Author's Notes:

Oh, my God, I'm so sorry. I know I made all of you wait for so long. I really wanted to update earlier. I swear I did. But then, my computer crashed and it took me months to get it fixed. And a lot of things happened to me even after I got my computer fixed. (I just graduated from high school. I'm going to be a college freshman next school year! Whoot!)

It also made me sad that only a few people reviewed the last chapter and I know that there are more than 20 people subscribed to this fic. No matter, I still want to thank you, my readers. This is my very first successful story other than my other Naruto one-shots.

I hope that you'll like this epilogue of "Sacrifices". I had something better in mind a few months ago but the circumstances stopped me from writing that.

So now, I present to you…

Sacrifices: Epilogue – Close to the End

(Standard Disclaimer Applies to some of the characters and the song.)

Days…


Weeks…


Months…

Years…

Time had passed and Konoha was at peace. Wars were minimal and didn't last very long. Ninjas went to small and medium-sized missions and came back without a scratch on their body.

The famous Rookie Nine finally became powerful ninjas and protected Konoha with all of their might. Two of the most prominent and well-known families in Konoha were from the Rookie Nine – the Haruno-Hyuuga and the Hyuuga-Uzumaki households.

The Hyuuga-Uzumaki household composed of five people. The Uzumaki patriarch was now soon-to-be Hokage after the Godaime retires. He had proved himself worthy of the position. The Uzumaki matriarch was one of the best medical ninjas in Konoha. She learned only from the best – the Godaime herself. With her Byakugan abilities totally perfected, she became unstoppable.

The three Hyuuga-Uzumaki offspring were one of a kind. All three were blond and had powder blue eyes which possess the Byakugan ability. They had a very good mixture of their parents' genes.

The eldest was named Uzumaki Ichigo. His name was supposed to be Uzumaki Ichiraku, right after the name of the restaurant Naruto loves. However, Hinata protested and changed the name into Ichigo. Ichigo was as confident and as noisy as his father. He was also as thoughtful and smart as his mother.

The middle child was named Uzumaki Reika. Her name was picked at random. She was somehow a great mixture of her parents – shy and quiet as her mother and yellow hair and sapphire orbs just like his father.

The youngest, Uzumaki Naoki, was the special one among the children. He was really-really quiet – didn't mingle among the other children or his brother and sister that much. But he was kind and gentle like the wind. Naruto had been devising ways to make his youngest like him but all Naoki said to him was, "Dad, don't worry. I love solidarity. There's nothing wrong with me. I just… really love peace and quiet."

The Haruno-Hyuuga household was quite different from the Hyuuga-Uzumaki household. This household was all prim and proper due to the Hyuuga master was now the leader of the whole clan. He was as responsible as ever and respected everywhere he went. The Hyuuga mistress was the perfect wife for him – always beside him in order to support him in any way she can. She was the greatest medical ninjas around in Konoha – smart and powerful.

There were only two children in this household – a girl and a boy – ages seven and five respectively. The girl had her mother's attractive face and the unique candy pink hair. The boy had his father's handsome face and the brown hair of the Hyuuga clan. Both had light green orbs that can use the Byakugan. Both were smart, cunning, and well-behaved. Yet, they were still children. No matter how high they belong in Konoha's society, they behave like normal children who wanted to play games with their parents and friends.

The eldest child, Hyuuga Haruka, was the top student in the Ninja Academy. She was good at studying – just like her mother. She was also good in combat skills – just like her father. She was usually quiet and acted mature for her age around old people. But once she gets together with her best friend and cousin, Uzumaki Ichigo, she becomes talkative and active.

The youngest and the next clan leader for the Hyuuga family was Hyuuga Tamaki. He was a cheerful boy. Like any other boys of such clan, he wanted to make his father proud of him. He had asked his mother to teach him jutsus that he could do. Successfully, he was able to perform them at ease. His father couldn't be more proud of him.

One windy afternoon, the Hyuuga mistress, Sakura, was walking with Haruka and Tamaki around the memorable bridge where Team 7 used to meet up to talk about missions. She stopped for a moment to recapitulate her youth. All those memories brought tears to her eyes.

Young Haruka looked up and saw droplets of water coming out of her mother's emerald eyes. She tugged the sleeve of Sakura's pink kimono. Her mother looked at her and saw the worry in her daughter's eyes as Haruka asked, "Mommy, why are you crying?"

Sakura looked at her daughter's concerned face. Then, she looked at her son's worried face. She smiled and hugged both of them. "It's nothing, my sweethearts. Go and walk ahead of me. I'll catch up. Tama-chan, watch over Haru-chan, okay?" She let the go and smiled at them.

"Hai, Okaa-san." Tamaki answered as cheerfully as he could and held Haruka's hand as walked ahead.

Unexpectedly, someone asked the emerald-eyed woman, "Are they your children?"

Sakura looked back to see who the person was. Upon seeing the raven-colored hair and eyes, she gasped. Tears streamed down her eyes. Her whole body was trembling. She didn't know what to say. It had been such a long time since she last saw him. And in fact, she knew he was dead.

Have you ever felt being there?

Have you ever found the sunshine on your hair?

Have you been under your skin?

Have you ever found the beauty from within?

"Still teary-eyed, you never changed, Sakura." The man smiled as he approached her. When they only had a four feet distance between them, he said, "Hello, my cherry blossom."

"Sa-sa-sa-sasuke…" She was able to utter his name after seven years of thinking he was already gone for good. She knew there had to be a good explanation for that but as of that moment, all she wanted to do was hear what he had to say.

"It's been seven years since I last saw you." The last remaining Uchiha looked at his peaceful surroundings. "This place hasn't changed that much, huh?"

"I… I thought you were dead." Sakura looked at the ground as she said, "I thought I could never see you again. Why did you make me think that… that you were dead?"

Sasuke touched her chin and made her look into his onyx eyes. He saw more tears drop from her eyes. "It's complicated, Sakura. I had to do that. But Sakura… look where you are right now. You're happily married to a good man and you have kids. I could never be happier for you."

Sakura reasoned out to him. "I would've been happier if I was with you, Sasuke. You know how much I… how much I care for you." She knew it was useless because no one could possibly turn the hands of time back to yesterday. But she believed that she had to say the words that were locked inside her heart seven years ago.

"Sakura… I…" He couldn't find the right words to say to her. He couldn't simply tell her what he did to her – how much pain he caused her.

Like an unfamiliar song

You can hum with all your heart

But you'll never find the words

"Sasuke…" She waited for him to say something. She wanted to know why he faked his own death. She knew there had to be a good reason behind all that. Suddenly, she felt herself inside his warm embrace – the embrace she never had all this time.

And I don't wanna wake up

Without you again, without you again, without you again

And I don't wanna wake up

Feeling so close, close to the end, close to the end...

Close to the end.

"Sakura, all this time, you were on my mind. I wanted so much to be with you. But I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you just because of some stupid ritual that you had to do in order for us to have perfect offspring. I'm so sorry."

Have you ever thought of nothing else?

As I wake up each day until the moment I lay my head on my bed

And as I close my eyes and cling to my pillow

Though you're miles away I still wait for the day that would never come

Sakura was shocked when she heard what he said. It made her look up at him and stare into his eyes, searching for an answer as she reasoned, "You know how much I love you, don't you? I would've endured all that pain for you. You just had to trust me."

"I did but…" Sasuke was about to continue but when he saw Sakura shook her head, he suddenly got lost for words and couldn't continue. He feared that if he say anything more, he would hurt her again.

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything anymore." She buried her face closer into his chest and made a wonderful memory. She whispered to him, "Let's not talk about our regrets. We could never turn back the hands of time and be together again. I have something to hold on here." Sakura looked into his eyes once more and showed him her happiness. She wanted him to remember that moment until the moment they die. "Now, all I want to do was stay here, inside your arms before we go separate paths again."

And I don't wanna wake up

Without you again, without you again, without you again

And I don't wanna wake up

Feeling so close, close to the end, close to the end...

Close to the end.

Suddenly, a small girl approached them and pulled Sasuke's sleeve. Sasuke broke free from his embrace and looked at the girl. That sudden movement made Sakura look at the girl as well. She had the same raven hair, onyx eyes, and expressionless face that Sasuke has. "Outo-san, we have to go now. Okaa-san and Natsume-onii-chan's gone ahead of us."

The stars are bound to die

It all makes no sense

I can't take the chance

I don't want to see you go, see you go...

Even if she dreaded the answer, she still asked the question. "Sasuke… is she yours?" But the answer was obvious. It was a surefire Uchiha child.

"It's nice to see Outo-san and one of his friends together again. I'm Sakura Hotaru. Uchiha Sakura Hotaru. Outo-san said I was named after his first love and Okaa-san hated that name. She calls me Hotaru most of the time."

'Sakura Hotaru? He named her after me, his first love…' Sakura smiled at the girl. Hotaru wasn't like Sasuke at all. She was always smiling and talkative. 'It must've been the traits of her mother… Wait a second! Who is her mother?'

As if Sasuke could read her mind, he said, "Her mother was also born in Konoha. She's related to the Godaime."

"Oh, I see…" Sakura moved a few steps back, creating the four feet distance again. "I guess this is good-bye." She gave him her best and sweetest smile. She wanted him to remember her smiling happily as he leaves her once more.

"Yeah, I had to leave now." He picked up his daughter and started to walk away. A few seconds later, he looked back and waved. "Sayonara, Sakura." He looked away and disappeared from his friends, Konoha, and her life again.

And I don't wanna wake up

Without you again, without you again, without you again

And I don't wanna wake up

Feeling so close, close to the end, close to the end... close to the end.

Everything was still and silent. She whispered as the evening breeze passed by her, "Sayonara, Sasuke." Another tear slid down her cheek but she knew it was the last tear she'll shed for Uchiha Sasuke.

END

Author's Final Note:

This wonderful work of fanfiction was finished at 11:52PM (Philippine time) on April 9, 2007. In this final note, I ask you, my readers to review. It can be short or long. I don't mind at all. A review would make all these worthwhile. Thank you once again and I hope to hear from you again.

-angelraine-