Sakura, adorned in a complimenting soft pink dress, walked up to the head of the procession, and took her place.
Her eyes were rimmed with tears, her nose was red, and her face was blotchy. Her hands were wrung together, gripping a single black rose in their sweaty, nervous clutches.
And it was then that she realized—Sasuke was gone.
Forever.
And even with all of her training, she could not bring him back to life.
She felt a flurry of anger come upon her as she clenched her fists, so hard that her knuckles turned white. It was all her fault. If only she hadn't been so stupid.
So weak.
So she realized, this is what Sasuke meant when he had called her annoying, when he had called her weak, and she had just thought that she would become stronger in strength, in knowledge, in power.
Being powerful and strong wasn't just about being it when you knew the time was coming, when it was blatantly obvious in battle, when you knew there were surprises.
It was being ready even if there wasn't a battle. When you least expected it. Being ready for the unknown.
She had taken so many things for granted. How could she have been so stupid?
Looking back, everything seemed so pointless. Her schemes, the little questions she asked, made her cringe outwardly.
And to make matters worse, they hadn't even been able to find a body to put in the casket. He died without her even getting a chance to tell him that…that she loved him. He had died thinking she betrayed him for Orochimaru.
She would never forget the look on his face.
So desperate, all hope drained from his face. Destroyed.
She let out a loud sob, and buried her face in her hands. The coffin was instead filled with memories people had had of him, things that, when people looked or touched them, created an image of him in their minds.
A ripping, tearing sensation pouring through her body.
She couldn't breathe.
She was choking on her guilt, on the salty tears.
She wanted to faint.
She wanted nothing more than to die.
--
When the funeral was over, everyone left, a sour, stale atmosphere hovering around each and every one of them. Naruto, bawling his eyes out, had stayed longer.
Sakura had asked Miruko for some time alone. He had understood. He walked home without another word.
It quickly turned to dusk, and Sakura stumbled aimlessly, not sure what to do with her life. It had all seemed so simple before he had come back into her life. She knew where she wanted to go with Miruko, what paths in life she wanted to take.
Now?
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, SASUKE!" She screamed into the thick night hair. She ran, her heels slowing her down, and tripped on a stone. She screamed again in frustration. She wanted to break something. A dish, a plate, a cup. Something porcelain. Something that would shatter.
Expecting to fall to the ground, she felt her knees give in.
Two sturdy arms caught her.
Slowly, she looked up, a tear-stained face betraying her innermost thoughts.
He wore an ANBU mask, so she could not tell whether it was disgust or sympathy as he lifted her up and straightened her out.
"A-arigatou…" She mumbled, still clutching his shirt.
"Is something wrong? You've been crying." He stated gently, allowing her to lean on him for support.
She reached up to touch her face, and laughed bitterly.
"Is it that obvious?"
He cocked his head to the side, the whole elongated mask turning with him.
"I heard about the funeral. Uchiha Sasuke, wasn't it."
She nodded mutely, for fear of more spilt tears if she opened her mouth.
"You were…his lover?"
Her shoulders shook, and she shook her head.
"N-no…but I wish I had been!" She cried.
"I am sorry about your loss…" The ANBU trailed off. "But the funeral…how can I say this without offending you…"
She looked up sharply, suddenly taking a dislike to this stranger. Who was he to think that he could insult the funeral of a…of a hero?
"Who invited all those people?"
"I don't know." She gritted her teeth.
"Aa. And what was that blonde doing blubbering over that empty coffin?"
"DON'T ASK ME!"
"Hn. How has Miruko been doing?"
She stomped her foot.
"I DON'T CARE!"
The ANBU shrugged his shoulders, and bid her goodnight with a wave of his hand, and walked away.
She stood there for several more minutes.
Who was that guy?
She shrugged, and turned in the opposite direction.
"How has Miruko been doing…as if that really mattered…" She muttered to herself.
Miruko.
She stopped dead in her tracks.
How had he known about him?
Slowly, still hesitant about what she was thinking, she turned around, and started at a jog in the direction the stranger had gone in.
There was only one other person.
But that wasn't possible. He was supposed to be dead.
There was no body, idiot. Her inner self told her, sitting on a stool and filing her nails.
She started to run.
Could it be…
"SASUKE!"
Scared you there, didn't I.
...I still could, you know.
So R&R.
AlternateEndings.