Prologue

My feet dug into the ground as I ran, my lungs gaping for air. But I wasn't going to stop running. Hot salty tears blinded me, and the wind's resistance wasn't much help. My throat was dry, burning as the taste of iron struck my taste buds. But with all the air I could muster I yelled out... I had to...
"SAAAASUUUKEEE!" The pain struck my throat as it rattled with a choking sound. I continued my pace. My arms flared behind me, they were numb from the winds whipping, as my leg muscles began to tighten. Why was he playing this game with me?
Finally, I couldn't continue to go on any longer. I felt the nausiating pain in my stomach as my legs stopped altogether, the ground coming in closer. I closed my green orbs awaiting the impact.
I waited.
Nothing.

My eyes shot open as I stared into the pale emotionless face of my love, my heart. And a pain struck me. A very sharp one. I could not speak, I could not thank him. I could not move.
His eyes glared a hole in me, his onyx stare. How long I hoped to peer into them and see myself, but they were as black as the sky was tonight. And empty.
"Sakura..." Finally fell from his lips, kissing my heated face, caressing my aching body. Enabling me to speak.
"Sasuke!" I moaned happily as I tried my best to smile, it seeming impossible due to the pain I was in.

Was this death I was feeling. I continued to stare into those eyes that kept me going. Gave me reason to live as I did.
But they suddenly turned colder, the chill spiking up my spine, and tingling my milky skin. Chilling me.
"Don't follow me! Did I not make that clear?"
I couldn't nod my head, I couldn't do anything. I laid there helplessly in his arms as my eyes bled their clear liquid. I never spoke. Never got the chance to, as he dissappeared and my body thudded softly against the ground.
I choked on air, as the tears slid fluently down my eyes as I breathed in, my chest caving up and down.
"Sa-Sa..." It wouldn't come out..."SASUKE!"

I stared myself in the mirror. It was exactly midnight. My house was quiet. My lightly painted room darkened by the night's hue. The only small light coming from the ghostly orb which peeked through my curtains. I sat opposite the window, my back to it, as I was hunched over in ifinite pain. I had long stopped my sobbing.
And the light soothed me.
But darkness envolped again. But why?
I turned dead eyes towards the window, a figure surprising me, causing my body to jolt with nonexisting energy.
And as the happiness ran through my once chilled bloodstream, tears came with it.

The shadow came in my view closer, and closer, as the tears began to pit and paddle on the hardwood flooring of the room.
"Sasuke."

One

I leaned against a tree, my breathing shallow as my blood flowed down my body.
'This is really it...' I thought to myself, peering around. This is my moment with death..
I winced in pain and shifted to get more comfortable but stopped once the pain became worse.

Ino, Hinata, Choji and I came back from a mission. We had gone to the Village Hidden in the Stones to retrieve a scroll. Us four were only a few hours away from Konoha when we were ambushed.

“Get down!” I shouted.

We ducked for cover as I cried cried in pain when a kunai lodged itself into my left bicep. Hissing in pain I pulled the kunai out and tossed it to the ground. Before I could heal myself the ninjas made themselves known.

“Give us our scroll back.” The leader of the group demanded.

“No.” I told the man whom had appeared in front of me.

His blue eyes flashed in anger.

“I won’t ask again.”

“I won’t tell you no again.” I told the black haired man, a bit pissed. 'Who the fuck did he think he was?'

I turned towards Ino when a chalky cry sounded out. Ino winced in pain as she clutched her right arm. She hadn’t seen the kunai coming and wasn’t able to completely dodge it.

The sight of Ino's pain pissed me off, but I could not let my emotions get the best of me. I was their leader. They needed me to be strong.
Not like before.

In the blink of an eye, a battle had begun. Weapons whizzed by, some hit their target and others didn’t. The same went for jutsus, genjutsu and hand to hand combat. At the end of the battle, the Stone ninjas were defeated but at a heavy price. I had managed to heal the team's wounds so they were able to go on but with how depleted my chakra was from the battle and the healing, I didn’t have enough to heal myself.

“You three go back without me.” I ordered.

“But Sakura-“

“That’s an order Ino.” I said cutting the blonde off. She knew not to question me.

Ino nodded her head. She knew this was the way things were supposed to be done but she never imagined it would be her best friend saying it.

‘I know we’re going to get her help but with how bad her injuries are help won’t arrive before she dies.’

Tears filled her eyes at the thought that she was leaving her best friend to die.

“Don’t cry Ino,” I assured her with a weak smile, even one I wouldn't believe. “You know this how it’s supposed to be done. The captain only stays behind if he or she is too injured to go on.”

Ino nodded her head, unable to speak.

“Go.” I said jerking my head in the opposite direction.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Ino whispered.

“I know.”

Hinata watched the scene with tears streaming down her face as Chouji looked on with sad eyes.

“You were supposed to be my maid or matron of honor. You were going to be godmother to my children.”

“I know Ino but life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect it too, especially if you’re a ninja.”

“I know but it’s not fair!” Ino said sobbing.

“Life isn’t always fair.”

The blonde rushed forward and embraced her in a hug.

“I don’t want you to die.” She sobbed.

“I don’t want to die either.”

Ino clung onto me for dear life. In truth, I was ready to accept death. I no longer had what I wanted to live for.

“Ino…” I said after a while of thinking of my own life.

“Yeah…?”

I pushed Ino away as I peered into her face, tears threatening to plunge from my already watery eyes.

“I want you to live a good and happy life. I know you and Shikamaru will get married one day and have beautiful children. Don’t think about the past and what could have been and don’t mourn me forever. I want you to live your life to the fullest.”

The blonde nodded her head, too choked up too speak.

“Tell Tsunade-shisou and Kakashi thank you for everything they’ve done for me.”

Ino nodded her head again.

“Hinata…” I weakly called to her.

“Yes…?”

“Tell Naruto that I love him and that he was like the brother I never have and that I hope that you and he will have a wonderful life together.”

“I will.” Hinata said as she sobbed harder.

“Chouji…”

“Yeah…?”

“Help Shikamaru watch out for Ino.”

“I promise I will.”

I nodded my head, as I threw it back again, holding in an agonizing scream that threatened to pierce my lips.

“Go…” I ordered weakly.

They nodded and Ino gave me one last hug before standing back up.

“I love you Sakura, you were like the sister I never had.” Ino whispered.

“Same here.” I said with a nother smile that I was sure showing my pain. It hurt to speak, I just wanted to die in peace... That was all.

Ino looked at me one last time, tears streaming down her beautiful face before she turned away. Iwatched the three leave, knowing that it would be the last time I'd ever see them.

I stared into the azure sky, watching the clouds float by.

‘This feels so peaceful, no wonder why Shikamaru enjoys cloud gazing.’

Two

I stared down from my position.
'Accepting death... How willing she is... to do that.' I thought as I spiraled down from my high point planning to approach her. Her jade orbs caught my movement and she was staring right at me.
My heart thumped loudly in my chest. 'What the hell is this...feeling?'
A feeling?
I wasn't supposed to have feelings, having feelings was a sign of pure weakness and failure in life.
Her eyes widened, I saw a bit of animation in them, a bit of life. As if my presence alone would keep her from dying. Could it?
I stared over her blood stained torso, the blood even seeping onto the milky skin of her resting hand. That's obvious the area where she was wounded.
I frowned as my eyes roamed back to her face; Her gaze fixed on me. But she never did once say anything.
I began to approach her, as I saw fear. More or so, I sensed fear. And her eyes showed it. Her gaze moved back to the sky. The clouds had gone away now, so what was she gazing at.
I really didn't care.
"Sa....." She moaned a simple syllable. I stopped dead in my tracks, inches away from her slowly dying frame.
My gaze looked down to her, was I supposed to say something? How could I?
She breathed, but it sounded more along the lines of exhaling stale wind. She wasn't going to last much longer.
But why did I care?
In truth, I had just stumbled upon the sight only moments earlier when her comrades had left her in agony.
So what made me be so, attracted to this...female stranger?
"Sa-"
And was it, that she knew my name?
"Sas..."
How?
"Sa-suke.." It trailed off her lips with a bitterness of glum hope that even iced my heart. She remained silent.
Her eyes closed slowly, shutting me out. She was soon to die.
Taking the opportunity, I knelt down and looked her over. Heat still rolled off her body. It was faint. She wasn't completely giving up.
The blood had spread up past her breast, and stained her neck. It stained her pale lips, and slithered down the side of her mouth. It was dried... Crackled and brown... Like that of old snake skin.
My better judgement got to me.
I slowly picked her up, careful as not to stretch the wound anymore, as I cared her bridal style.
Her lips moved, as if she were going to speak again... Air came out first, and her words were barely audible... But I heard them.
"Sasuke...I...love..."
I jerked her slightly. Irritated a bit, I quickly wanted to shush her.
"There is no Sasuke. If you want to refer to me, it is Netaro.."
She never did say another word.

"Don't follow me! Did I not make that clear?"
My words had been harsh, but she hadn't listened to me. She had followed me. And if I hadn't have caught her, she would have died.
And although she didn't answer me, I'm sure she understood.
As I left her, to never see me again, and I the same with her.
She had yelled my name like the wind roars against the ocean, commanding it to obey it. Commanding it to listed.
I was the ocean, and she the wind.
"SASUKE!"

*Years had passed, and I had gave up my loyalty to one of the sannin Orochimaru. Once I had killed my brother, I was after bigger fish. *
I had moved into a very small village, one of the very few where any action takes place. It was very quaint, and it didn't annoy the fuck out of me like everywhere else I tried to live.
I was only 17, and I had took on the identity Netaro.
Once settled in, everyone took to my easily. They found my demeanor to be something they feared, but figured I would help to keep their village humble.
Women of the village threw themselves apon me. And I took the liberty to please myself, as long with them.
To them, it was gift for keeping the village safe.
I had only slept with four of the women in the village, and I really didn't want to be bothered.
But to keep from blowing any cover, I figured... Having one around wouldn't hurt.
That one came around. Her name being Kyouko.
She had bright sea green eyes, and long white hair. Though she was slim, she had a spitfire attitude. That of which surprisingly, appealed to me.
After a while, I took her as my wife.

"Taro-chan.." She referred to me one night as we laid together. "Your eyes, when I speak your name... It is your person who responds, but its your soul that says other wise."
Smart wench she was.
"Is it so, that you really aren't this person you portray to be."
How easy it was to tell her the truth.
But I could not.
I wouldn't... Not until the moment felt correct.


I brought the wounded female to the home of Kyouko and I.
"Netaro!?!" Kyouko exclaimed as I appeared in the doorway, my tanish garmet I wore stained with a bit of fresh blood.
She gasped, as her mouth opened and closed like that of a fish's.

"Do not stand there and act stupid." I snarled. I could feel the heat leaving the female's body as I placed it down on the hardwood flooring of our floor. Kyouko sunk down to her knees, as she examined the wound better than I was able to.
"Just heal her so I can find out who she is."
Maybe I already knew who she was. I couldn't...remember.
She knew the real me, and I feared at the wrong time she would probably reveal that.

"SASUKE!"
The voice came clear, but no one had spoke it.
"NETARO! Did you not hear me calling you?!" Exclaimed my ghost haired wife.

"Hn." I quickly replied, as I tended to what it was she wanted to.

My past was catching up.

I leaned against a tree, my breathing shallow as my blood flowed down my body.
'This is really it...' I thought to myself, peering around. This is my moment with death..
I winced in pain and shifted to get more comfortable but stopped once the pain became worse.

Ino, Hinata, Choji and I came back from a mission. We had gone to the Village Hidden in the Stones to retrieve a scroll. Us four were only a few hours away from Konoha when we were ambushed.

“Get down!” I shouted.

We ducked for cover as I cried cried [it's alright ^^ simple mistake but I thought that I could point that out] in pain when a kunai lodged itself into my left bicep. Hissing in pain I pulled the kunai out and tossed it to the ground. Before I could heal myself the ninjas made themselves known.

“Give us our scroll back.” The leader of the group demanded.

“No.” I told the man whom had appeared in front of me.

His blue eyes flashed in anger.

“I won’t ask again.”

“I won’t tell you no again.” I told the black haired man, a bit pissed. 'Who the fuck did he think he was?'

I turned towards Ino when a chalky cry sounded out. Ino winced in pain as she clutched her right arm. She hadn’t seen the kunai coming and wasn’t able to completely dodge it. [Could you explain where the rest of her team went?]

The sight of Ino's pain pissed me off, but I could not let my emotions get the best of me. I was their leader. They needed me to be strong.
Not like before.

In the blink of an eye, a battle had begun. Weapons whizzed by, some hit their target and others didn’t. The same went for jutsus, genjutsu and hand to hand combat. At the end of the battle, the Stone ninjas were defeated but at a heavy price. I had managed to heal the team's wounds so they were able to go on but with how depleted my chakra was from the battle and the healing, I didn’t have enough to heal myself.

“You three go back without me.” I ordered.

“But Sakura-“

“That’s an order Ino.” I said cutting the blonde off. She knew not to question me.

Ino nodded her head. She knew this was the way things were supposed to be done but she never imagined it would be her best friend saying it.

‘I know we’re going to get her help but with how bad her injuries are help won’t arrive before she dies.’ [Who was stating this?]

Tears filled her eyes at the thought that she was leaving her best friend to die.

“Don’t cry Ino,” I assured her with a weak smile, [it's awkward. Maybe like this?: I assured her with a weak smile;] even one I wouldn't believe. “You know this how it’s supposed to be done. The captain only stays behind if he or she is too injured to go on.”

Ino nodded her head, unable to speak.

“Go.” I said jerking my head in the opposite direction.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Ino whispered.

“I know.”

Hinata watched the scene with tears streaming down her face as Chouji looked on with sad eyes.

“You were supposed to be my maid or matron of honor. You were going to be godmother to my children.”

“I know Ino but life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect it too, especially if you’re a ninja.”

“I know but it’s not fair!” Ino said sobbing.

“Life isn’t always fair.”

The blonde rushed forward and embraced her in a hug.

“I don’t want you to die.” She sobbed.

“I don’t want to die either.”

Ino clung onto me for dear life. In truth, I was ready to accept death. I no longer had what I wanted to live for.

“Ino…” I said after a while of thinking of my own life.

“Yeah…?”

I pushed Ino away as I peered into her face, tears threatening to plunge from my already watery eyes.

“I want you to live a good and happy life. I know you and Shikamaru will get married one day and have beautiful children. Don’t think about the past and what could have been and don’t mourn me forever. I want you to live your life to the fullest.”

The blonde nodded her head, too choked up too speak.

“Tell Tsunade-shisou and Kakashi thank you for everything they’ve done for me.”

Ino nodded her head again.

“Hinata…” I weakly called to her.

“Yes…?”

“Tell Naruto that I love him and that he was like the brother I never have [verb correction: had] and that I hope that you and he will have a wonderful life together [I'm not sure what you mean by 'together'].”

“I will.” Hinata said as she sobbed harder.

“Chouji…”

“Yeah…?”

“Help Shikamaru watch out for Ino.”

“I promise I will.”

I nodded my head, as I threw it back again, holding in an agonizing scream that threatened to pierce my lips.

“Go…” I ordered weakly.

They nodded and Ino gave me one last hug before standing back up.

“I love you Sakura, you were like the sister I never had.” Ino whispered.[Punctuation problem: Must be; I love you, Sakura. You were like the sister I never had.

“Same here.” I said with a nother [typo?] smile that I was sure showing my pain. [Awkward] It hurt to speak, I just wanted to die in peace... That was all.

Ino looked at me one last time, tears streaming down her beautiful face before she turned away. Iwatched [Innocent typo] the three leave, knowing that it would be the last time I'd ever see them.

I stared into the azure sky, watching the clouds float by.

‘This feels so peaceful, no wonder why Shikamaru enjoys cloud gazing.’