Summary: KakaSaku; It all ended for her with a crash, a boom. Their lives, the last few years, flashed before their eyes. Warning: character death.

…

The war was over now. Summer had ended, and fall had finally arrived. Leaves turned orange, brown, and yellow, and a cool breeze swept through the world. Scars replaced open wounds, and final goodbyes were said for those lost. There was an unsaid truth about this calm: that it could, that it would only last for so long before the next conflict would rear its ugly head. Still, people pushed that thought out of their minds. Smiles and laughter replaced cries of pain. Festivals were held to honor heroes past and present. The sun seemed to shine brighter, the sky looked bluer, and food couldn't be anymore delicious.

It was on such a beautiful, glorious day of peace that Sakura Haruno, age twenty-eight, mother of one, beloved wife, apprentice-turned-master, master medic, and hero of Konoha, was buried.

Peace had come over the land for most people, though some shinobi were still out and about, cleaning up in the wake of everything that had happened. "Damage-control", some people called it. Missions from all over requested these men's heads, not even bothering with the luxury of incarceration. There were still a handful of madmen who believed the war wasn't over yet, and that there were battles left to be won. At first, it was all so easy, since most of these men didn't hide themselves or their intentions. All it took was a little bit of reconnaissance and a bit of planning, and the kill would be easy. These people were still dangerous, though, and Sakura realized that maybe she shouldn't have been so careless.

How had she missed a bomb of all things?

It was strange, seeing it all right before her eyes yet feeling not a single jolt of pain.

This was how Sakura Haruno's life ended, with a bang, a flash, and the world crumbling all around her.

There wasn't much left of her after that. Not even a single strand of hair. Sakura looked up.

Across the street, Kakashi Hatake could only watch in horror as the building before him collapsed unto itself, flames engulfing what it could.

This wasn't happening.

This couldn't be happening.

The explosion made his ears ring and his blood freeze.

He stood in place for what felt like forever, his whole world spinning.

"S-S-Sakura…?" He whispered. He urged himself to move forward, but he was still. A crowd began to gather. "S-Sakura?!" His voice grew louder. He repeated her name, her beautiful, beautiful face flashing in his face, smiling, laughing at him. Over and over, Kakashi called out to her, feeling his feet finally moving. Slowly at first, evolving into a dash for the rubble.

A cool breeze fed the fire, angering it almost. Kakashi trembled as he began to push aside the bits and pieces. She had to be there. She had to be alive.

Sakura stood beside him, telling him it was pointless. She was gone. There was nothing he could do. Kakashi, in true Kakashi-fashion, didn't listen, continuing his desperate attempt to save his Sakura.

When she touched his shoulder, she could see everything he thought.

Their smiles in the heat, sheets pushed aside and onto the floor. Sweet kisses up and down, side to side, everywhere and nowhere at once.

Standing before each other when the war first ended, tears on her face, sweat on his, unsure, frightened, joyous, and loving.

Fighting enemies back-to-back, knowing that the next day was guaranteed for them, even if things went wrong.

A girl—their little girl—behind placed in his arms, a smile on the mother's face as she watched. Pink hair, like her, and dark eyes, like him.

They met when she was twelve, when she had been assigned as his student along with two others. In a way, she was interesting. She may not have had a unique family power (unless having pink hair was somehow an ability), nor did she have a monster sealed up inside of her. But in her own way, she had power within her mind, a brain that Kakashi would sometimes pick at and would encourage to grow.

As time went by, she learned and she learned. Kakashi was proud, taking pride that she was his student. Sure, he may have been a bit lazy in teaching her valuable lessons at times. Tsunade put more effort into the girl than Kakashi did, but in reality, Kakashi didn't really put much effort into any of his other students, either. Still. Kakashi was proud.

Watching her grow from that initial point of knowing was the reason for Kakashi's hesitance at first. And when they first kissed, it almost tore Kakashi apart to realize what he felt for a girl over thirteen years younger than he.

She wasn't bothered, instead pushing herself further into his space.

He pushed back, hoping she would stay away. She didn't. Instead, she moved closer and closer.

He held her when she cried over Neji, over Sasuke, over her family, over Pakkun, and countless other names.

She held him when he said goodbye. He hoped she would forget about him, hoped that she would find someone else.

She assured him she wouldn't.

She held him again when he came back, begging her to forgive him for the pain he put her through.

One day, in the middle of a battle, Kakashi asked her to marry him.

Sakura said yes. And with a sigh, she told him that she accepted, because tomorrow was no longer a promise. Anything could happen, she had said. And she was right.

Laughter echoed through their home as they chased their little girl, who clutched onto her toy doll, making her fly through the air. Her name, Aya, Aya, Aya, escaped his lips as he picked her up, spinning her around.

When the baby slept, they kissed, moving into their room, love coursing through their veins.

Sakura wrapped her arms around Kakashi.

He screamed her name.

Storm clouds gathered.

As the silver-haired man wept, thunder boomed above him, and the cold kisses of rain calmed the raging fires around him.

"I love you."

Sakura's voice was so sweet, so smooth, it always made him forget his doubts.

The day that Sakura Haruno was buried, Kakashi held tightly onto their daughter's hand.

"Always remember," Sakura whispered in her ear when she slept. "Treasure every day. Remember every detail. Enjoy every bit of happiness, let out every tear you need, tell everyone how you feel."

Kakashi recited this at her grave.

"Because you never know about tomorrow. Because anything could happen."

This was the truth.

…

He met her again, decades later. Heaven sang songs when they reunited.

"I've missed you."

Song: Anything Could Happen, Ellie Goulding.