Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, but the song is MINE. Mine, ya hear!
-And the World Comes Crashing Down-
It was cold.
Ice was everywhere: on the ground, on the trees. Icicles adorned every tree in the forest. Snow was piled waist-high on the ground, and branches sagged under the snow's considerable burden.
It was blizzard conditions outdoors, and anyone with sense would be inside, warming his or her frozen ligaments. However, three people were trudging through the snow towards their village.
They were returning home from an escort-duty mission to Wind Country. They were chuunin. They would normally have been a team of four if their lazy sensei hadn't been on an ANBU mission.
The blonde and unusually quiet boy shivered as a gust of wind broke through his coat. "It's c-c-cold!" He stuttered. The bubble-gum pink haired girl beside him smacked him on the back of the head affectionately. "I think we already knew that, didn't we, Sasuke-kun?" The Uchiha made no reply and the girl sighed.
"Don't fret, Sakura-chan! I will answer any question you could throw at me!" Sakura laughed. Even when she was miserably cold, Naruto could still make her laugh. "Okay, then! Can you make me some hot chocolate?"
The blonde sputtered stupidly for a moment, and she laughed again. "I was just kidding, Naruto! Although hot chocolate would be-"
"Quiet."
Sakura started at the raven-haired boy's command. "What is it?" As if in reply, a kunai went whizzing past, nicking Sakura on the cheek. We're under attack! she thought. But where?
Before she could determine an answer, a ninja charged her. Swiftly pulling a kunai out, she blocked the blow. Her enemy leapt back and began to circle. She did likewise, wary of a sudden attack. He darted towards her. Their blades collided once more in a stalemate, and sparks flew.
Suddenly, he was above her, flipping over her to get in her blind spot. She whirled around and threw a handful of shuriken at him. They hit their target and the body disappeared. Her green eyes widened. A clone?
Deep laughter reached her ears. Behind! She spun. A sharp pain cut through her abdomen. She cursed and stumbled backward.
---
Naruto was on the verge of victory when he heard Sakura's curses. One last thrust of Naruto's kunai, and the ninja was down for the count. He turned around, and time seemed to stop.
Sakura, his Sakura-chan, stood face-to-face with her opponent, a kunai hilt seemingly growing out of her stomach.
As if he were watching a movie in slow mothion, Sakura sank to her knees, staring blankly at her belly. A fiery rage such as he had not felt in years consumed him, and the ninja was dead before he could blink.
He rushed to Sakura. "Sakura-chan? Can you hear me? Sakura…?" He felt tears begin to form. Sakura tilted her head back to meet Naruto's eyes. She smiled and tried to say something, but the only sound that emerged was a sickeningly wet cough and the spattering of her blood.
Sasuke was suddenly by his side, forcing Naruto over. "Sakura. Hang on. We'll get you to Konoha. Just hold on!"
He caught Naruto's eye, and Naruto saw such fear in his eyes that he had never witnessed before. Under different circumstances, he might have cracked a joke. But right now, they needed to get Sakura to the hospital!
---
"C'mon, Shikamaru! You promised you'd go shopping with me!"
The boy in question sighed and frowned. "Maa. Mendosukee."
"Please? Just for me?" Shikamaru sighed once more. Why me? He appealed to the skies. "Please?" He sighed yet again. "Fine, fine, Ino." He grumbled. Under his breath, he added, "Anything to get you to stop pestering me!"
"Shikamaru-kun?" Came Ino's sickeningly sweet voice. Shikamaru winced. "Hai?"
"I hope you know I heard that!" She stalked off, nose high in the air.
"Ino!" She whirled around and snapped, "What, Shika!" Shikamaru scowled and pointed to the white-and-brown spotted dog trotting up to him. It was Pakkun, the hunting dog that Kakashi had lent him when Sasuke left. "He said it, not me!"
She looked at the dog dubiously and squeaked in fright when it spoke. "Ino. Sakura's injured and in the hospital. Hurry and come!" Ino paled and drew in a swift breath."What…?"
"Come on!" It urged. She needed no second bidding.
---
Ino rushed into the room and hastened to Sakura's bedside. "Sakura?" Sakura turned her head and smiled weakly. "Hey…Ino…" A fit of violent coughing ripped through her slim body. "Don't speak if it hurts, Sakura."
Ino lifted her hand to hold Sakura's. The pink-haired girl turned to look at her teammates. "Naruto. Sasuke. I'm sorry…that I got in your way…again."
Naruto shook his head emphatically. "No, don't say that, Sakura-chan! You weren't in the way! You did good…real good…" His voice cracked, and he began to cry.
"He's right. You did do good." Sasuke added. Sakura smiled, brighter this time, and turned back to Ino. Reaching under the covers with her free hand, she extended it in an open palm to Ino. In it was the red ribbon given to her long ago by the girl beside her. "I…forgot to give this…back…" Ino took it and squeezed both of the other girl's hands. "I'm…I'm sorry…about calling you…Ino-pig…and everything…" She coughed again. "Promise me…you'll leave…flowers?"
Ino nodded, the unshed tears swimming in her eyes blurring her vision. "Yeah! Sure! I'll bring you flowers every day!" She tried to smile, but it was more of a pained grimace. Sakura smiled back one last time, and her grip on Ino's hand slackened.
"Sa…Sakura?" The cardeometer began to drone.
The blonde girl's scream echoed through the hospital's pristine halls.
---
It was a solemn procession that made its way to the Memorial Monument the following week. They filed into seats underneath a tarpaulin, the last few standing at the back. Sakura's body lay on a pyre, dressed in her finest.
Team 7 was at the front. Kakashi was actually on time and was consoling the boy next to him. Squinting, Shikamaru could vaguely discern Sasuke's black head being cradled in his hands. Naruto was nowhere to be seen.
The pallbearers were decked in full ANBU uniform. Shikamaru could hear Ino let out a choked sob as the pyre started to burn. A feeling of hopeless despair washed over him. As he watched the flames lick at Sakura's body, he was reminded of a song his mother had sung to him as a young child.
When the sun has set
And light is gone
Darkness will control
When the die is cast
There's no turning back
No homeward path
And the world comes crashing down.
When the light to the east returns
And bird song fills the air
Light will prevail
When the die is cast
There's no turning back
No homeward path
And the world comes crashing down...
---
"Why!"
With a thunderous crash, the pine fell to the forest floor, practically splinters. "Why couldn't I protect her!" He punched another tree half-heartedly. "I'm supposed to protect the ones I love!" He sank to his knees, his body shaking. "I should've been able to save her…to do something…anything…to keep her from dying…" His stern resolution began to ebb, and soon he was crying like a baby.
"I-I'm so sorry, Sa-Sakura-chan! P-please d-don't hate me!" He sat there blubbering until he could cry no more. His face was red and blotchy, but he didn't care. His chuunin uniform was muddy and torn, but he didn't care.
He curled himself into a fetal position and began to sing softly to himself. "…When the die is cast, there's no turning back, no homeward path, and the world comes crashing down…"