I don't own Naruto, though any characters such as Aleia, Tobias and erm…other non-naruto characters are mine.

Oh and for added effect to this piece I suggest all of you listen to Far Away by Nickelback, it really expresses the ending well.

R and R my peeps!

Silence.

Everywhere there was nothing but a suffocating silence so thick in its fog that even a deaf man could hear it bearing down upon everyone's soul. Nothing seemed alive, there were no birds calling out their melodious tunes nor was there even a rustle of the trees with the dead wind blowing through them. Houses were mere skeletons, some burnt to ashes, others crumbling and most abandoned by the joyous people who once inhabited these white-washed, picket-fenced homes. Shops were left unlocked, doors clinging upon their last hinges before clanging on the ground in a phantom manner. Worst yet, were the countless men, women and children covering the streets with their decaying corpses, dark blood stains covered every inch of the ground, soiling it with undesired violence.

Konoha seemed surrealistic at best. As if this mere sight was just an illusion, but common sense would tell you that no one would be powerful enough to conjure up such an illusion, no matter how much they desired for it to be so. There was no escaping such vivid details; details which will forever haunt many nightmares.

Despite all of this destruction there was hope. As the surviving people of the city took refuge in a jitsu-proof retreat and found solace with one another as they related their own stories, and shared in one another's grief. This hope was fueled even more passionately when they heard of Naruto's fight with Sasuke, when they heard of Sakura's amazing stamina for healing and protecting, for the copy-ninja's calm demeanor, and for Aleia's hopeful return to spur their damaged spirits with her wisdom and powerful speeches………………………

"You have become stronger Naruto" Sasuke arched his back narrowly missing two kunai and pushed himself into a back flip, landing with cat-like grace.

"I could say the same to you Sasuke, but I promised Sakura I wouldn't lie."

"Tsch, Sakura is mine Naruto she always had been and forever will and no kyuubi like you will change that."

Sasuke felt hot fire course through his veins as he tapped into the seal's power slowly loosing himself in the hot darkness. He knew the only possible way to defeat his once-friend was by using the Cursed Seal and that may not be enough should Naruto summon the fox, but he was an Uchiha and an Uchiha always achieved what they wanted and he wanted the cherry blossom for himself and only him to touch, take and claim.

Naruto narrowed his eyes in concentration and paused in mid reach of a kunai. Sasuke's chakra level began to rise quickly and black markings started to form all over his skin. Naruto didn't like were this was going but knew that if he didn't hold back the nine tailed fox, chaos would ensue everywhere and even though he could defeat Sasuke with the summoned beast, he wouldn't be able to control it, and might end up killing his once best friend more importantly other innocent by-standers-and maybe even Sakura.

His heart jolted at the thought of his love and it constricted even more at the probability of killing her because he couldn't control the curse of his life.

No, he couldn't risk that, he would have to get by on his own skill, luck, and wit, and he knew it wouldn't be easy. But his life never was easy, always having to disprove everyone, living alone with no friends until the academy where he met Sakura, and his ever aspiring goal to one day become Hokage.

He knew though, he couldn't win unless he was willing to kill Sasuke and it tore at him viciously when he realized that, but when it came down to the wire and he had to choose between the safety of Konoha and his Sakura against that of a missing nin who once was a friend, he'd choose Sakura and Konoha any day.

And now the only thing he had to do was follow through. And as the old clichéd saying went:

it was easier said then done.

Aleia was miserable, frustrated and the predominant feeling at the moment; anticipation.

Her plan was drawing near enough to a point where she could taste it, yet it was stale enough to avoid the sensational taste of sweet honey. Sure the pieces were moving accordingly with the acceptations of a few adaptations, but the overall bang of the project was yet in store as the sole of her beastly project had yet to capture the enemy fully into its mouth- into a point of no return.

She felt as though some pieces where missing, but knew and planned well ahead of time that problems were bound to spring up even in the most crucial parts and was ready to adapt to the bountiful imps of disaster.

Just because she did those precautions, did in no way ease her nerves. And she, despite her calm exterior, was a raging torrent of doubt and constant struggle between good and evil. Her heart tore at the plausible reactions of many she had grown to love and the thought of being called a traitor by whomever remained after this war; never ceased to cause pain within her. She knew what she had to do and spent many years planning this to a point of even with her slight change of heart, she wouldn't turn back.

A shaky sigh escaped her lips and rapidly after, she felt the cold shadow back in the corner that was waiting for her command. She closed her eyes and collected herself, the shadow too was apprehensive but nonetheless awaited to carry out her orders for he was forever loyal to the Shadow Princess.

His reverie was shortly interrupted with her calm and commanding words reverberating off the dank walls and he tensed at her words,

"Send the signal out to the Kaze-sama, tell them Konoha is weak and the snake awaits the venom."

The shadow without a word disappeared with only whisper, leaving Aleia alone to collect her thoughts and for a moment she just stood there. Waiting for a sign of what she was about to do was wrong-and received none. And so she picked up a bumpy pillow and reached inside its stuffing and slowly pulled out a scroll containing the only jitsu in the world that would eliminate not only a demon forever but the vessel from which it resided in. She clutched it tightly and winced as the strain of chakra became even more unbearable, she would have to do this before all of the chakra ran out and soon.

"We're almost there Kakashi, please don't give up now." She whispered as the stronghold came into view. Kakashi was far too weak to pick up his legs to walk and his eyes were slightly foggy from the pain.

Sakura had tried to heal him, and cursed herself for being so weak in a time like this. She should've known better than to spend all of her chakra so early in a battle.

Tsunade should be happy she thought with much sarcasm.

Sensing a disturbance in the atmosphere Sakura immediately dropped Kakashi unceremoniously to the ground and spun around in time to catch three kunai between her elegant fingers. The loose tendrils of pink hair whipped around fluidly before dropping to her shoulders as she stopped her movement with planted feet shoulder-width apart. Her eyes narrowed at the area where they came from and put her senses on high alert.

Glancing down she saw Kakashi and bit her bottom lip, she had to kill whoever it was and fast if she wanted him to live. But just seeing his pale skin and uncontrollable shuddering, she knew that he was, by medical standards, too far gone unless she could heal him right there within a minute.

The silent rush of wind coming from her left alerted her to the rapid approach of her opponent and she waited. Fluidly she ducked and kicked the attacker sending him skidding a meter with his feet digging into the ground. Her foot pounded in pain and she knew it was broken,

"Kuso," she murmured as she jumped away from a barrage of shuriken and started to form a rapid jitsu. She barely had enough chakra to perform it but it was her only hope.

This jitsu was taught to her by Aleia; a jitsu where you suck out your enemy's chakra and soak it into your system. This was of course a risky technique because the scenario for most would make the person getting the chakra die because of their inability to fuse it as their own and control it. But if it meant ending this fight quickly and healing Kakashi properly, she would do anything.

Even if she had to give up her life.

"Oi Gaara, how long do we have to wait?" Kankuro yelled from across the fire to his younger, red haired brother. He was on edge waiting to be let off his leash and he could sense everyone's uneasiness, hell his sister lashed out at him for breathing too loud.

"When the messenger comes" Gaara spoke monotonously. His green eyes reflected the fire before him and he too was itching to be given the signal to fight.

Even though he was able to control his demon, he still thirsted for blood every once in a while and sometimes to quell that blood-lust he would go on some missions himself, though the Kazekage is not supposed to. And some part of him missed the senseless killing he did when he was twelve, but he wouldn't go back to who he was. The villagers finally respected him, his relationships with his siblings was great and most importantly he had friends like Naruto and Sakura who always saw the better side of him even at his darkest moments. He cared a lot about that and wouldn't trade it for all the spilt blood in the world.

What he didn't care for though, was the debt from which he had to pay by being here, and at night when he meditated he could hear the unbearable screams of the hidden leaf village citizens and mentally berated himself for getting into the situation he is now in.

He hated waiting.

"Something is not right." Tsunade stood up from her position at the head of the table and felt all the rest of the hokages casting bewildered glances at her sudden declaration.

"Well" Jiraya spoke, "of course nothing is alright, there's a war going on!"

"No not that dobe! I am talking about Sakura!"

"What of her?"

"I feel weird and when I get this feeling something bad always happens to her-we have to go out there and get her!"

"I could retrieve her Tsunade." Shizune stepped away from the wall and bowed respectfully, "it is not wise for you to go out there at this moment."

"Shizune I can-"

"-She's right" Jiraya interrupted, "you have your duties as Hokage if you get killed the repercussions on everyone could result in absolute terror causing mass panic to a point where there would be no hope whatsoever for this village to remain ever again."

Though she didn't like to sit and do nothing while the outside world was in turmoil, she knew Jiraya was right-for once in his life and cursed.

She needed some sake.

With a nod she sent Shizune off, her stomach tightening as every minute passed,

"Please be alright Sakura."

Sakura successfully completed the jitsu, but it went horribly wrong as her body went rigid as a blazing inferno engulfed her.

Biting back a scream she concentrated on purifying the dark chakra wrecking havoc on her body.

"Ah!" she yelled out. Her knees were bent and she fought to stay upright as her legs began to shake. Making a swift decision, she cut off the jitsu, figuring she had enough and soon after, her body was able enough to do damage to the fighter.

When she locked her gaze upon the crouched enemy, she let out an astonished gasp as her green eyes met red,

"Sasuke?" But how? Wasn't he fighting Naruto? Where is Naruto, is he alright? "Where is Naruto?" She demanded answers but feared what the answer maybe. She fought back that foreboding feeling from the back of her head and held back an ominous shudder.

Sasuke straightened his back his face contorted into a smirk,

"Naruto is dead, and you Sakura are mine."

Anger flared about her and a sense of hopelessness encased her soul.

Naruto she feebly thought as she felt her heart tearing apart and one look into Sasuke's cold eyes fueled her thirst of revenge ten-fold.

How dare he take away Naruto from me! I loved him and now he just thinks I'll come back and love him? That bastard!

"My heart belongs to no one but Naruto you bastard!" tears flowed from her eyes and she furiously blinked them away, "I loved him" her voice trailed off before she snapped her head up and glared at Sasuke with all the hate in the world, "prepare to die Uchiha." Venom dripped from every word with every intention to sting him like a thousand wasps.

Much to her hatred Sasuke's smirk formed into a sick grin, a grin that made her body cold, "you couldn't kill me Sakura; you're just a weak kuniochi."

Sakura didn't seem surprised to hear him say that, after all; it was his favorite catch phrase when they were younger and it seemed to her as though every bad guy she came across just couldn't leave the past behind,

"Naruto believed in me when I believed that foolish statement Uchiha, long ago when I was a naive little girl but those words are meaningless to me now; I could careless of what you say." Surprisingly she was calm and collected her emotions as she spoke determinedly to the Uchiha, "Naruto knew what I was capable of and supported me in my darkest moments of life, he was there for me and for that I love him. For his ability to see the beauty in anything no matter how hideous or cruel even you Sasuke." She let out a weak laugh, "he never gave up on you, even when you became an S class missing nin he believed that once you were retrieved everything would be fine and you two could go back to your odd relationship. He believed in everything turning out alright in the end. And you destroyed that spirit, be-because you killed him, but for him… I will prove that I am not weak-" her voice cracked and strained as she saw a flash of Naruto's unassuming smile and for a moment she could have sworn she heard his velvety laughter, "for him, I wont kill you, but I will defeat you where your fate will end up in the hands of the people you turned your back on. Then I cannot guarantee where your fate lies.

Uchiha Sasuke, enemy of Konoha, I will defeat you." She declared with a resounding confidence undeterred by memories of when they were young, and she moved gracefully into her fighting stance ready for Sasuke, ready to show him the weak Haruno Sakura of long ago has since died and replaced with a strong, confident medi-nin who possessed unrivaled skill. Ready, she was, to disprove his idea of her still loving him, but more importantly she wanted to teach Sasuke a lesson he would never forget for the rest of his awful life, leaving behind a memory of what he could never possess, leaving him nightmares of the day he dared to cross her path and kill the man of her dreams. He will regret every mistake he made without an ounce of repenting, that she was sure of.

Sasuke's eyes blazed with amusement as he took in the determined woman before him and he felt turned on as she sent him those glares with her defiant chin jutting out in a challenging manner. She seemed different-cute almost, and fighting her would be an easy win. Maybe he could play with her a bit? Afterall, she still loved him and would hold back,

hn weak, easy little win.

But then again-he could be wrong.

And indeed he would learn that the little kuniochi was a flower with many thorns.

Tell me what you think and please don't kill me, everything happens for a reason and I congradulate everyone who guessed right for Naruto being killed off. Owari!