Man! You guys really know how to get that extra bit out of people. I was going to stop this story but because of strong support I've decided to continue it. You have to understand however that this won't be updated as often as my other story or stories. It's something that usually requires the right mood to write. And while I am a naturally melancholy person I'm not as prone to those deep moments of sadness as others. They're rare but I love them for some strange reason. Anyway...since everyone thinks it's so great I'll keep it going. Sorry to scare everyone. But I really did mean for it to end. Thanks for all the support!

CONTINUING ON...

Needless to say the village lost some of it's flare and fire that day. When the news was broadcast later that day cries could be heard on almost every block city wide.

Sakura and Ino disappeared to their favorite flower field and cried themselves silly together. The boys of the other two rookie teams, minus Naruto, discussed the happening at length and had their own little time of mourning together. No tears though, they were to manly for that.

The Jounin Senseis cornered Kakashi after his debriefing with the Hokage and questioned him further before leading him off to the nearest bar for a long series of drinks. Iruka joined them later and pulled Kakashi away for another more private and detailed account of what happened. Kakashi didn't even make it all the way through the story before Iruka was crying on his shoulder.

The Hokage retreated to his private study and grieved the boy's loss quietly by himself before turning to his crystal ball to check on Naruto.

The old man found the blond at Kakashi's training ground, pounding one of the stumps there into pulp. He was yelling and screaming at the stump as if it were alive. It was fairly obvious who Naruto was addressing. The Hokage left the image of Naruto screaming obscenities at the sky from his knees. Curses directed at a certain important someone.

A grand funeral was planned for the next day. Attendance exceeded expectations by a wide margin. Practically the whole town turned out in black for the official death of the Uchiha clan. Every ninja that wasn't on duty, and even some who were, lined up to place flowers or tokens of remembrance before the casket.

One person was not present. Naruto sat on the head of the fourth Hokage monument in his funeral best and watched the gathering from afar. He hadn't the heart to join the assembly below him. His chest was painfully tight again like it had been back at Tazuna's. Even the act of breathing was hard.

As the lines below thinned and people dispersed dark clouds rolled in and the patter of rain could be heard as the sky itself wept for the fallen. Naruto sat up there and endured the deluge. His mind too far away to notice his soaked cloths and damp hair.

But the rain passed eventually and the sun peaked out from it's hiding place high above. One of the first rays landed on Naruto and bathed him in warmth and simmering steam. Naruto stood abruptly and slowly made his way down to the funeral area. The crowds were gone. They had been chased away by the rain. Only a few remained behind and stuck it out. All were shinobi.

They parted for the soaked blond boy as he made his way up to the casket. The Hokage still stood there beside the casket. His hands rested on the shoulders of a dry eyed Sakura. Kakashi was there as well looking, if possible, more forlorn and lost then Sakura did. His promise to his students that 'he would not let another of his comrades die' was still ringing in his ears.

Through sheer will power Naruto forced him self to pass them and step up next to the coffin. He almost couldn't get to it because of the incredible amount of flowers and gifts that already surrounded it.

Naruto's jaw tightened painfully as he saw the single picture of his former rival placed squarely in the center of the display. It was a typical picture of the boy. Annoyed, withdrawn, seemingly above the whole concept of a picture. Naruto recognized it as his official ninja registry photo.

After several awkward moments of silence Naruto dug in his pocket. His remaining teammates gasped as Naruto delicately placed half of Haku's cracked and broken mask next to the picture of the boy the mist nin had killed.

A low whisper, barely discernable to normal ears but loud and clear for those of a shinobi, could be heard. "I'd like to think...I'd like to think he never meant for this...for any of this to happen to any of us. He was so kind and yet..." Naruto sighed. He couldn't continue. In truth he hadn't sorted it all out in his head yet so how could he even continue?

The silver haired leader of Team Seven nodded. "Yeah, a loving kid...but it was a misplaced love."

More awkward silence.

The Hokage turned, taking his hands from Sakura's shoulders, and took a step away. "If the three of you would join me in my office. I believe we have business to discuss."

The Hokage nodded to three chairs set up in front of his desk as he himself stepped behind his desk and seated himself. The three remaining members of Team Seven took their seats after the Hokage was comfortable.

The old man relit his pipe and sighed deeply. "How unfortunate this is," he said, puffing a little cloud of smoke as he spoke. "I now have to decide what to do with the three of you. It's partly up to you though. You have been through a tough point and I have no wish to push."

When he got no response from any of them he continued. "As for now I am designating the two of you," nodding to Sakura and Naruto, "Genin Special Class and giving you two weeks payed leave. It's not common for such young ninja to have something like this happen but it does happen every once in a great while."

The Hokage turned and looked at their Jounin instructor. "But Kakashi, the best I can give you is a week off. We are in need of your experience more then the two of them. I'm sorry I can't offer more but that's the way it is."

Kakashi nodded briskly. He looked a bit more alive now that he had orders but a feeling of sadness seemed to linger around him, clinging to his shoulders, weighing him down.

The old man shifted his attention back to the two younger ninja. "When your two weeks are done I'll call you back in and decide what to do from there. You have several options. We can put your team on reserve for a while until a new Genin can be added to your team. An older unattached chuunin can be found to fill in so you can go back out immediately. That is another option. A third is for your team to be disbanded and for you to be reinserted into the Genin draft when new teams are chosen. There are others beyond that but for now those three seem the most likely. But like I said you don't have to answer yet. Give it some thought."

Before the Hokage could dismiss them, even before his last words had left their ears, Sakura's hand rose timidly into the air. The old man seemed a bit surprised. He nodded for her to speak. She lowered her hand and took a deep breath before speaking.

"I have already made my choice," she said. The hokage blinked, Kakashi glanced at her in surprise, and Naruto's head jerked around so fast he almost got whiplash.

Sakura looked down at her hands to avoid their stares. "Better to say this now so that Naruto can make his decision without second thoughts." Another deep breath.

"I'm going to quit as a Shinobi."

The crash of a chair could be heard for several floors above and below the Hokage's office.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN QUIT!?" Naruto yelled. His face was suddenly red with anger. His fists were white knuckled. "How? How can you do that when we've come so far together Sakura-chan?"

Naruto stormed over to her in fury and would have grabbed her had she not turned her face to him.

His fists opened, his gritted teeth loosened. The anger and disappointment in his eyes faded when he saw the pain and sadness in her moist eyes. She looked at him in an almost loving fashion. Sadly she shook her head. "I can't Naruto. This life. It's not meant for me. I may have the brains but...I don't have the heart." Sakura sniffed and a tear coursed its way down her cheek. "You believed in me, you supported me. Both of you did." She glanced up at Kakashi. "But I've reached my limit. I can't go on. But you have what it takes Naruto. I know you do. You proved it back there on the bridge. You have the heart."

A small grin slipped on to her face. "Maybe not the brains but definitely the heart."

Naruto couldn't keep a bit of a smile from his face. The anger melted away and instead of grabbing her to shake her back to her senses he gently punched her shoulder.

"Thanks...Sakura-chan."

The Hokage had sat through it all, as had Kakashi. Now the old man pulled the pipe from his mouth and looked at Sakura levelly. "Are you sure about this Sakura? Do not make this decision without some thought."

Sakura nodded. "I thought about it all the way back. I've made my decision Hokage-sama." She reached back and undid her forehead protector and held it out for the Hokage to take. But the old man just smiled and shook his head. He leaned back, further distancing himself from the item.

"No. That is for you to keep. You earned it Sakura. Whether you're a shinobi of this village or not you did earn it."

"Thank you Hokage-sama," Sakura said with another smile.

Sakura stood and left the room without a backwards glance, leaving Naruto and Kakashi by themselves.

And then there were two...