-'When he holds me I feel safe.'

"Today we bow our heads and pray for the greatest man our village knows. Haruno Kizashi-sama, may you rest in peace!"

It was sixteen years ago when the nightmare began. Uzumaki Kushina was about to give birth to her son and was dangerously close to having her seal rip open and releasing the demon dwelling in her body. Her worse fears came to life when during the last seconds of her labor she felt her seal undoing and the demon escaping. Kizashi had poured a large amount of his charka to preserve Kushina once the demon broke free. Minato was prepared to follow side by side with Kizashi but seeing his son- who was a clone o himself- make him weak.

"My family I can't….." Minato had said. Kizashi had understand and told Minato that family was the most precious thing in the world and that he was planning to come back alive to be with his family. At the time Haruno Mebuki was pregnant with their child that would be born in March.

"I'll come back for them." Kizashi had said and he did come back. He successfully sealed again the demon into the new born babe using a sealing justu that cut off years from his life but it was Kizashi's will that pushed him as far as he was.

But soon the years passed and Kizashi couldn't ignore the fact that he was dying. He couldn't tell his wife or his daughter. He kept it to himself until the very end because nothing could save him.

The Uchiha clan or anyone would had a Sharingan was assigned to watch and monitor Naruto to make sure the seal never broke but even that mission was a failure. In the end Kizashi's efforts seemed in vain.

"Otou-chan." Sakura whispered as she watched her father's body being lifted into the large bonfire. She clenched her fists and breathed in deeply. Just when she just got out of the hospital this had to happen. Her wonderful father had to die.

Sakura gasped when she felt a knuckle brush against her own. She looked to her right and saw Sasuke all decked out in black like herself. A lightning flashed and thunder rolled.

"It's okay you know to cry for him." Sasuke said suddenly. Sakura's eyes widen. "I can't." she whispered. Sasuke brushed his knuckle against hers again as the rain began to fall. "It's not like they can tell."

The rain drops slide down Sakura's cheeks and she let out a gasp before real tears started to fall. Sakura brushed her knuckle against Sasuke as she breathed out trying not to cry too much. "Stay?" She said.

Sasuke smirked softly and moved a little closer to her side, "Ah."

-'I'll protect her cause' her old man can't anymore but he's still watching.'

Merry Christmas!