*Flashback* Pay attention now! This is a flashback*

The dust clung to the air creating a brown haze, it lingered without any kind of breeze to send it on its way. It invaded the survivors throats and caught in their lungs when they gasp for sweet precious air. Dry coughs echoed around the dessicated land, like small signals there was life left on this war torn battle field where monsters and men clashed for survival. Despite all death had seen fit to take, the land littered with empty shells that once held a living soul, the ground still cried out for one more life, one more to be dragged down to the depths of hell or to ascend skyward to heavens. Maybe then it would be satisfied.

Slowly, a pink haired beauty shoved a large chunk of rock off her and some of her comrades. She hadn't seen how, but she was sure she owed her life to her knuckle headed teammate once again. Too busy healing the wounded, she had lost track of the other members of team seven. Her tattered body listened to its owners commands grudgingly as she made her way to another member of the Leaf.

A straggled cough came from her mouth as she questioned the woman beside her, "do you see them? Are they alive?"

A familiar call sounded from the light eyed heiress as she searched the ravaged ground for her hyperactive crush.

"I see Naruto, he's alive," she announced, her joy clearly evident in her voice.

A sigh of relief sounded from the medic, it wrapped around her like a comforting blanket on the coldest of winter nights. Like always, he was taking to many risks with his life, she just wanted him to be safe.

"And Sasuke?" she pressed on.

"He's alive too," answered Hinata, only with much less enthusiasm.

Sakura wasn't as happy as she thought she would be hearing that. She was glad he was fine but it struck her as odd that Naruto's safety was at the forefront of her mind instead of the man she thought she loved.

"Oh no," came worried words from the dark haired woman as she continued to look in the direction of the men in question.

"What is it?" shouted out the medic hastily, increasing her healing speed to her most injured leg.

"Sasuke is starting a fight with Naruto," came the words she feared.

Her mind began to race as to what to do to stop them from battling while her body took over, her legs sprang her in the direction Hinata had been staring. She wasn't sure how far she had to run to reach them but she was determined to be there for them in time. A strong gust of wind halted her progress. Her arms instinctively safeguarded her eyes from the intrusive dust. Opening her green eyes to a newly cleared sky, she squinted from the brightness of the sun. Standing off in the distance two men where sizing each other up.

"You're like a brother to me, why are you doing this?" came Naruto's voice, his question dripped with pain.

"I killed my brother, so that means nothing to me," answered the ever cold Sasuke.

"If we fight then we both die, but I wouldn't want to create a world where I caused the person I love the most so much pain by taking the life of the one she loved. If you really want my life, come and take," Naruto surrendered.

Sasuke's face contorted with rage, he closed the gap between them with lightning speed, "you pathetic bastard," he snarled as he slammed a powerful punch on the blond ninja. Naruto's body tumbled and flopped at odd angles as the momentum sent him skidding along the ground.

Sakura's heart stopped for a second when the assaulted man made no move to get up and defend himself. A half crazed laugh reached her ear. She turned to see the ravened haired man glowing for his victory. Looking back to the bloodied blond, she knew she couldn't allow this to happen. It was one thing if Naruto wanted to die to try and save her life, even then she would protest, but just for her happiness, she would not sit quietly and watch that happen. Again she was moving, only stopping once she reached the unresponsive knucklehead. She did a quick once over on him, he was alive. He had used up too much chakra fighting and protecting everyone. Now it was her turn, she was going to prove that she was right where she needed to be, between him and death.

Sasuke was slowly making his way to his intended victim. Sakura being there didn't faze him in the slightest. She was no match for him, and Naruto was a sitting duck in his current state. The medic turned on him, emerald eyes pleading for him to stop. Her posture turned defensive as she readied herself with two kunai he could only assume were laced with a poison. Her fingers threaded around the metal seeking comfort in the familiarity of it.

"Your not taking his life today or any other day, so turn around now," she spoke the words but her voice quivered and faltered. It was completely different from her strong steadfast stance over the unconscious blond.

Sasuke chuckled darkly to himself, no matter what he did she still loved him. Her body may have been bold from years of training but her heart still was weak against him. The thought of ending team seven and erasing all of his past brought a sick feeling of glee to the Uchiha. If that meant killing the girl who claimed to love him all those years he wouldn't hesitate. He drew his sword, and continued moving forward.

"Move, Sakura," he ordered, giving her one last chance at life.

Her mind began to second guess her decision to be there. Maybe it was their fate that brought them here, maybe they always were destined to fight and die at each others hands. A glance back at her fallen teammate reminded her of all that he had done. He had trained endlessly to bring back a man who didn't want to be brought back. Sasuke couldn't understand why Naruto would go so far for him but if he had stayed in the village he would have seen how far Naruto went for Gaara when he was taken for the demon inside him. He would have seen how hard Naruto fought Pein, to protect a village that once treated him less than human. Through the whole war, Naruto was putting his life on the line to make sure everyone, not just member of their village, were safe.

"Screw fate," she mumbled under her breath, tears brimming her eye.

Sasuke hadn't stayed, he hadn't seen his trials. The man was oblivious to the hell he had put them through. He lacked the same will of fire she, Naruto and everyone else in the Leaf possessed. It was no wonder he couldn't understand Naruto. Even she had difficulty understanding him at times. Then again, Naruto's fire made hers look like a candle struggling in the wind. Not today, not now, now it would be a ragging fire. With renewed resolve she faced the man she had once chased, determined to make him feel the heat of her flame.

He readied his weapon as if to give her one last warning that he would not hesitate to kill her.

"You're going to have to make me," she snarled, her words and stance finally synced. She wasn't scared of him even though she knew he could end her. Her only comfort was that she could put up one hell of a fight before that happened. If he sent her onto the next life, she'd drag his ass along with her.

With unearthly speed, he plunged his sword through her tiny frame. Her chest engulfed the cold steel to the hilt. The blade had gone through her body like it did with every enemy he had ever faced, with ease. He expected her to look up at him with pleading eyes and question how he could do such a thing to her. He was greatly mistaken, cold emerald ords met his dark stare, none of the life was leaving them to see the next world. The intensity of her contempt was breathtaking. The attacker was so intent on her eyes he missed the strange markings the diamond on her forehead had morphed into. A strange tribal like design ran rampant around her face and down her chest the foreign object was still protruding from.

A quick hand penetrated the man's chest with a dark blade. His analyzing eyes had seen the small movement just in time to save him from instant death but it wasn't enough to save his life, she had twisted the weapon so his wound would not close. His knees gave way as he clutched as his chest. He fell to his side with a hollow thud. With each beat of his heart more life giving blood pumped out onto the thirsty ground, quenching its unholy appetite. The maiden pulled the weapon from her body, it shone only slightly crimson. With her inhuman strength she sent it into the hard rock. Her attention moved from the man whom she once held an unhealthy affection for to the man laying behind her. She rapidly healed him, she wanted to be far away from their teammate as soon as possible.

When his dazzling blue eyes opened he gave he a small cocky grin, "I must be in heaven," a croaky voice strained as his rough hand went to her face to draw her near. She didn't protest and leaned into him, letting him pull her face closer to his. Before she could get near enough to feel the warmth of his breath, he saw his friend bleeding out on the hard ground. A look of horror and confusion covered his features. She could not meet his gaze and looked off to the horizon, a silent tear leaving a muddy trail down her pale cheek. He rushed to the aide of his friend finding he was helpless to save him.

"Sakura, heal him," came Naruto's broken call.

"No," her quiet reply, so simple and soft he barely heard it.

"Sakura," the young ninja pleaded again.

"No! He's tried to kill you for the last time!" she screamed, a strange fearsomeness that he hadn't seen before.

"You'll never forgive yourself if you let him die here," Naruto countered, he was worried she would loath herself one day down the road and there was a possibility of her hating him too for not being strong enough to keep his promise. His tanned hands turned crimson trying to stop the flow of blood.

His words struck her, she didn't care if one day she hated the hand fate had dealt her, she worried the man she fought to save would never forgive her. With a heavy heart she moved to the dying man and saved the life she had worked so hard to snuff out.

Sasuke's vision began to clear moments after her hands glowed green above his gaping wound. He took in his surroundings in a quick glance. Dark green eyes held a promise of pain and death if so much as looked at their teammate wrong, while said teammate was looking relieved by the turn of events. Soon the blond was surrounded by people praising and thanking him, the crowd whisked him away to find the Kages.

"You try to harm one hair that idiot's head, and I will personally remove all your organs while keeping you alive and awake for the whole procedure until I finally take out that black heart of yours," Sakura warned, her tone was frigid and the look on her face bore an emotion that danced on the edge of sanity.

The world Sasuke found himself waking to was one he could not comprehend. A place where his lifelong rival was still an idiot but now the Uchiha had his doubts he could defeat the dope in a straight forward fight. To top that, a woman, that he never thought would become a ninja of any kind of note worthy skill, had just taken his life, and was slowly restoring it. All the while threatening to end him if he stepped out of line. Fighting against these two seemed pointless. They held a will that surpassed his desire for revenge. With their generation moving to take positions of power, he would be better off shaping the world from their side instead of the path he was currently trotting down.

It took her longer to heal his injury because of the way she had penetrated his flesh and spread the wound open with a turn of her wrist. Naruto had returned just as she was finishing up. His teammates watched him as he untied his forehead protector and held it out to the fallen avenger.

"Ready to come home?" Naruto asked, hope resonating through his words.

The black materiel danced on the wind before their eyes as they waited for an answer. Time stood still for team seven as their future hung on the decision of one man. Slowly a pale hand reached for the Leaf inscribed metal. It was time to go home and make things right.