Looking back on the beginning of this fanfiction…I noticed that I really sucked.

Thanx for reading and supporting me even though this story actually stinks.

Disclaimer: if I owned Naruto…nobody would watch it. Or read it.

It had been three days.

Three days since Naruto's betrayal was revealed.

Four days since he left.

Five days since they left Konoha.

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On a dead tree…

Sakura's POV

I don't know if I'm all right. I just don't know anymore. Naruto's betrayal is very real to me now…I can't doubt everything Sasuke says anymore…Temari confirmed it. There were tears in her eyes. I think. My vision is ruined; it's completely filled with tears. They dripped on the branches a little.

It looked like blood.

I smiled, tears of blood. Who would've thought? I've shed so many tears over Sasuke, even over Lee…but never over Naruto. I trusted him. He would never do anything to hurt me.

But now he has.

And it's worse than Sasuke's. He tricked me. I thought that he was my only friend. The only one that would never let me down. Even when he had failed to bring back Sasuke the first time. I had known that it wasn't his fault. That he would bring Sasuke back eventually.

But not at this price.

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In her room

Temari's POV

I can face it now. It's time to face the music. No matter how grave the situation is. I am a shinobi. An assassin. A weapon honed for killing and warfare with no emotions. Emotions weaken us….right?

It certainly didn't seem that way for him. Naruto. He was one of the only—no, the only, person that fought, and won because of his passion. His passion for loyalty, dreams..and most of all friendship. He was the one that taught my little brother how to truly become great. He's the reason that Gaara became Kazekage.

Now I'll never have the chance to repay this kindness.

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Roof

Shikamaru's POV

I'm never an emotional person. It's way too troublesome. But then, I never had a reason to feel emotion. Temari is the only one that's ever seen my soft side. Even that is a precious little. I think that Temari is the only one that can ever fall in love with someone like me. So little emotion. I wonder if I can even spare any for Naruto. Even if he did leave.

That dobe.

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Kazekage's Office

Everyone was gathered at the Kazekage's office at 9:30 a.m.. again. Since that night when they first arrived, there has been no more suspicious activity. After three days, Suna was declared safe since it seems that the enemy was retreating, or just regrouping. Whatever it was, it didn't seem like he was going to make a move any time soon. Gaara has ordered that the teams from Konoha return to their village and remain alert. Just in case the Sand would ever need their help again.

So with heavy hearts, they were all gathered here to day their farewells.

However, the melancholy looks on everyone's faces weren't because they were leaving, it was because of a traitor. Except for Gaara. He always looked that way.

Both of the teams, minus one ninja, set out to return to their village safely. And they did. But a battle was going on in each of their hearts.

They just couldn't believe that he was actually gone.

It was a realization worse than death.

No one wanted to believe that he was gone.

But they had to, they couldn't go out and face anyone with this kind of attitude.

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Forest Surrounding Konoha

"I think that we should just laugh."

That suggestion produced a bitter chuckle from everyone. No one wanted to laugh. They had already forgotten how to. But Sakura's gentle and insistent voice pressed on.

"I mean it! We should just laugh!! It'll make all of us feel a whole lot better."

"How do you know?" ,came Sasuke's cold and unbelieving voice. Every trace of emotion was wiped clean from that single sentence.

"Because that's what you do in these sorts of times. Laugh."

Sasuke turned away and ignored her cheerful words. The rest of them remained silent, lost in their own world. Sakura sighed, oh, whatever. Who am I kidding? Why would any of us laugh anyway? It's too hard to laugh nowadays…

She became quiet and traveled on with the rest of the group.

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Hokage's Office

"The mission was…successful, Hokage-sama. We fought off the first set of ninja underground and there seems to be no more enemy activity, at least for now."

"Thank you Sakura. You may go."

"Hai."

In a flash of pink hair, she was gone.

Tsunade sighed. The mission was successful, but it seems that Naruto was gone. The rumors were true. He really did leave. The fifty-year-old blonde flipped open Sakura's full report wearily. She was getting too much bad news these days. Her thoughts wandered to the possibility of retiring, if that was possible. Before, it was, but now it seemed too far off into the future. After all, the only possible candidate was gone and there was no one that could take his place.

Konoha had plenty of eligible ninja, but none could match him in loyalty and passion.

But that was before this.

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Unknown Cave

"You don't have to destroy them!

The raven-haired man smiled evilly.

"Of course I do. I'm evil."

"They didn't do anything to deserve this!!"

"Of course they didn't. Oh! I should enslave them, make them loyal and turn them against everything they love instead…"

"If you do that, I swea—"

"Ah ah ah, Naruto, don't push it. I will do whatever it takes to get my revenge, and no one, especially not you, can stop me!"

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Konoha, Irchiraku

Three weeks later

"Hey, dog boy, don't get your stupid mutt's slobber all over my pants."

"YOU BASTARD!!!! AKAMARU IS NOT STUPID AN—"

"Shut up."

Kiba was fuming. It seemed like Sasuke was surlier than ever. All of them were at Ichiraku, talking and eating. Sakura was chatting with Ino and Hinata with Tenten. Temari was babbling on about God knows what to Shikamaru and Kiba was getting ready to murder Sasuke for calling his dog stupid.

At the last second, Hinata quickly ended her conversation with Tenten and dragged Kiba away with a polite farewell to Sasuke.

"Ki-kiba…do-don't get m-mad at h-him…."

"Why? He called Akamaru a stupid mutt!"

Hinata quietly gestured to her fiancé to look at Sasuke.

"I-I'm sure h-he's ju-just s-sad, K-kiba. W-we a-all a-are…"

"Speaking of which, what did your father say about us?"

"……"

"F-father? M-may I t-talk to y-you?"

"What is it, Hinata?"

She entered the room and sat in front of her father on a mat. She put her hands in front of her and bowed down low. When she raised her head, she smiled wearily.

"I w-would like t-to f-forfeit the p-position of leader of th-the Hyuuga Clan to H-hyuuga Neji, F-father."

"What?!"

"I'm s-sorry Father. B-but we both kn-know that I w-won't live l-long enough to t-truly f-fulfill m-my role. I'm s-sorry."

With that, she bowed low again and left her father to ponder her request.

Hinata thought over the previous night's events and decided not to reveal it to Kiba.

"D-don't w-worry K-kiba, h-he wo-won't s-say an-anything…"

"That's a relief!"

Kiba smiled brightly while he grabbed her hand and took her to the park.

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Ichiraku's

TenTen's POV

So Neji will always be the leader of the Hyuuga Clan. I wonder when I should tell him. It was always his dream, and now it's handed to him. But I don't know how he'll interpret it.

Strangely, I feel a bit empty. It's always unnerving when someone is so calm and peaceful about their death. I wonder how Kiba will feel?

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In the park

Hinata's POV

Soon…the stars might be out of my reach..I don't know how long I can live anymore….

It's not because of Father, or Neji. It's because of me. I'm too weak. It seems like I truly wasn't cut out to be a ninja after all. When Tsunade-sama talked to me after I collapsed at Kiba's, she told me that I would most probably die very soon.

I had requested for her not to tell anyone, but somehow, my father found out. He didn't say anything, but I knew that he knew what would eventually be my fate.

Kiba will know. Soon.

But not now. We still have too much to do, too much to do. I pray that it might not be too late when he finds out.

"K-kiba?"

"Yeah, Hinata?"

"We-we'll f-find N-naruto soon, r-right?"

"H--- YEAH!!!"

"Th-then ev-everything wi-will b-be p-perfect…"

"Yeah, perfect."

But I knew, in my heart that there were no such things as happy endings. They were only created to illustrate a fairytale world, something we could yearn for, dream for, but never achieve..The most I can hope for is a peaceul death, one that can be celebrated and not regretted…then when Naruto is back, everything will be truly perfect…

End of Tears of Blood

Yeah. The worst premature ending in the story. Actually, my friends pointed out that this story should've just ended when Hinata recovered. That proves how much I actually stunk. I know that this is the worst ending, and there were a lot of unanswered questions…but I felt that it was necessary to break it off and start the sequel. READ THE SEQUEL!!!--> Price of Freedom

I'll be taking a little breather and try finishing up Cherry Tomato, I encourage you to read that and be patient while I plan the sequel. (don't take me off your alert list!!)

Owari