Naruto walked with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He walked inside the gates and looked up to the sight of a smiling Hokage and a tearful Sakura. Sakura lunged at him and sobbed into his shirt."You.. baka-" She paused to sob."-how could you ever leave like that?!"

Naruto chuckled and carresed her hair."Sakura-chan I was only gone for a year. I trained for longer with Jiraiya." Sakura leaned against him and sighed."It was so lonely without you."

Tsunade didn't interrupt the two and retreated back to the Hokage Tower saving the tears of joy and welcoming for later.

Naruto laid against a tree with Sakura's head on his chest. He picked up a pink leaf and held it to his face."Y'know Sakura. This leaf reminds me of you.." Sakura nodded lazily and nuzzled against his chest further, loving the warmth that he emitted, soon falling into a deep slumber.

Naruto smiled."Rest well, my cherry blossom."

-The Next Day-

Sakura got up from her bed and sighed as she remembered the events of yesterday."Must have been a dream..." Her emerald eyes widened when she heard a groan behind her."A dream you say? You have a great imagination then.."

Sakura spun around and hugged Naruto. Naruto smiled,"Sakura-chan, why are you hugging me like its the end of the world?" Naruto put an arm around Sakura and helped her get off the bed. Sakura nodded."You can wait for me downstairs. Cook breakfast by the way!"

Sakura chuckled but her heartbeat stopped when she saw a flower next to a note.

I'm watching you...

Sakura froze. She recognized the handwriting and hid it in her closet. Sakura took a deep breath and smelled ramen from downstairs. Sakura went downstairs to find Naruto slurping down his ramen and he looked up at her and pointed to another bowl. Sakura smiled,"Thanks Naruto."

Naruto gave Sakura the thumbs up and finished his dish, throwing it in the sink and washing it up. Sakura's eyebrows furrowed. Naruto heard her grunt and turned around."Is something wrong?"

"No, its just-"

Naruto sat next to her on the couch and leaned next to her and stroked her bubble gum hair. He sighed."Whats up?"

"Nothing-- Look, I gotta head to work, so lets talk about this later okay?"

Sakura looked at him reassuringly and sighed."Bye, Naruto-kun," Naruto chuckled at the nickname and ran out the door. He caught up to Sakura and she looked at him, perplexed. He grinned nervously,"I forgot to meet Baa-chan."

Sakura laughed but then smacked him upon the head,"You didn't meet her?" Naruto rubbed his head and he sighed."Well, take care."

Sakura paused as her hand was on the handle of the door,"You too." and with a smile, she closed the door behind her and began advancing to her post.

Naruto P.O.V

Was something wrong? I saw the flurry of worry in her eyes when she entered the kitchen and the dim of the happiness in her smile.

Did I say something wrong?

My head was a race of thoughts when I entered the familiar building. The receptionist greeted me,"Good morning, Uzumaki-san. Are you here to see Hokage-sama."

I nodded with a broad smile and she beckoned me up the stairs to Tsunade-baa-chan's office. My hand made its way to the cold metal touch of the handle and I twisted the knob.

"Well baa-chan you wanted to--"

I paused hearing the barely audible sniffles. She was slumped against the desk and was holding a sake bottle in her hand. She looked up at me with watery eyes.

She managed to squeak out,"He's dead."

I banged my fist against the wooden table with a lot of my strength and it made a dent. Anger surged through my veins."Who-- And I mean who-- IS DEAD!?"

Tsunade choked,"Jiraiya."

That's it.

I left the office in a haze of fury and sorrow, I didn't notice the rain pelting me in the cold winter.

He had left me, and this time,

It was for good.