Sakura arrived at the gates and clutched her side as she skidded to a halt beside Naruto.

"What's wrong?" She asked him loudly. He avoided her gaze and she could see tears gathering in his eyes. "Naruto what is it?" Sakura asked forcefully shaking him slightly.

"Sasuke he..." Naruto faltered shaking his head and Sakura could feel her heart stop with fear.

"No...it couldn't... he wouldn't." She stopped with disbelief ringing in her voice. Sakura turned to see two ninja's carrying a stretcher and looked to see tears streaming down Naruto's face as he stood there helpless. The ninja's entered the front gates after what seemed an eternity but Sakura couldn't force herself to look at the stretcher.

"Sakura, Naruto I'm sorry." A low voice mumbled and she recognized that it was Genma. Her gaze traveled from Genma and lowered on to the stretcher and Sakura wanted to scream out in pain. She walked over to the stretcher and placed a hand on Sasuke's cold cheek and could feel herself break inside.

"When.." Sakura's voice trailed off still in shock and disbelief looking at Sasuke's broken body. Blood stained his his shirt and had dried onto his neck but his face looked calm even serene Sakura thought. He's finally found the peace he craved so much in death. She told herself bitterly.

"Yesterday. We got word yesterday and went to retrieve the body." Genma kept his voice low and steady while outstretching a hand placing it on Sakura's shoulder and giving it a gently squeeze. Naruto came to stand beside her and she pulled him into an embrace holding back the tears she wanted to cry so badly right now. "I'm sorry but we have to take him to the burial sight." He whispered quietly to her. Sakura released Naruto but still held his hand and nodded her head in understanding.

"We will follow." She mumbled to him with Genma nodding and continued on down the street. Sakura and Naruto followed keeping their heads bowed and she could hear the crowded street stunned into a shocked silence as Sasuke's body was carried through the village to his final resting place. She lifted her head when she felt a thick black cloth being tied around her arm and saw Tsunade's sombre face.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Tsunade said slowly before giving Sakura a gentle reassuring squeeze. She walked over to Naruto and tied the same black cloth around his arm. "Sasuke instructed that we didn't do the usual ceremony with a burial. He just wanted to be deposited into the earth with his friends watching over him." Tsunade faltered slightly when they stopped in front of a prepared grave and tombstone. She nodded to the two men carrying the stretcher and they lowered Sasuke's body into the grave. Sakura felt numb watching him being covered with the freshly upturned soil and every breath was painful to her. Naruto had stopped his tears and watched in silence with Sakura as the earth reclaimed the last of the Uchiha clan.

"It's not fair." Naruto suddenly yelled and Sakura could feel the threat of tears gathering at her eyes again. "We've gone through so much and the idiot has to die on a mission." He yelled angrily balling up his fists. Sakura pulled him into another embrace holding him tight against her.

"I know." Her voice wavered with emotion but she forced herself to remain strong. Naruto pulled out of the embrace returning his attention back to the grave. The two ninja's gave nods of respect as they finished leaving the fresh grave.

"Take the next three days off." Tsunade instructed as she brushed passed Sakura leaving the two friends to grieve in privacy. They stood for a long time in silence listening to the thunder claps growing louder.

"Lets go." Naruto mumbled quietly giving Sakura slight tug on her hand.

"No I think...I need to be here for a little while longer." Her voice was flat and carried no emotion. Naruto pulled her into another hug.

"You'll know where to find me once you're ready." He whispered gently into her ear then broke away leaving her alone. Sakura turned her attention back to the grave and slumped down to her knees letting her emotions over come her. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes and began to cry sobbing loudly. Her tears mixed with the rain that now splattered all around her.

"Why did you do this to me?" She sobbed placing her face in her hands shaking violently. Sakura cried until there was nothing left and angrily tried to scrub the tears away from her face letting the rain wash over her features. "I always believed you would never leave me. But I was wrong. You're such a selfish bastard." She mumbled angrily while tracing his name on the cold tombstone with her fingers. Her heart ached and her sorrow deepened with each heartbeat. Sakura slowly rose to her feet and turned walking away from the grave when she paused. "Goodbye Uchiha Sasuke. I'm sorry I couldn't be strong enough for you, but I will avenge your death even if it costs me my life." She felt hollow and empty inside as she left his grave.

I didn't think Sasuke would end up being killed but that's where the story is taking me. Tell me what you think.

Cance