A/N:

The idea of this was playing around my head for a while, and I was like...why not post it? :)

So for all of you who wish for a sequel - no such luck! But hopefully, this will sustain your curiosity and not disappoint. Remember to leave a review and tell me what you think! :)

And for all of you who are Kakashi fans...do check out my new fanfic, Broken Dolls! It would be much appreciated! Hope you'll like this bit.

"She would be a good psychological disruption," the grey haired ninja murmured himself as he thumbed up his circular glasses. He threw the strands of brown hair in the summoning seal. Making quick hand signs, he smirked as his live vessel started shrieking – being consumed by a fury of ashes but in moments, the grey-like paper peeled off and revealed a familiar little girl. She blinked and slowly looked up at the person who pulled her back – her frightened eyes wide with disbelief.

"Welcome back, Reiko Yukimora."

Post-Epilogue: Forever

(Takes place after Chapter 590 of the manga)

"I will love you forever."

His brother's words replayed again and again in his mind, and Sasuke Uchiha was utterly…lost. What could he do now? What could he seek? His mind was thrown into chaos. What was a clan? What was a village? What was a shinobi? What am I?

He dropped his head into his hands, unable to piece together his thoughts coherently – and then he heard a scuffle. He instinctively glared as he looked up, ready to attack the –

What?

No.

"R – Rei?" he whispered, his black eyes wide. His heart started racing, his breathing hurried. Itachi was resurrected…and so was she? He opened his mouth but he couldn't form words. It – it was Rei. Right there. In front of him. Dazed and confused and looking at him with a growing horror. She looked so…similar yet so different. Her hair, her face, her body, the way she moved – but her eyes. They no longer shined that warm colour of brown, but rather a dull grey. She was grey and bleak all over.

But the way she was looking at him was all too similar. The nostalgia crashed into him, and next thing he knew, he was running towards her and didn't stop until his fingers were twisted into her shirt, his arms tight around her and face buried in her shoulder. She was so small – of course she hadn't age. Three years, she was still the same. And he was not. He was a criminal, he was the bad guy.

"You're back, too," he sighed, forgetting everything – and then he realized that she wasn't moving. She was still as a rock, unresponsive. And after a long, painful moment…she pulled him back. She pried his longer fingers off her and looked at him sadly through darkened eyes.

"Sasuke," she bit her lip, eyebrows pinched together. Where could she start? With those eyes – with that Sharingan? They were so distinct and strikingly red on his face…and they were frightening. Almost as bad as what she's heard. "I…I saw Sakura."

He froze.

With agitation clear in her voice, she continued. "And she told me…what you did to her." Her voice was shaking and she was looking away at him. "Sasuke, please make me understand why you would hurt her – our teammate." She was whispering now.

But just the sound of his name in her voice after all this time made something in his chest feel very alive. His mind and emotions were thrown into a chaos. He didn't know what to say…what could he say? She was right. He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to let her go but the distance only grew and with each second, she was more and more horrified at her best friend's action.

"I'm sorry," he said his voice low but the sincerity in it was undeniable. Her heart ached.

When she was pulled back into this world, she was told to create chaos, to shock the enemy. But within seconds of seeing the pink-haired kunoichi, Rei was already grasping at her former self and disregarded the initial task Kabuto sealed on her. But as soon as Sakura explained Sasuke's involvement…it all shattered and she wanted nothing more than to talk to the Uchiha standing in front to her right now. "You're…sorry?" she repeated, her voice cracked. He attempted to say something – but there was no excuse.

"I'm sorry," he said again and reached out towards the younger girl. His hand clenched and he looked away. There was vulnerability, almost desperate look in his eyes. He hadn't felt this much since he had found out about the news of her death.

And even though she wanted to yell at him about all the wrong things he has done, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't want to hurt him – he's already been through so much. And deep down, she knew that her death had triggered something. She looked down. "Sasuke…when I died," she choked and turned her head away, "was that why you left? Sakura said it had something to do with it but…" her already quiet voice drifted to a stop. He didn't hesitate.

"Yes," he said, dark eyes intense. She looked up to meet his gaze and flinched.

He matured so much, she thought, he grew up…and he was, to be honest, scary. Sasuke was intimidating. She knew that she shouldn't be frightened by him– it was Sasuke, after all. He was here, apologizing to her when he should be doing it to Sakura instead. Rei sighed.

"Apologize to Sakura," Rei pleaded gently, her eyes clearly showing her hopefulness in a way that made Sasuke just stare - it had been a while since he had seen something so ...good. "And Kakashi, and Naruto…they're our teammates. You should be with them, not fight them."

"I will," he said surprising her and her eyes flash up to his as joy blossomed in her chest, "if you stay."

Her eyes widen and her little happiness disappeared.

"Sasuke," she said, horrified, "I can't." This wasn't her body, and…and she just couldn't.

"What? No." He reached out for her but she took an automatic step back, staring at him. He dropped his hand and blinked, and a slight panic washed through his features. "You're leaving?" he whispered, eyes wide with fear. Itachi had just left…and Rei too? "You can't." He looked wildly around the cavern. For what? For something to force her to stay?

"Sasuke, I can't possible…stay here like this," she said, clenching her fist and staring up at him.

"Why not?" he asked in desperation, and put both his hands on his head. She saw a glimpse of his old self – the one willing to do anything to help her and it only made it that much harder for her to leave, with or without a lesson on moralities. She knew that she should but…but Sasuke needed her. His eyes were begging. She would make things right again – he genuinely believed it. "Please?"

God, she wanted to be there for him. She always had been. Now when he needed her the most, she just…couldn't. She slipped her small hands into his and pulled Sasuke in close, his eyes still wide with shock. "I can't," she whispered, resting her forehead at the base of his neck. She felt warmth there, something she lacked herself. Sasuke, she sighed, what have you done?

She let go of his hands and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging the taller boy down to her level. She just wanted to be close to him, to show him affection that she suspected he lacked.

She really, really didn't want to go.

But she had to.

She knew that she wasn't going to get far with...making him good. That was simply a doomed plan that never works out anyway. Instead, she chose to at least remind Sasuke of happiness, of what it felt like to be with those you cared.

She leaned back, her fingers slipping down his white robes. A small smile played at her lips. "I miss the blue," she murmured in a light tone distractedly and then her eyes flickered back up to his, and for some reason, even when they were grey, they were shining up at him now. She touched his face. "Smile, Sasuke. You're making me nervous."

He didn't know what to say. Was he forgiven?

She took a deep breath. "Something about you changed, and…I'm a bit scared of you," she admitted but her eyes were still bright, never leaving his. She knew that she was going to leave any second now, and she wanted to make her last moments worth it. She touched his face hesitantly.

"But then I remember who you are…and I'm sure that that Sasuke is still in there," she stopped and tilted her head in a smile, "…somewhere." The Sasuke that would carry her on his back, the one that would go eat dango with her even though he despised it, the one that was a part of Team Seven, the one who so obviously cared for her. Just the memories of it made her chest tighten.

Her voice was soft. "And I loved that Sasuke." There. She said it. Love. His eyes widen. She stopped and then in a burst of courage, she went on her toes and touched her lips against his, kissing him softly and briefly. The touch sent chills throughout the body – not hers, but just the - and she hoped that she had done enough.

She let herself go, and felt her soul escape.

And Sasuke stood there, heart beating just as fast as when he first saw her as the body of an unknown slumped at his feet. He couldn't care less. There was only one thing on his mind.

He wanted to be that Sasuke that this dead girl loved because despite everything, Sasuke had loved Rei.

Hope you enjoyed! As always, comments/reviews would be fantastic and much appreciated.

P.S. Shout out to The Rare Gem: A Naruto OC Community for adding this story to their community! :)