"Love is stronger than death even though it can't stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death."

Nagato sighed as he watched Yahiko and Konan run around in the open field, playing ninja. It was times like these were he wished he still had Chibi to keep him company. Nagato's fingers brushed over the green grass and he imagined the strands' tickling his hand was Chibi's fur. A particularly loud squeal made him look up from his lap, his hand slipping into the kunai pouch on his hip. Konan was pinned to the ground by Yahiko, who was grinned from ear to ear.

Nagato sighed again, removing his hand from his pouch and continued to fiddle with the grass. Yes, these were definitely the times were he wished he had someone with him. At the sound of another giggle Nagato looked through red bangs, his stomach tightened painfully. Yahiko pulled away from Konan but Nagato could tell by the blush and how her hand held her right cheek, he had kissed her. How Nagato wished he could have someone to share everything with.

"Heyyy, Nagato! What's wrong?" Yahiko yelled, running to catch up to the other boy, Konan not far behind.

"Nothing's wrong Yahiko." He mumbled, but flinched when Yahiko threw an arm over his shoulders.

"But you just got up and walked away. You should have played with Konan and I!"

Nagato turned his head slightly so he could better see his friend, Konan was now on his other side. He sighed heavily, shrugging off his friends arm and continued walking. He couldn't understand why Yahiko was hell bent on acting like a child at times. Hadn't he taken Jiraiya-sama's teachings to heart? Nagato had. He was going to live by them; he was going to do everything in his power to protect his friends so he never had to experience the pain of losing anyone again.

"You just make me angry sometimes Yahiko."

"Huh? What the hell did I do!" The ginger growled angrily.

"It's...I don't really know how to explain it Yahiko. I just-It's the fact that you act so immature at times." Nagato hung his head lower.

Yahiko gave him a skeptical look.

"Just-Never mind Yahiko. I'm sorry. Let's get going. I'm sure you both are hungry."

"Woah! Nagato, stop!" Yahiko yelled loudly.

He stopped the sweeping motion of his arm, the kunai in his hand left a small gash against the enemy's skin. He took a deep breath and the person in front of him stumbled back, clutching their arm. A small trickle of blood passed pale fingers and Nagato looked up into completely red eyes, no other color visible. Without realizing his grip on his weapon slackened in shock. Yahiko ran past him, shoving him to the side to reach the thin girl.

"Hey. You okay?" He asked softly.

The girl jerked her head up in the direction of Yahiko.

"Here," Yahiko reached forward, "Let me take a look at that."

The girl took a step back, tripping over her own feet; she landed ungracefully on the ground. Konan was at her side in a minute, reaching out to the girl as well. The girl let out a shocked gasp and slapped at Konan's hands when they touched her shoulder. Both Yahiko and Konan shared a look and took a step back. Nagato continued to watch the scene in front of him, the girl scrambled to her feet quickly.

"Ju-just leave me alone!" She shouted.

"We're just trying to help you." Yahiko said carefully.

"Just leave me alone!" She shouted again.

Nagato watched, noticing the girl wasn't actually looking at any of them, just in their general direction. Konan must have noticed as well as she sent Yahiko a look telling him to stop.

"We just want to help you honest. Can you tell us your name? Mine in Konan, the other two are Yahiko and Nagato."

The girl bit her lip, "It-It's Sousou."

Konan nodded and Nagato took a few steps forward so that he was with his friends. He gave Konan a sideways glance before he choose to speak. The girl tensed at the sound of his voice.

"Sousou. I'm Nagato and I want to ask you something okay? Don't get upset."

The thin girl nodded, black hair hung around her frail face.

"Are you blind, Sousou?"

The girls head shot up and Nagato's breath caught in his throat as her eyes seemed to stare straight at him. Yahiko looked back and forth between both Nagato and Sousou, his eyebrows knit tightly together. The girls thin frame shook slightly, her fingers curling into fists at her side. Even if she didn't answer him her body language did. Obviously it was a touchy subject and he half regretted bringing it up.

"Yes." She hissed angrily.

"Ohhh please Konan! Please, please, please, please!" Yahiko begged.

"Yahiko. No."

"But why!"

"Because."

"Well that's not a good answer!"

Nagato grimaced at Yahiko as he got on his knees, gripping Konan's hand between both of his. The girl seemed to grow more and more agitated with each sentence the ginger spoke. An evident tick was growing larger on her forehead by the second. At the sound of a light giggle Nagato looked down. A thin face with oddly red eyes was looking up at him, a small across pale lips, rested on his lap.

"They're arguing about where to go for my birthday again aren't they?"

"Yeah."

Sousou's smile grew, "I really appreciate Yahiko wanting to take me to a carnival of some sort but that'll only make me sad."

Nagato sighed, fingers coming up to stroke black locks as Sousou continued speaking.

"Because I won't be able to see it and I'd feel terrible that Yahiko spent money and I can't enjoy it to the fullest. I think Konan realizes it."

"Yahiko is stupid sometimes, I don't think he always remembers that you can't see."

Sousou shifted herself into a sitting position, placing her face in front of Nagato's. Her eyes moved slightly, sightlessly over his face. Pale hands slowly made their way up his arms, over his chest and to his face. Delicate and thin fingers drifted over his cheeks lightly. Nagato watched as red disappeared behind pale lids and Sousou's face inched itself slowly towards his. Warm lips pressed against his cheek and he turned his head so he could capture them with his own.

When they pulled away both allowed their eyes to flutter open, a pink cloud mirrored on both their cheeks. Sousou ran her fingertips across his face again tracing all of its details. Her fingers stopped their journey on the tip on his nose. A smile came to her lips and Nagato smiled back.

"I think you forget that I can see some things, Nagato. Just, not in the way the rest of the world see's. But that's what makes me different, special. I can see what no one else can."

"Hey... Sousou-chan? Are you okay?" Yahiko asked gently.

"Hmm? Yeah. I'm fine Yahiko-kun. Just a bit of a coug-." She was cut off again as more harsh sounds escaped her lips.

When Sousou pulled her hand away, red stood out against pale skin. Yahiko grimaced deeply as he grabbed her hand, she tried pulling it out of his grasp but it was futile.

"How long has this been going on?" Yahiko asked firmly.

"Fo-for a while. I-," Sousou paused, taking a deep breath, "I went to the doctors a week ago. I told Konan it was just a cold, but-but I got the results back. I have Pulmonary Edema. My heart is failing and I don't have much time left. I didn't want any of you to worry."

Yahiko felt his heart burst in his chest, tears spilled over his lashes and he pulled Sousou in a tight hug. He continued sobbing, stroking her hair and Sousou willed herself not to cry as well as she wrapped her arms around him. Yahiko's sobs wracked through his body, which caused her to shake as well. A few minutes later a cough was heard from next to them, Yahiko pulled away quickly, wiping away tears.

"Yahiko? Sousou?" Konan asked carefully.

"Hey, Konan." Yahiko croaked out.

"Uhh. What's wrong you two? Did something happen? Sousou?" She asked.

"N-no! Everything's fine! I was-just thinking of Jiraiya-"

"Yes. Something is wrong." Sousou said, cutting Yahiko off.

Nagato stared at her with piercing steal eyes, her head hung low and black hair covered her face from view. All was silent, Yahiko itching at how uncomfortable it was. The girl reached a hand out and the red head took it as his sign to go to her. He pulled her off the ground and into a hug, Yahiko stood next to Konan, clutching her hand for dear life. Nagato heard the frail girl take a deep breath leading to a coughing fit. When she finally finished she looked up at him with blood stained lips.

"I'm dying."

The first few days after Sousou's announcement went like a blur for Nagato and if it hadn't been for the constant reminder that Sousou really was sick, he would have dismissed the whole thing as a dream. Her coughing fits became more frequent and she was having a hard time breathing, the sound of liquid in her lungs was evident. But even with all of the painful symptoms she smiled a bloody smile and laughed a breath laugh. All in attempts to make the others feel normal.

Yahiko was the first to change how he treated her; to him it was as if she was one of Konan's origami flowers. He rarely touched her, but was at her beck and call, not that she exploited the fact. Konan was next. Soon she too treated the girl like she was ready to break, mothering over her when Sousou was too weak to stop her. Nagato was the only one who refused to treat her different. Treating her different would mean he had accepted that she was dying and that was something he just couldn't do.

Yahiko and Konan sat in a tree a few feet from where he and Sousou were. They heads were bent together and they were talking, most likely about Sousou's condition. It seemed her already thin body was thinner, paler. Nagato looked back down at her face that rested against his lap. Her dry lips were parted and her chest rattled with each breath, he could smell the coppery scent of blood and it made him sick.

He reached his own pale fingers out, allowing them to stroke black hair gently. Sousou opened her eyes, the red that once looked vibrant and beautiful now only served to remind him that she was dying. She smiled up at him and reached a hand out; he took hers in his, placing it against his cheek. Her fingertips were cold as they trailed over his face, leaving icy trails in their wake. Her hand retreated quickly as she covered her mouth to keep from coughing on him. When she moved her hand back more blood than usual stained it and her face was scrunched up in pain.

"Are you alright, Sousou?" Nagato asked gently.

"Aha, yeah. I'm fine. I'm, uh, sorry about this, Nagato. I wish I could do something about thi-"

Nagato leaned down and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss, he pulled back after what seemed like hours.

"Sousou it's not your fault. Please, do not say you're sorry."

"I love you Nagato. I wanted to tell you that, so I can't regret anything." She mumbled, cuddling closer into him.

"I love you too."

A while passed by before Yahiko and Konan came back over. They took the time to watch Sousou sleep against Nagato. The image almost brought more tears to Yahiko's eyes and he realized he had never cried so much since his parents had passed away.

"Hey. Nagato, we're going to set up camp. Do you want me to watch Sousou while you fix your tent? Or do you want me to do it? Because I will." Yahiko said.

"If you wouldn't mind Yahiko."

"No it's fine."

Nagato looked down at the sleeping girl and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. Her nose was scrunched up in slight pain. The other two quickly put everything together and Konan ushered Nagato into one of the tents with Sousou. He laid the girl on her side before lying next to her. She stayed asleep and soon Nagato followed her into it, allowing her to curl against him. As he drifted to sleep he could feel her cold body sucking away the warmth of his.

"She's dead..."

"N-no! Sh-she can't be! She was alive when I fell asleep!"

"I'm sorry, she's dead Nagato."

"But-!"

"Konan. You better double check! She-she..."

"I did. She's dead Yahiko, Nagato! I'm s-."

With that said, all three Ame Orphans broke down into tears. For Nagato this was his third path of pain.