This has got to be the saddest thing I've EVER written... I swear that I cried when I re-read it! Oh well, from the chapter title you should see that this is going to be a tear-jerker. Ah well, the next chapter is the last! Then I'll need you guy's opinion on something on the last chapter so make sure it read everything!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Chapter 20 – Goodbye

"So Shikamaru…" Ino began. "Today's my last day here, in Konoha, with you," she continued, voice straining. 'Look at me, only one say with the man and I'm on the verge on crying. I knew that I'd have to go but I didn't think that I'd actually like him this much. Look at you Ino Yamanaka, about to cry over a guy you've only properly known for a day.'

"I know," he replied. "What time does your plane leave tomorrow?" he questioned. 'As troublesome as it is, I will miss her. She's definitely different from what I pictured her as. Not as troublesome as some women and not what I expected from her.'

"At twelve so there won't be much time," she bit her lip. 'Damnit, say that you'll miss him Ino, you've got to say it before you regret it.' "There won't be much time to spend before then and it is already getting late. Sakura will be worried if I don't get home soon."

"Ah," he replied, gazing upon the clouds. 'Should I even go to say goodbye to her tomorrow before she leaves? Won't that just be rubbing it in? What's the chance that a girl like her will come back to Konoha?'

"Is that all you have to say?" Ino exclaimed. "I'm leaving tomorrow and all you have to say for yourself is 'ah'? Shikamaru Nara you'd think this day we spend out together was absolutely-

She was silenced as Shikamaru blushingly leaned and closed the gap between their lips. 'Is he… kissing me? Since when do you kiss on the first date?' she questioned, heavily blushing. 'But this feels so nice, so different from any of the other kisses I've ever gotten in my life, I actually like this one… a lot…' she thought, gently responding.

The kiss ended and both tenderly pulled back, awestruck and blushing. "Wow… that was…" Ino stated, breathlessly, wordlessly.

"…Un-troublesome," Shikamaru finished, weakly smiling.

"Definitely un-troublesome," Ino repeated. "And I'm sure another would be un-troublesome as well, wouldn't it?"

----

"Oh Sakura I'm going to miss you!" Tenten cried, eagerly embracing the pinkette. "You've only been here for five months, that's way too quick," she complained. "You have to tell your mom that you want to stay."

"I wish it was that simple Tenten but I've had too many bad memories in Konoha for the moment," Sakura replied, returning the gesture. 'I wish I could stay Tenten but I just can't, not after what's happened in such a short time-span. I would then have to meet Naruto on a regular basis. That's something I'm not prepared to do at the moment.'

"I know," Tenten responded. "You told me the entire story but I still don't believe that that is enough reason for you to leave," she whined. "You can avoid him or whatever; it just isn't enough reason to leave us."

"I'm getting married Tenten, I don't think my husband will appreciate me not being present for our wedding," she joked, somewhat weakly. "Fugaku Uchiha would have my head if that were to happen."

"I guess he would." 'But that still isn't a good enough reason. Surely you could just get married in Konoha right? Then that would solve everything and you wouldn't have to leave that way. I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't mind, he seems so nice.' "I can still remember the day you and Naruto had operation: NejiTen."

"Ah I remember," Sakura mused. "I remember how hard we tried to get you two jealous. I still can't believe how I embarrassed myself like that over Neji; I think I can still feel the blush. Poor Naruto, he was so ashamed when he had to put his arm around you and then grasp your hand."

"And then you left Neji and I with the bill," Tenten mocked. "You avoided us the entire week before finally paying what you owed – which was quite a lot. You ate a lot those days because of baby-chan." 'I have to say that lightly, I think she still misses the unborn infant. I know I would if I had been pregnant.'

"I remember…" she smiled forlornly. "But did it at least give you guys a little push? I mean I can't really believe all that hard work was for nothing you know." 'I hope it wasn't for nothing because that is one of the memories I would like to preserve for when I leave because it is a happy memory.'

"It did," Tenten nodded. "We both admitted that we did like each other and we were willing to go to the next level but we wanted to wait awhile. We wanted to make sure the feelings weren't just lusty or some awkward crush that would pass after a few months. So we tuned it up a level, but not much. Just a little hand holding, a compliment here and there and maybe a date or two…"

"WHAT? You two actually went on a date without telling me?" Sakura pouted. "I can't believe that you kept that a secret! At least then I would have thought that my hard work wasn't for nothing."

Tenten laughed, "Well you seem to be good at keeping secrets as well Sakura. I mean no-one but Naruto and I knew you were pregnant and no-one knew that you and Naruto were in love until you told me." 'Although I can understand why she kept the secret that she was pregnant, I would too!'

"Well the pregnancy one you can understand," Sakura mumbled. "But me falling in love with Naruto is a different story, he was still going out with Hinata at that stage. We didn't want to step on any toes until he had broken up with her."

"I guess that's also understandable," the brunette concluded. "Are you going to say goodbye to him?" she paused. "Are you going to say goodbye to Naruto? You can't just leave without telling him." 'I know this is going to make the conversation very awkward but she just has to say goodbye to him.'

Sakura's gaze lowered, fixating her attention to the ground. Images of the time she had spent with the energetic blonde flashed through her mind. 'Am I really just going to leave him?' Her frame trembled, and tears fell, "I don't know Tenten, I really don't know if I can face him."

"Sakura…" Tenten trailed off. "I know it'll be hard but you have to at least say goodbye, you have to show him that you care. You still love him and you have to make sure that he knows that."

"I'm scared that he'll hate me Tenten, I haven't spoken to him for a month, will he really want to see me if I've neglected him for so long?" she questioned, shoulders wracking. 'I don't want him to hate me and I want to leave knowing that he loves me.'

"Sakura," Tenten hushed. "You can't fall out of love so easily. Naruto could and would never hate you if he loves you. I can promise you that much," she reassured. "Take it from me; I have known him for a few more years than you have."

"I guess," she replied, vainly clearing her eyes. They were puffy from the sheer amount of crying she had done. "But I'm still scared; I mean what if he doesn't want to see me?"

"He hasn't seen you for a month so of course he'll be willing to see you again," Tenten prompted. "You should just have some faith."

"Faith," the pinkette repeated. "Could faith really do anything for me at this stage, after I've caused all this hurt to him?"

"Sakura, I'll even come with you if you want," the brunette offered. "If it'll make you feel better then I will come with."

She shook her head, rosette locks flying. "I have to do this on my own, but thanks for giving me that push Tenten. Otherwise I would have left without saying goodbye."

"Well they do always say an 'eye for an eye' don't they? You helped Neji and I so I'm helping you and Naruto."

"I really will miss you Tenten," Sakura whimpered. "I really, really will," she repeated, enveloping the brunette martial art master in a tight embrace. 'You don't understand how much you've helped me, how much you've done for me.'

"I'll miss you too," Tenten replied, tightening the embrace. "You have to come and visit okay?"

"I promise I will but for now," she paused. "This is goodbye."

----

Sakura gulped, finger poised. 'C'mon just ring the damn doorbell,' she prompted. 'You can do this. Tenten didn't push you to do this all for nothing right?' Violently nodded she pushed the button, listening as it echoed throughout the Namikaze residence.

'Maybe no-one is home?' she suggested. 'Then maybe I should just go and do this at a later-

But she was interrupted as the door swung open, revealing none other than Naruto Namikaze, looking quite surprised to see her. "Sakura-chan, is that really you?"

"Hey there," she whispered. "It's been a long time hasn't it?" 'I feel like crying from just looking at him. All I want him to do is take me in his arms and never ever let go. Damn this was not a good idea.' "All I want to do is talk Naruto."

He nodded, beckoning her to enter. 'Oh well here goes absolutely nothing,' she thought, noting that it was the first time she had been in his house with the absence of his parents.

'I hope this doesn't turn out hurting us more than what's already been done.'

----

"So I hear that Sakura is leaving tomorrow," Jiraiya casually stated, bringing the sake to his lips. "I thought you would have objected more Tsunade-hime," he continued, gaze scanning the busty woman. 'From what I saw, she was quite attached to the little pinkette.'

"News travels fast in Konoha," she solemnly responded, gaze downcast. "But yes she is leaving and there isn't much I can do about it." 'I wish I could but I can't and I feel so helpless that I can't.'

"Oh so she and that Uchiha are getting married," he continued. "I heard that ever since her recovery she agreed to the offer despite the fact that she lost the baby. I didn't think the offer would still stand though."

"Ah, no-one did but it seems that the Uchiha kid is really in love with her," Tsunade replied. "I don't know Sakura's feelings to him but I think she cares about him enough in order to get married."

"You know, you don't have to act so strong," he stated. "You can break down every once in awhile." 'This is taking a lot more out of you than you lead on Tsunade-hime.'

"What do you mean Jiraiya?" she questioned, defenses failing. 'I hate the way you do that to me. I hate the way that you read me. It's as if I'm an open book to you.'

"You're putting on that mask again, you should allow your feelings to come out every now and then," he said. "It'll do you some good."

"Jiraiya…" and then she was in his arms, tears soaking his clothing. "Why the hell can you know what I'm thinking?"

"I guess that's what you get when you care for someone deeply," he suggested, cradling her wracking frame. 'Although I care for you a little more than what you think Tsunade-hime.'

-----

"So what do you want to talk about?" Naruto asked, gaze hardened, 'After all this time all she wants to do is talk? She doesn't even want to say sorry?'

"I want to talk about everything Naruto," she whispered. 'It strikes me that this is actually the first time I've been in his room. He's usually always at Tsunade's with me instead of me here.' "Starting from that night, I want to talk about all that has happened and what will happen."

"Then talk," he prompted. "I wanna know what the hell went on that night because you sure left me confused," he paused. "First you tell me that you love me and then you say that you were merely playing me? How was that supposed to make me feel?" 'I don't want to get angry at her; I just want to know the truth.'

"I'll tell you everything but just believe me when…" she whimpered. "…When I say that I really do love you Naruto, that's all I ask." 'I can't believe I'm actually going through with this.' "I was scared that night Naruto; I was scared of what was happening. Everyone was blaming everyone and then everyone was hurting everyone. I didn't know what to do so I panicked. Yet in panicking I realized that because we were selfish, everyone else was hurting."

"We wanted to love knowing that we would be causing others great pain and I couldn't live with it," she whispered, tears welling. "So I ran. I ran away from the pain and I told you that lie just so I could stop hurting people." She scoffed. "But I know realize that I hurt you most of all when I told that lie. I gave you a pain you didn't deserve."

The tears fell. "I'm so sorry Naruto, I really am," she wailed. "I didn't want to leave, knowing that you didn't know the truth. I didn't want to leave with you thinking I didn't love you!"

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto mumbled. 'She did all that just to stop hurting everyone else? How could I be angry at her for doing such a thing? She was acting so selfless, sacrificing her happiness for the happiness of others.' Slowly he reached out and pulled her into a tender embrace, euphoria shooting through his body. 'It's been so long since I've been able to hold her like this.'

"Naruto…" she wailed, her tears quickly soaking his shirt. 'Why is he doing this? Isn't he supposed to be angry at me? Isn't he supposed to hate me for what I've done to him? Why won't you hate me Naruto?'

"You're so wrong Sakura-chan," he stated. "I'm not the person you hurt the most because the person that hurt the most was you. You threw away everything just so that everyone else could be happy."

'Naruto why are you so understanding? Why can't you just hate me? Why, why… do you still love me?' "I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I got another shirt wet."

He weakly smiled, knowing she was referring to the first time she had cried in his arms. "It's okay, I really don't mind," he gently replied, fingering her rosette locks. "You said that you were leaving, does that mean you're leaving Konoha?"

She nodded, "I have to go back Naruto, and I've got too many painful memories here." 'I don't want to go but I have to.' "But you do know that I love you right? And I really mean that I love you."

"I know Sakura-chan," he softly mused. "I love you too," he paused, tears rolling. "But I guess this is…"

"Goodbye," she finished, frame wracking.

'Look after my heart Naruto…'

'…I'm leaving it with you.'


*Sniff, Sniff* Aw that was way too sad! Everyone is just saying goodbye! I mean can I really just sort everything out in just one chapter? Really? Ah this is so sad but everything will work out in the end! It always does!

Well till tomorrow!

Lorelock :)