Holding Her Last Breath: Just 3 Days

I absolutely could NOT wait XD. I got so many reviews in one day (at least it felt that way…) that I HAD to get this up . Here's some question/comment & answer/comments!

Q/C1: No heartbreak. Oh please no heartbreak, I don't think mine can take anymore...Please give us a happy ending. On contrary to your advice, I WILL hold my breath...

A/C1: XD!! No! You'll die! Heh. You know I've actually thought about making this a sad ending story. But when I read all the reviews saying they'd hate if Sasuke died, I've decided that I'm just going to put you on edge for the first few pages of this chapter. (See? Not that evil XD!) It's fairly short compared to some other chapters though.

Q/C2 NO! I hate you! XD YOU BETTER GET THE NEXT CHAPTER UP THERE SOON OR ELSE... muwahahahahaha cough

A/C 2: XD I'm actually co-writing with this person. So coughastrocamcough you can't kill me or do my bodily harm or you'll have to write the first chapter of our three-shotter by yourself XD!! Oh, and I'll come back to haunt you so I'll never get done! MUWAHAHAAHAHAH!! HA!!

Q/C 3 NO!! Did Sasuke die?!

A/C 3: Please see Answer1 .

Q/C 4 Wow man this is getting good - takes out popcorn and eats it rapidly while looking at the screen- can't wait for ur next update.

A/C 4: XD!! I had to put this up. Heh. It made me giggle. Hehehe.

Q/C 5 Whose guardian angel is Akami?

A/C 5: I actually didn't really make her have a specific person. She just sorta popped up for comedy purposes. But I've decided that for the epilogue she WILL have her own "case"

Q/C 6 Does the kitten have any special significance that will be brought up again? or was it just in there as a minor part of the test?

A/C 6: Each angel actually has a special ability. Like, Inari's was stopping time and Akami's was seeing people's hearts. Stay tuned to see Kai's and see if you can catch it. He has a special role in this (:.

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'I have to save her,'Sasuke thought as he sprinted through the forest. Though he pleased Inari and the heavens enough to allow him the chance to save Sakura, what if, even given the chance, he were incapable of saving her? What if, it were still too late?

His mind was in complete and utter torment.

But as he got nearer and nearer to the end of the forest, he began to feel fluctuating chakra and an explosion. It began to put him on edge. What if Sakura were caught in the explosion? What if she…

That's when he saw it.

A corpse colored with explosive notes staggering towards his blossom; beaten, bleeding and bruised. Rage and panic filled him as he ran to block the corpse.

"Would you do anything for Sakura? Even if it cost you your life?"

"SAKURA!!"

Plip…Plip…

Breathe in…

…Breathe out…

'Sakura…At least…your save."

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"Sasuke-kun…SASUKE-KUN!!" Sakura screamed as the explosion reverberated through the night. Sakura hit the ground roughly as she caught the man who was thrown back from the impact.

Emerald eyes casted downward as she looked into the beaten and bloodied face of her fiancee, her lover…

Her Sasuke-kun.

"No…S-Sasuke-kun…"Sakura murmured as she touched his face. Tears formed around her horrified jade eyes. "It wasn't supposed to…It wasn't supposed to…"her voice cracked even though she was trying her hardest not to cry.

He had been trying so hard to stop her…

"I don't want you to go."

And she didn't listen to him.

"I'll be fine Sasuke-kun. Nothing's gong to happen."

But Sasuke had found her, somehow. And he had taken the hit for her…but now…

"SAKURA!!"

He was dying.

Could he have known…this was going to happen?

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-

Drip…Drip….

'What's…this?' Sasuke thought as he winced. Wet, cold droplets had fallen on to his face. Had it been raining? Weakly, he opened his obsidian eyes, immediately meeting horror and tear-filled emerald ones.

"Sa…kura…" Sasuke whispered as her face came into view. She looked exactly like she did in his dream. Purple bruises colored one of her cheeks and jaw while her right eye was so swollen it drooped. What was left of her tattered clothing were rags and clung to her body from the snow and blood staining it. And half of her pink hair had been chopped short.

Sasuke forced himself to sit up, to reach out and touch the cheek that wasn't bruised, but still cut from the chards of wood that had flown from the explosion. More tears fell from her eyes when one of his shaky bloodied fingers trailed down her jaw and curled around the part of her hair that had been cut.

"Your…hair…" he found himself absently saying. It was beginning to become more and more difficult to see and hear her. Kami, how many explosive notes had he been hit with?

Sakura grabbed his wrist. "That doesn't matter right now!" she told him hysterically. "You're-why…why did you-?"

Sasuke scoffed quietly as she began to sob. "You know…why." he answered as blood trickled down his lips. The man fell against her chest, unable to move his heavy body anymore. Sakura shook her head as a broken smile crossed her lips. "You've always protected me…no matter what I do I'm always a nuisance to you…ne, Sasuke-kun?"

The raven-haired man managed to frown. "No." he replied as he reached out to touch her face. "You've always-protected me."

"I love you more than anything!!"

And at that moment, Sakura knew he meant that she had protected his heart.

"Kami." Sakura sobbed as a shaking hand began to glow green and touched his chest. She had to heal him. She had to-

But he grabbed her wrist in one swipe and shook his head. Shocked, Sakura became hysterical again. "Sasuke-kun I'm not going to let you die here! I- can't!" She sobbed. "Alife without you is-"

'-unbearable.'

"I have to take you back." Sakura declared but Sasuke shook his head again. "No." he replied sternly, he averted his gaze to see three people standing in the field several feet away from them. The three were Inari, Akami, and another figure, the cat from before, had eyes a color that could rival Sakura's.

"What will you do, Uchiha Sasuke?" his viridian eyes seemed to ask. All were wearing white robes, and on their backs sprouted large, angelic wings. But each wore different expressions. Inari's was filled with sorrow while Akami's were filled with tears. But the man… his seemed to be brooding, amused.

"But why, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura asked as she held him tightly, causing him to look back at her. Then, she whispered, "I need you…your child needs you!"

Obsidian eyes widened at this. Time itself seemed to stop.

"You're…preg…nant?" he asked in a hushed whisper. Emerald eyes seemed to fill with joy as she nodded. "It's too early to tell but…Ino and Tenten think so."

Sasuke blinked as he looked at her in awe. Though he couldn't rule it out, it was almost unbelievable. Sakura was going to have a child. His child!

"A baby…" Sasuke murmured as he closed his eyes and grabbed one of her hands tightly. If it were a boy, he would have his looks yet his mother's softness. But if it were a girl, she would be a younger, split image of Sakura and strength, but Sasuke's strong personality.

He was understanding now. For Sakura and his baby to live…He had to die. Relief lifted his heart, yet broke it all the same. Sakura would have to raise it on her own and he would never be able to hold or see his child. His sacrifice were both a gift and a curse.

"Sa…kura," he murmured as she touched his face. It was growing cold…

"Y-Yes, Sasuke-kun?" she asked, shakily. She was trying so hard…so hard…to keep it together.

"Let me die…" he began which made Sakura's eyes widen in horror. "…In…your arms." he finished. Sakura was at a loss of words. She swallowed awkwardly as she desperately tried to find something; anything to save him. To change his mind.

But she knew it were pointless. Sakura couldn't call for backup nor could did she have the strength to heal him or make it back to Konoha in time.

Sasuke really was going to die tonight.

After a few seconds of silence Sakura nodded as the tears began to fall down her cheeks again. "Of course you can…Sasuke-kun." she answered. Gently Sakura pulled him up so she could lean against the tree while cradling his head in her arms more comfortably.

Sasuke's eyes stayed closed as he listened to her heart beat.

"Sasuke-kun…it's snowing again." Sakura murmured to him as she ran her fingers through his wet raven locks and looked up at the snow falling from the night sky, the raven haired man in her arms lifted his head slightly to feel the snowflakes wash the crimson that had splattered on his face, but his eyes were beginning to grow too heavy to open. As for the three angels, they continued to watch the couple perched again the tree; Sakura cradling Sasuke's head in her arms.

"Their story…it's so tragic." Akami murmured, yet she didn't tear her eyes away from the couple.Sakura began to tell Sasuke what life would be like with their child. How they would walk them to the academy on their first day, or how they would see them off on their first mission…or how they would beg for a little brother or sister to play with…

"It snowed that time too. Didn't it?" the angel asked the two standing on either side of her. Akami wiped her tears and nodded. "But maybe…it's better this way." Inari replied softly. Kai looked at her from the corner of his eye as she continued. "At least now he can die knowing that Sakura and their child will be safe. Now he can die content."

"Hmm. Maybe you're right." Kai chuckled as the three continued to gaze at the two.

'This is alright…' he thought. 'Dying this way…'

His eyelidsbegan to grow heavy and the agonizing pain of the wounds he had received began to die down. No longer did the two worryabout the horrendous amount of blood-his blood- around them; staining them and the snow. Nor did they worry about what was to happen in the future.

All that mattered…at that moment…

…was being in each other's arms.

As he took his last breath, Sasuke murmured two simple words Sakura knew all too well.

"S…akura…arigato."

And as a single tear trickled down her cheek and a broken smile grazed her lips, Sakura murmured a simple reply.

"Do itashimashite, Sasuke-kun."

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"Sasu…"

"oi…as…uke…"

"Sasu…ke…"

"OI!! OPEN YOUR EYES!!" yelled a woman as she began to shake the man. Obsidian eyes snapped open as he looked into frustrated caramel eyes. Sasuke blinked a few times before narrowing his eyes at the woman.

"Akami." he replied as the woman pulled away and began to whap him with a bunch of rolled up papers. "Is that it is THAT all I get you ungrateful Uchiha?! Huh?!" she demanded with one hand on her hip.

Sasuke batted the paper roll away before looking around. Everything was bright. But in the distance there was an ominous darkness. If he wasn't dead or alive…where or what was he?

His charcoal eyes looked down at his hands. They were no longer bloody, bruised, or throbbing with searing pain. In fact, he didn't feel his body at all.

"That's enough, Akami." Inari said calmly as she came into view. Kai was by her side. She smiled. "Nice to see you again, Sasuke. It's a good thing Kai grabbed you when he did. Otherwise Shimori would've reaped your soul."

Sasuke didn't reply as he stared at them with a blank expression,

He was beyond confused.

"Oh, stop confusing the poor boy." called a woman as she walked over to them. The woman had long hair as red as fire and ocean blue eyes. She grinned at him, which made him uneasy. It was ridiculously similar to…

She put a hand on her hip as she held a clipboard in her hand. Then she let out a sigh. "Then again you're a troublesome kid. Isn't this the second time you've 'died'?" she asked gently.

Sasuke blinked at her. She almost reminded him of…

'Sasuke-teme!!'

Her oceanic blue eyes widened as she put her free hand up to her cheek, as if shocked. "Oh, my! Sumimasen. I forgot to introduce myself." She paused to grin and put an arm around his neck casually. "I'm Kushina. Naruto's mother."

Sasuke closed his eyes in annoyance. Even when near death, he couldn't escape the blonde and his personality. Which he had most likely inherited from his mother…including his goofy smile…

But the woman began to explain his situation. "You see, you're neither dead nor alive." she replied with a smile. Sasuke didn't return it as a frown appeared on his face. But it didn't stop her from going on. "I've been assigned to appear before you because you're comfortable around my son. If I were to appear before you as a man in spandex and a red 'S' on his chest, I'm sure you wouldn't be at ease, would you?"

At ease…

"Sasuke-kun!!"

"Sa…kura…" Sasuke said aloud as he began to look around. The woman smiled lightly. "You heard it just now, didn't you? That, dear, was unimaginable guilt." she turned her head to the right.

The image the pink haired kunoichi suddenly came into view. She was tightly holding the motionless Sasuke in her arms, and the amount of blood covered and around her was almost sickening.

But what made his heart clench the most was her expression. Her face was twisted into such anguish and heartbreak as the tears poured from her shut eyes. Though he couldn't hear her, Sasuke could tell she were screaming his names through broken sobs.

It was hard to look at because she looked so…

…destroyed.

The image disappeared but Sasuke refused to meet Kushina's eyes. "I can see why your heart is filled with guilt. You save her, but the poor girl is crushed without you." she explained sadly.

Sasuke clenched his fists in frustration. Well, he didn't think Sakura would leave him with a smile, but he never…ever imagined her looking so broken and in so much pain for his sacrifice.

"…She was supposed to be happy." Sasuke whispered angrily. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

Kushina studied him for a few minutes before closing her eyes. "How could the poor girl be happy? You were her world." but paused to smile when he winced at her comment. "Mattaku…it's a good thing your case was processed and approved when it did or that annoying Shinigami really would've reaped your soul."

Obsidian eyes gazed back at her with a puzzled expression. Which made her grin again. "Still confused, Sasuke dear? Mou, don't take lessons from my son." she commented, allowing herself a hearty chuckle when Sasuke growled at her.

She flipped a page over on her clipboard. "To make a long story short, your guardian angels saved you from spending an eternity in hell."

The raven haired man turned to them with a scrunched up expression. Kai shoved a hand into his pocket casually and turned away as Inari explained. "We all are given special abilities. Akami can look into people's hearts to find the truths to their words and actions while I can stop time."

"But, Kai is different. He has the ability to save and take lives." Kushina explained as she put a hand on the man's shoulder. The man scoffed and looked away. "Feh. When granted permission. I can't do anything without Kami-sama's judgment."

"Oh please, Kai-chan! You make it sound like you're NOT important! Don't be so modest." Akami exclaimed as she embraced the man from behind. He gave an annoyed expression. "Don't touch me."

Sasuke's eyes softened at the sight. Immediately he saw a memory from his genin days. Naruto had latched onto him and Sasuke had growled the same exact words.

"To get to the point, Sasuke, you were saved because you not only were willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the woman you loved, but you did without a second thought." Inari smiled. "And that is not something many can do."

Kushina grinned as she slapped him on the back. "But then again this isn't something you AREN'T used to!"

He couldn't help but chuckle. Because she was right. The first time was for Naruto; a friend, his former teammate, rival, but most of all, his brother. And now, he had done it again. Only this time, for someone else.

A pink headed girl who had had a big forehead filled with no dreams at all except for being with him.

But, that certain, weak, empty-headed, pink haired girl was someone truly special. The one woman who could confidently say Uchiha Sasuke loved enough to die for…

Because he had fallen hopelessly, entirely and ultimately…

…in love with her

Kushina sighed in contentment. "Alright. We better get ready to send you back." she declared before turning to Kai and Inari. "Inari, Kai, please and bring him back to that poor girl. I can still here her cries."

"Hai," he replied before grabbing Sasuke's arm roughly while Inari flew to his side. But Kushina put a hand on her shoulder before they took off. "Take care of my son and your family. And don't ever try to break those bonds again. They are your greatest strengths. Vice versa."

"Aah." the Uchiha replied before turning back to the angels. Inari smiled at him before linking her arm around his as they descended.

But as they did, Inari leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "You have a beautiful life ahead of you, Sasuke. I'm proud of you. Now return to her." she told him softly before the two let go of him.

Sasuke turned and began to fall backwards. A blue light blinded him as his coal colored eyes grew heavy and closed themselves slowly.

And down, down he fell until he touched down on earth.,

And came back to life.

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"Let me see him!!" yelled a broken, pained voice.

'…'

"S-Sakura-chan- you gotta calm down…"

"Saku…'

"I can't until I see him!! Na-Naruto let me…let me go!!"

"Sakura," Sasuke whispered as his dark coal orbs fluttered open and stared in the direction of the battered kunoichi whom Naruto was trying to hold back. The man looked tired, as if he had just been woken up briefly after returning from an exhausting mission, yet wide awake all together.

Purely shocked emerald eyes bored into his deep obsidian eyes. "Sasuke-kun?" Sakura began as her eyes watered immensely as she broke out of Naruto's arms. The pink haired girl threw herself at the man with all her being and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

Almost as if she were afraid she was going to lose him again.

He let out a hiss of pain but weakly brought his arms around her and found that he were on an emergency table. She cried into his chest as she talked through hysterical sobs. "I-I thought that y-you were…"

Sasuke closed his eyes. "…I was."

Naruto walked over to the couple and grinned. "Welcome back teme. How was he-"

"Uchiha Sasuke! Haruno Sakura!!" yelled a very aggravated voice. Their heads turned to see Tsunade standing at the doorway looking very aggravated. Beside her stood a heavily breathing Shizune who held Tonton in her arms.

Though no signs of it showed on the Hokage's face, it appeared that the two had run to the Top Floor ER.

The woman scowled as the Naruto gave a nervous laugh and quietly snuck out of the room.

"You disobeyed my orders and nearly killed yourself with your reckless behavior. There were 5 casualties including Kabuto." Tsunade explained as closed her eyes. A vein began to throb out of her forehead.

"Tsunade-sa-"

"Sakura! You are to return to your room immediately and stay there until I release you. Which means you're forbidden to use any chakra to heal yourself. Now go! Or I'll drag you back to your room myself." Tsunade threatened. The women stared each other down before Sasuke grabbed her wrist.

"Go," Sasuke murmured to her quietly.

Emerald eyes looked back at him in protest but Sasuke silenced her when he ran his fingers over one of her bruises, causing her to hiss in pain. "You need rest. I'll be fine." he replied.

And he was right. Her creamy complexion and warm smile was no longer visible on her now pale, smile-less tear-stained face. Dirt stained her messy and uneven bubblegum pink hair and her beautifully viridian eyes were puffy and creased from fatigue and crying.

Sakura seemed doubtful but complied. Shizune escorted her out and closed the door behind her. But as she did she gave Sasuke a hopeful smile.

"Will Sakura…be alright?" he asked coolly yet deep in his eyes concern could be seen. Tsunade couldn't help but chuckle and soften a little. 'He was almost on his deathbed tonight and he's worried about Sakura. Looks like former Team 7's rubbed off on him after all.' she thought.

"No matter how hard-headed she is Sakura's still my apprentice. She'll be fine." Tsunade responded. But her expression turned into a scowl again. "This is the second time you've left the village without permission, Sasuke. Not to mention you went on a mission that wasn't assigned to you."

Sasuke didn't look up to meet her gaze as he stared at his bandaged hands. She crossed her arms. "You could be tried for disobedience again. Do you realize that?" Tsunade asked in a dangerous tone. Onyx eyes looked upward. "Aah."

He was well aware of what that meant. Though it wasn't as serious as she was making it out to be, it meant 6-maybe even 12-months of imprisonment again.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "You don't have anything to say?" the Hokage asked him suspiciously. He wasn't bothering to give an explanation or try to defend himself. "I saved her, didn't I?" Sasuke asked her in a low tone but his expression didn't change.

After a few minutes the Go-daime let out another chuckle as she closed her eyes. "I'm letting you off easy, Uchiha. You are not to leave Konoha on any circumstances for the next two months. Understood?"

"Aah." the Uchiha replied. He had gotten off fairly easy for taking a fatal blow for her. Tsunade turned around to take her leave but she stopped when she reached the doorway. "I'm grateful, Uchiha." she said and with that she slammed the door behind her.

Obsidian eyes looked back to his hands as he let the images of tonight play back through his head. He had proven that he would do anything for Sakura, even if it meant giving his life. Not only that, but he was able to meet Naruto's mother.

"Don't ever try to break those bonds again. They're your greatest strengths."

The raven haired man snorted. He didn't plan on breaking those bonds again. Now that Kabuto was dead there were no more threats to him and his loved ones. He could finally rest easy and look to the future with his fiancée and his baby on-the-way.

But he frowned when murderous intent filled the air. A crimson mist filled the air as the surroundings began to gray. Almost like…

Time was stopping.

His eyes widened when an eerie laugh ran through the room.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, nii-san, but I'm taking Sakura anyway." the voice laughed before Sakura's scream could be heard a few doors down.

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted as he darted out of the room.

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Ocean blue eyes and a sly smile curled at the red haired woman's lips as she turned to look at the woman still standing next to her. "Don't you have a case to get back to?" she asked. Akami only grinned. "But Kushina-sama, I can't help it! It's only once every hundred YEARS that we get to see such a love story!"

Kushina chuckled. "I supposed you're right." she answered as she began to walk away. "But they aren't out of the water yet. "She must have reaped the soul of someone who had associated with that Haruno girl but couldn't rest…"

'Sasuke…what will you do?'

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'It's not…it can't be-' he began to think as he heard the laugh again. Sasuke gritted his teeth and forced himself to run faster as he murmured the name of the Shinigami.

"Shimori…"

TBC…

Sasuke's saved Sakura and the heavens revived him, but Shimori is still unsatisfied and goes after Sakura anyway!! What will Sasuke do against a spiritual being that can't be killed!?

After 6 HOURS of typing this and like 4 hours of re-editing, this chapter is finally complete . I hope you enjoyed it, but ahh, don't break your computer screen because I left you with another cliffy.

I'll update soon.

Next time, Final Breath Extra With the Angels/Epilogue!

Don't hold your breath…

xxasukachanxx