Sakura trudged through the halls of darkness where the angels of death rested. Her wings were folded neatly on her back not even making a sound as she moved down the halls gracefully. Ever since she had to take the life of her beloved she couldn't even focus properly on taking the lives of the innocent much less the wicked. She found her room and sat down on her bed. Sasuke hadn't been an innocent she had taken the life of his son. As far as she knew she was the only Angel of Death that could shed tears. In the corner of her room sat a single photo that she'd managed to snatch it on a trip to her home village to allow herself to watch Sasuke be buried. Why Death had allowed her to go there and allowed her to keep this photo was beyond her understanding but she didn't argue with him on the matter. It sat in her room. It was a picture of them when they were much older. Sasuke had been back a few years and had been reinstated as a shinobi of the Leaf. It was during the Sakura Blossom Festival. Sasuke was wearing a traditional kimono with his back to the camera displaying the Uchiha Clan crest proudly. She and Naruto were sitting on a bench. Kakashi was behind the bench resting his arms around her and Naruto's shoulders. They all were wearing traditional kimonos even though Naruto was a blunder at wearing them. He'd almost face planted a few times until he got the hang of walking in clothes like that. A soft laugh escaped her. She couldn't help it as her fingers traced over the faces of her precious people. It had been two hundred years since then and she'd had to watch many of them fall to time or someone else's blade. Another Angel of Death had been assigned to them because she'd been unable to take anymore lives of the people she'd known; though she was more than happy to be the one to end the existence of some shinobi that sought to bring down the Fire Nation and its hidden village. She showed him the true meaning of what it was like to take away everything that they held dear. Running her hands through her hair she flopped backwards on her bed holding the picture to her chest; when she was alone she allowed herself the time to mourn for her three men.

"Sasuke," she whimpered painfully. "Naruto, Kakashi. I need you."

Tears slid down her pale cheeks and sunk into the black comforter underneath her. So many times she wished that her life could end as an Angel and rejoin those she'd lost so long ago. It got so bad sometimes she'd almost contemplated suicide but it would have been pointless because she couldn't die. Her life as an Angel of Death was suffering because she couldn't bring herself to kill anymore.

A knock came to her door making her start as she sat up. Her grip loosened on the picture frame and it went crashing to the floor. The glass shattered. Horror crossed Sakura's face as she scrambled for the picture. She cut her hand on the glass but no blood flowed from the wound. The flesh knitted together and it was as if nothing had happened. Her tears quickened as she sat there staring at the broken glass. Her hands started to shake. The door opened quietly as she sat there and cried; cried like she'd done a thousand times before a heart wrenching sound that made her the weakest of the Angels of Death. Sasuke was right she was weak in some things.

Death watched his youngest angel sit on the ground crying over a broken picture frame. He knew that she was getting close to her own breaking point and there was no telling what she'd do once she snapped. Sighing softly he knew that he'd made a mistake taking her in. She was too pure for this kind of work. He should have known that the day she had to take the life of the Uchiha's first born son and then later the life of the boy's father. It didn't take a lot to figure out that she was regretting everything she'd done. She'd been his Messenger Angel for two hundred years and it was destroying the purest soul he'd seen in a shinobi in a long time. He'd made a mistake and he knew it. Thankfully her chance at freedom had come up. In a couple of years most of her friends would be reborn in the shinobi world; even that dumbass brat that she was mourning over. In all truths the Uchiha didn't deserve a second chance at this but it had been decided. Someone from above had requested that she get the change to be reborn with them in order for them to have a chance at something that had been denied them in their previous life time. Maybe giving her this chance could possibly atone for what he'd made her do. He'd seen what the Uchiha had failed to see too late. He wouldn't admit that he was above making mistakes but he had by bringing Sakura. He'd been captured by her innocent nature as most men were prone to fall for when she was alive. Her inner light was getting dimmer and dimmer as the years went on. He'd be making it up to her by letting her go even though he wished she'd stay with him.

"Sakura?" he called softly.

She straitened up hearing his voice. He winced knowing that she was probably thinking he'd punish her for being this weak or about ready to send her on another mission.

"Yes, Master?" she asked.

Her voice was loosing the luster it used to have. There used to be such fight in her but now it was reduced to ashes that tasted bitter to him. Turning her head to face him her eyes were dull.

"I have a choice for you my messenger."

Sakura looked up at him wondering where he was going with this. She'd done nothing to warrant any harm coming to her and yet she hadn't done anything right either. Her emotions kept getting in the way. She'd been an emotional creature when alive and it had carried over to her Angel of Death status.

"Choices Master?" she asked softly.

He nodded his head.

"Yes, choices. I will give you time to consider it Sakura."

There was a small sparkle of hope in her eyes but it flashed out just as quickly as it came; that made the true Angel of Death wince. He'd done a lot to this girl and she didn't even deserve it, but it had been her choice. Even though she'd chosen this life it didn't make it right to have had offered it to her. He could see it was tearing her apart from the inside out. "I'm giving you the choice to remain as one of my angels or get a chance at rebirth."

"What's the point of being reborn if I'm not going to…"

"I've heard that your friends will also be reborn again along side you if you so choose."

The hope flared to life in her eyes; then suspicion crept into her emotional eyes.

"What's the catch?"

"There isn't one. You'll be reborn into the life you used to know in a couple of years. What you do with that is up to you. Of course you'll have a different family name since you were the last Haruno."

She nodded sadly in understanding. Even if a lot of things were different this was her last chance to be able to be with her family that wasn't her blood family.

"I want to go back to them," she murmured without hesitation. "I miss them so much."

Death just nodded his head. Placing his hand on Sakura's head she fell into blackness.

Reborn and 8 years later…

Sakura woke coming from a strange dream. Shrugging it off she got up ready to greet the day. She was supposed to go with Sasuke as he practiced his fire jutsus at their family lake. A smile spread across her face. Sasuke was always trying to outdo his older brother, Itachi; despite her reassurances that he'd be a great ninja someday. As far as she was concerned Sasuke was well on his way in surpassing his brother. Itachi often taught the two of them some of the skills he had. At first Sasuke hadn't liked the idea that Itachi teach Sakura, but he soon got used to the idea and had often told her how much he liked having her there, as his best friend. In her heart of hearts she wanted to be with her best friend as more than a best friend, but she didn't want to seem like one of his rabid fangirls that seemed to like following him around all the time. She wanted to show him that the love she held for him was real and if given the change would probably last a long time. Every time she tried to tell him that she liked him his fangirls would pop up and they'd have to run like crazy. That's why they started working in the Uchiha training grounds instead of on the public training grounds. Dressing for their training session she went downstairs. Her parents were away on a mission at that moment. She pushed chakra in her feet and started to head towards the Uchiha Compound. The Uchiha on guard greeted her with a wave and she returned the gesture. They knew her by now because both Uchiha heirs had made it clear that she was allowed passage into their family's home. She headed towards the lake because she knew that was the safest place for Sasuke to practice his fireball jutsu without burning homes or forests down. A snicker escaped her lips remembering that he'd almost done it once. As foreseen Sasuke was standing on the edge of the pier trying to spit out a big fireball. His attempts were weak at best when he first started training like this but the ball had grown considerably larger since he'd started. Smiling she started towards him watching his every move; he was beautiful she decided. Her heart ached with the knowledge that he may never see her as anything but a best friend. Whatever he decided she hoped she'd be okay with it. Once his last fireball burned out he flopped down on the edge of the pier with his legs hanging off of it swinging back and forth idly. Carefully she moved towards him and sat down beside him. She knew that he knew she was there.

"I still can't get it right," he grumbled.

She laughed softly but not at his expense.

"You'll get it Sasuke-kun," she murmured softly, "keep trying."

Her head rested on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her waist. He sighed tiredly. They'd spent many a nights sitting like this watching the sun set. That's until most of the time his father came around giving them a disapproving look. Itachi had told them not to mind him when he gave them that look. Sakura didn't fool herself even if she was eight Sasuke's father didn't like her because her parents were from a noble family like the Uchiha was.

"I work so hard and it's all for nothing."

"It isn't for nothing Sasuke," Sakura insisted as she pulled away from him a bit. "You'll be a great shinobi one day even better than Itachi."

"Don't get my hopes up Sakura."

"Then don't give up.

He looked down at her for a moment. He seemed to be deep in thought for a moment.

"What would I do without you?"

"Probably burn yourself to a crisp," she teased playfully.

His eyes narrowed playfully back at her. Her eyes widened knowing that look always meant trouble for one or both of them. To her shock and amazement he brushed his lips against her cheek. A blush dusted both of their cheeks.

"You're probably right."

Sakura was a bit dazed but shook it off to stare up into his onyx eyes. Some part of her wanted her to lean up and give him a real kiss but for the sake of their friendship she held it back.

"Don't stress out Sasuke; you'll do fine no matter what happens. Because Itachi, your mother and I believe in the strength you have within you to be the best of the best."

He smiled softly for her as he pulled her back to his side; his arm around her waist. She rested her head against his shoulder and his atop her head. The two of them sat on the pier for hours on end staring out over the calmness of the water until Sasuke's mother called them in for lunch.

Many futures lay ahead for them. This is their second chance at a future that could hold a lot of happiness for them. A chance at life that they were meant to live, together.