Severed
by Wicked Child

The bond they had shared truly was severed that day.

Uchiha could never go back to his home, never receive the love he had once deserved, and he could never repair that bond he once had with a boy who's blood was not of his own.

Uzumaki could never go back to trusting his teammate, could never admire him or want to be him, and he could never have the brother he had always wanted in a boy who's blood was not his own.

Uchiha thought he was merely severing his ties to the village that raised him, coddled him, and helped keep him sane for nearly thirteen years.

Uzumaki thought he could prevent such an act of defiance and betrayal because he knew he couldn't sever ties to the village that shunned him, berated him, and tested his sanity for nearly thirteen years.

Uchiha knew he was walking toward darkness and his destiny.

Uzumaki knew that everything ended in darkness, as that was a human's destiny.

For nearly three years Uchiha trained and suffered under the tutelage of Orochimaru in order to kill another Uchiha.

For nearly three years Uzumaki trained and suffered under the tutelage of Jiraiya in order to kill one Uchiha and bring the other back.

After those three years Uchiha believed he had his chance.

After those three years Uzumaki believed his own chance never existed.

Never did Uchiha think that, in the end, his chance would be stolen from him.

Never did Uzumaki think that, in the end, he would have to kill both Uchiha's.

And when Uchiha asked Uzumaki why the other boy had taken the actions he had, he didn't like the answer.

And when Uzumaki answered it was because he loved the Uchiha enough to kill him to prevent further death, he didn't like his own truth.

Uchiha never imagined that, in his dying moments, he would see Uzumaki embraced and kissed by a tearful Haruno.

Uzumaki never imagined that, in his dying moments, he would see Uchiha embraced and kissed by a tearful Haruno.

Haruno never imagined that, in their dying moments, she would never be able to save them nor that she would place both their heads in her lap.

And when Haruno was asked why, she answered that she didn't know but only knew that she had to end their pain.

Never did Haruno think that, in the end, she would have to bury her two teammates.

For nearly three years Haruno trained and suffered under the tutelage of Tsunade in order to save an Uchiha and Uzumaki.

After those three years Haruno believed her chance had long since passed.

Haruno knew that darkness and destiny and twisted the lives of those she loved so completely that she too was affected.

Haruno though she could prevent one boy from succumbing to his own private hell while preventing another boy from following the same path because he thought he had to keep a promise to a girl from a village that had teased her, taught her, and split her sanity in two.

Haruno could never go back to being a member of Team Seven, could never hold on to her hope, and could never fully give the love she harbored for both boys.

The bond they had shared truly was severed that day, and a lone girl was the only one left to pick up the pieces.

There's a heaven above you baby
And don't you cry tonight