Author's Notes: A collection of drabbles that were even too short to demand their own drabble chapters. Just flickers, but I hope you like them. Please read and review ^_^

Summary: Several short drabbles gathered together. Mostly Sasuke and Naruto with some Sakura and Sai too.

01- Naruto saves Sasuke from certain death one last time

"I know I promised the next time we met, we'd die together…" Sasuke watched as blood poured from Naruto's mouth as he spoke. This was all wrong. This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

Naruto shook his head. He smiled and touched the Uchiha's face lightly. In a trembling voice, the smile never leaving his face, Naruto spoke.

"But I couldn't let them kill you…I'm sorry, Sasuke…This is the last time."

In his mind, and then out loud, Sasuke screamed.

02- Sasuke's been brought back and Naruto addresses the Council after hearing their initial sentence

"I've never raised a hand to a villager, even when they hurt me, hit me, even tried to kill me. I love this village and I'll protect it to the death." Naruto's smile turned sinister and the Council flinched, some jerking back. Naruto's eyes were still blue, but there was fire in them and a certain madness.

"But if you hurt my precious people, my family…I'll show you what a true demon is."

03- After a small, kyuubi induced breakdown, Sakura realizes how true Naruto's words to Sasuke had been

"Naruto was right. They could have so easily switched places…"

Sakura shivered, her mind filled with the memory of Naruto, bloody and clawing the ground, head thrown back and cackling with an insane, childlike joy.

She thought of all that had happened to her hyper teammate; the betrayal, heartbreak, defeat, despair…all that had been piled upon Naruto's already heavily burdened shoulders…

"They still could. And it would be…cataclysmic."

04- Sakura and Sai have a discussion

"Sai, you…you love Naruto. You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"…It doesn't matter. Losing Sasuke…would destroy Naruto beyond repair. And I want to protect his smile…even if it's not for me."

05- Conversation as the end approaches

"What'll you remember? Of how our lives were…of how we were…?"

He's fading, they both are.

"…You…I'll remember you…"

Naruto bites down on the pain and tears mix with blood. He's okay with this ending, really.

This is okay, this is okay, this is…