voice.

She froze in his arms. "Masaki," she said in a strained voice. Her heart was beating in her ears but for all the wrong reasons. He tightened his hold on her and Sakura had to fight down the reflex to rip away from him. It was all wrong. She wanted to escape, to put distance in between them. She wanted to run away, from this, and from him. It was all wrong but it was how she felt.

Her skin crawled.

Hopefully this was up to your standards! Tell me what you're thinking. Thanks again. :)