---10-

3 months later...

It was just another ordinary night at the Uchiha apartment. Naruto was lying in bed on his back, hands behind his head. Sasuke was out on the balconey having a drink.

After a few moments Sasuke came in and took his place next to Naruto. Naruto tilted his head and took a look at Sasuke and suddenly realized how close they were. The once large bed was now small. Neither of them had bothered to move out over the years, even after they had out grown the apartment and the bed. They hadn't even bothered to buy a new bed. They rationalized it with their absence at the apartment and the rarity of sleep.

Naruto removed on of his hands from behind his head, moved it down and took a hold of Sasuke's hand. Naruto could feel the cold on Sasuke's skin, just as Sasuke could feel the cold on Naruto. Sasuke squeezed Naruto's hand. And then suddenly both the men let out a bark of laughter.

It was over in seconds though and then it was deadly quiet.

"Sasuke?" There was a grunt from the Uchiha. "Why didn't you tell me?" Naruto's quiet voice asked.

Sasuke closed his eyes and contemplated the question. Sasuke knew what he was refering to. "Why didn't you?" He asked.

"You already seem to know." Naruto responded. "How did you know?"

"Kabuto." Came Sasuke's answer. "How did you know? Is that what Koki told you?"

There was a silence for neither of them had spoken of the caverns since that day. Sasuke never asked Naruto the millions questions that ran through his head. He had kept them to himself.

"Hai. That is what Koki told me." Naruto's voice was at a whisper.

"I didn't think you needed to know. You were going to go before me."

"Hai." Naruto's voice faded again.

A moment of silence passed. Sasuke felt Naruto's hand go colder. He titled his head and noticed that Naruto's eyes were closed and his chest was still. The blonde was smiling.

Sasuke turned to the ceiling again and put on one of his smirks. He was suddenly very tired. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

---

The villagers dressed in their black attire stood in orderly rows in front of two caskets. At the very front stood Tsunade, Sakura, Kakashi and Jiraya. Kakashi was doing his best to comfort the crying Sakura.

The day wasn't as dreary as the occasion. The sun shined brightly and the birds sang joyfully.

Past the villagers, at the very edge of the treeline stood a woman dressed in a black kimono. She had long black hair and red eyes. She stood holding the hand of a little girl who looked to be her daughter. The girl suddenly burst into tears and clung to the kimono of the woman.

"Koki-san! Otousan is dead! He's not coming back is he!" She wailed.

Koki bent down on to her knees in front of the little girl and pulled the girl into her embrace. "No Kou-chan, Naruto-san isn't coming back." She said with tears in her eyes.

---

3 days later...

"Congradulations Sakura, you're our new Hokage." Tsunade said to the Sakura who was still looking depressed, standing by the large window over looking the village.

"Kind of empty isn't it?" Sakura asked.

"It won't be the same." Tsunade responded from her seat.

Sakura let out a deep breath. Tsunade stood up from her place and turned to fully face Sakura. "So you never told them?"

"They didn't need to know."

"You tried so hard to save their lives but you couldn't save yourself."

"Naruto didn't need to know Kyubi's chakra poisoned me from that time he attacked me. He didn't need to feel guilty for one more thing." She responded, her voice hard.

"And what if you died before them?" Tsunade asked in a serious voice.

"I didn't." Sakura responded quietly.

Tsunade shrugged and gave a sigh. "The way you are, you'll live to be at least 30." Tsunade stated with a lighter voice as she turned to leave.

"Or I'll die tomorrow." Sakura quietly said from the window as she stared off into space.

"I'll keep it a secret then. Until I die that is. But you should at least tell Kakashi." She heard Tsunade say from the door. Then she heard the door click shut behind Tsunade.

"nayayi polongai vage"