A/N- The last chapter! This is set back just after their deaths so Sai isn't an old storyteller just yet I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint anyone... I did try!

Pink blossom petals were falling from the trees, landing on the still water and causing the smooth surface to break into ripples. The girl had her hands on her knees and she was looking at the image in the water. The sound of laughing caused her to stand up and stretch, looking over to the red painted bridge where she could make out the figures of her two companions. As she looked up at them her face broke out into a wide smile.

One of the boys saw her smiling and waved to her with all the energy that he could muster. "Hey! Sakura-chan!" He jumped from the bridge and ran across the water, throwing himself at the pink haired girl and holding her tightly.

She laughed and put her arms around him. "Naruto." She closed her eyes and felt the warmth of his arms around her. "I thought that I'd never see you again..." She smiled and felt a few tears come from under her closed eyelids. They separated and Naruto stroked her cheek with his thumb while holding her chin in his palm. Then they both turned to see Sasuke smiling slightly awkwardly with his arms folded. "Either of you."

Naruto slung one arm over his brother's shoulder and grinned. "Yep! We all arrived at the same time! But... you were kind of out of it for a while... Staring into the water." He glanced over at the water and Sakura laughed at his expression. "What the hell is that?" He knelt at the water's edge and stared, Sakura slid her arms around his neck and followed his line of sight.

Sasuke joined them and Sakura heard the Uchiha make a small grunt in surprise. "That's-"

"Us." Sakura finished, nodding. "It's... where we just came from." This is weird... Sakura mused, we're dead! All three of us! "They're about to fight the Bijuu..." She felt Naruto's back muscles tense up, and his fists clenched.

"Can't we do anything? Anything at all?"

Sasuke stood back. "Damn it."

"What is it? Sasuke?" Sakura looked up at her friend, who was wearing a face of surprise and displeasure.

"I thought they would obey me... Damn it!" He stood up and kicked at the water. Naruto stood up too and glared at his friend. There was a short silence until Sasuke retained his cool composure. "Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo were meant to help Konoha."

Sakura set her face, she understood who he meant; they were the former subordinates of Orochimaru who he'd teamed up with to go after Itachi. Unfortunately, Naruto was a glutton for punishment, he scratched his chin and narrowed his eyes in thought. "Who are they? Do we know them?" Sakura sighed and rested her forehead on his shoulder. He really was dumb... Even now, he couldn't help himself from asking the worst questions.

"My teammates." Sasuke muttered, looking away and focussing on the lake.

Why do I feel like a schoolboy facing off against the headmaster? He looked up again at the two in front of him. But it wasn't the same! It was good, and we had some fun times, but it wasn't the same! I missed you both whether I admit it or not!

He saw Sakura behind Naruto, resting her head on his shoulder and hiding her face which he knew would be screwed up in emotion and frustration. He didn't look at Naruto's face, which he knew would be a mixture of anger at him, Sasuke, and great sadness that he was replaced.

"Ok." Sasuke looked at his old teammate and friend in surprise; the young man was turned once again to the water in interest, his face read nothing but curiosity.. Sakura's face wasn't scrunched up, it was relaxed and slightly worried as she smiled at Sasuke before nudging Naruto with her elbow.

"Baka! Don't be so rude! You ask who they are and then just ignore the answer!" She pulled her features into mock anger as the boy looked up at her and then at Sasuke.

"Sorry... Is that them?" He pointed and Sasuke nodded; the three teammates were heading away from the Bijuu and they appeared to be slightly panicky; as the three dead ninja concentrated they found that they could hear their voices.

"It'll be alright." Karin snapped, storming ahead. "Konoha and Suna are the strongest ninja communities in the top hidden villages! We need to move out and see if there's anything else to do!"

Suigetsu pouted and Juugo glanced back in the direction of the fight. "We should help them." Juugo said in a low, calm tone, but Suigetsu laughed.

"Don't worry! It's not like Sasuke's gonna kill us for disobeying one little order!" He stretched, then fingered the hilt of his sword happily. "To be fair... It was a little out of character for him to want us to help his former village..." Sasuke saw Naruto's and Sakura's eyes blink. "... So maybe it was an illusion?"

"Idiot!" Karin hit him over the head. "That makes even less sense!"

Sasuke saw Naruto's face twist into a weird little smile.

"Sorry Sasuke but... they're a weird bunch aren't they?"

"Yeah... a little." Sasuke mock pondered for a moment. "You have no idea how much they reminded me of you two..." He smiled as he saw Sakura's eye twitch. He'd missed her hitting Naruto... wait... he'd been the one to annoy her this time. "Shit-"

Sakura hit him across the face, sending him crashing into the water. "Heh... Sorry Sasuke." Naruto smiled apologetically and extended a hand to lift the stunned boy from the water. "You really shouldn't try to annoy her for fun... the punches really hurt..." He paused and glanced at the kunoichi, who was raising an eyebrow in cool disinterest. Then the blond caught her and pulled her into the water where he and Sasuke were.

SPLASH "Naruto!" the girl yelled, using her hands to throw water at her lover's face. "Now I'm wet! Oh- wait... I'm not wet..."

"Well we are dead." Sasuke pointed out, helpfully.

"No shit." The girl frowned, then smiled. "Good to have you back Sasuke... and less stand-offish than before." Naruto helped her out of the water too and nodded.

"Yeah... even if it is only in spirit form." He reached out and took hold of Sasuke's upper arm in a gesture of friendship and camaraderie.

Sasuke smiled softly. "It's good to see you two again too. Though, it must be said... you've changed. Not for the worse!" He hastily added as he saw Sakura's eye begin to twitch. "Just... stronger, and you get on better than before." He noticed Naruto's hand catch Sakura's and the fingers intertwined. "It's good... definitely good."

Sakura sighed. "But it could be better. I wish- that we could help... it was us that released that thing anyway..." She turned once more to the now still water; their only window to the real world. "I just want to help- oh!" Her eyes widened as the light started. Naruto and Sasuke stood either side of her and they watched in horror as the light built up, eventually climaxing in a brilliant white which left a lasting imprint on their spirit eyes.

The after-effects were surprising though... and relieving. No one was hurt except for Tobi, who had been close to killing Gaara. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and Sakura's furrowed brow relaxed and smoothed.

Sasuke's eyes were on the Hokage, who ran into the cabin to check on the three bodies lined up together. He grimaced slightly as he saw the other ninjas follow suit and make sure that the bodies were untouched by the earthquake.

"The Bijuu's gone." Sakura's voice rose in surprise, her pink hair swaying as she moved her head to look at the whole area. "Just... gone."

Naruto followed Sasuke's gaze and his eyes widened before he turned away and hugged Sakura. "I'm just glad they're safe." Sasuke saw her pale hand lift to cradle the blond boy's head as she nodded. "Sasuke... I forgot to ask..." Naruto looked at the dark haired boy without moving his head from Sakura's shoulder. "Did you manage to... Did you kill Itachi before coming here?"

Sasuke nodded. "I did."

"I'm glad." Naruto smiled, and Sakura closed her eyes, nodding. Sasuke couldn't help but be surprised that they still supported his darkest desire, even after he'd left them, tried to kill them, and destroyed everything they believed in just to achieve it.

"Thank you." He smiled, watching the sun cast its golden glow over the pair before him; watching both of them raise their eyes to look at him with complete sincerity and earnestness.

Sakura was the first to speak. "Thank you for coming back."

Naruto renewed the sentiment with a small grunt. "We knew that you would." They extended one arm each, reaching out to their estranged teammate, and after a brief hesitation, he moved over and joined the embrace.

"Thank you for believing... for waiting."

"Mmm." Naruto murmured, apparently far too comfortable to form coherent words.

Sakura laughed and rested her chin on her lover's head, keeping one arm around each of her teammates. "What else could we do?" She smiled at Sasuke and the three ninjas sat together, with their arms around each other, watching the water as the images of their allies and friends played across the ripples.

After that, no matter how many times ninjas or explorers tried, no one ever found the cave or the garden again. After a while, most people dismissed it as a fictional legend; a side story made up to make the story of team 7 more romantic... But one old storyteller knows different. He knows that place existed. He was there. It doesn't matter that he couldn't find it again to paint it, he knows that it was there.

He knows that when he dies, he will join them there. He knows that they will remain in that place for the most perfect eternity. Always together. Always happy.

Always.

Until they choose to live again.

But that's another story.

Ok... That's the end. I'm playing with the idea of a sequel but if it happens it won't be done for a while; I have two other stories going and I have A levels at College (UK system) so I'm pretty swamped. Everyone who read this should review, just so I know how many people have read it and if you all support the idea of a sequel involving their reincarnations and new Konoha.

So... Review.

Arigatou and Sayonnara