Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or any characters there-in. Several animals were killed, ground up, and made into fast food burgers during the writing of this story.

"Hey Sakura-chan."

She wasn't sure what shocked her more, his casual greeting, or the fact that he was just sitting there, with his back to her. No ninja just sat facing away from another shinobi, whether ally or enemy.

She wasn't sure what she had expected. Maybe the monster, the tales of whom were spreading through Konoha like wildfire. The incarnation of the demon fox who had returned after sixteen years to once again ravage the hidden village. Or maybe Naruto as he had used to be, hyperactive, running up to hug her after an absence, never minding that she alwaysalwaysalways pushed him away. But not this Naruto.

He had turned around by now. The easiest to notice was the eyes, burning crimson. His whisker marks blurred, his canines elongated. But even with these changes, she couldn't mistake the sadness in his face.

"N… Naruto." She practically choked on the new curse word of the Leaf. Things now went from bad to worse to Naruto. Children who didn't understand the significance of the word had their mouths washed out with soap. Men were smacked in the back of their head by their wives, told to watch their language.

All available Jounins had been sent out, usually in groups of two or three. She was the only chuunin among them, but had not been surprised to find that no one wanted to search with her. She was a member of the traitor's team, remember. Couldn't be trusted, probably turn on us herself.

She hadn't been there at the time, had been on a solo mission, but had heard the biased story from so many people she could piece what had actually happened together. Naruto had disappeared in the middle of the night. Tsunade had put off declaring him a missing nin, hoping he would some back himself. He had, dragging Sasuke's broken yet still beating body through the streets to the hospital, eyes flaring and growls escaping every other step.

The medic nins had just overcome their fear enough to offer their expertise on his own pains, when a ninja who had survived the Kyuubi's first attack, decided that now that Naruto wasn't quite himself, it would be a perfect opportunity to rid Konoha of the plague that had survived the last sixteen years.

He was disembowelled in two seconds.

If anyone had asked the doctors and other witnesses, the were all prepare to testify that it had been self defence, but the ANBU who arrived seconds later didn't wait to hear witness statements. You don't become a member of the Special Tactics and Assassination Squad by questioning what your eyes tell you.

This one had his head removed, along with a large chunk of his spine.

Naruto had started to run by this point, realising that standing still would only bring more fights, so he had made for the rooftops, nearly three dozen ninja on his tail. There had been four more deaths that night, all rather gruesome and probably painless, occurring almost instantly. Covering his escape with a mass Kage Bunshin, he'd made his way to the Forest of Death.

And now she'd found him, sitting beneath the gigantic tree that had sheltered him and Sasuke-kun while they were injured. Amazingly, it had grown even more, its roots becoming a cave, that she now blocked the only entry to.

"Yeah, 's'me. I think, anyway. Mostly." He gave a quiet little chuckle, one that had never failed to let her know that he was upset.

It was the same as the one he'd made when he gave her his word, his promise, that he's bring Sasuke-kun home.

He always kept his promises.

"Tsunade-sensei said you can come back. She… she could get you a reduced sentence, or something. Maybe even a probation. Who knows? Maybe we could have the whole Cell 7 training together again. Please Naruto…" He voice nearly broke, the tears pouring from her eyes. "Come home. Please."

He watched her, with those damn red eyes that haunted her dreams and nightmares, watched as she shed tears for someone she once believed she'd hated with all her heart. Watched, as her heart broke as she realised, that she had lost one of her team-mates, only to lose the other to bring the first back. Watched, as she realised she knew what answer he was going to give.

"No place for me back there, Sakura-chan. Not now. Eyes are so important in Konoha, you know. Sharingan, Byakyuugan, everything. No one who was there ever forgot these eyes. Everyone knows who I am now. What I am. No Hokage, no respect, no friends. Nothing for me there."

She swallowed, following his with her own eyes. Ordinary eyes, with nothing special about them. There was nothing special about her at all. No family-only jutsus. No bloodline, no bugs, no animals. But with him, when he looked at her… Maybe she was special.

"You're a missing nin now. S-class. Guess they're finally acknowledging your ability, huh?" Great, Sakura, great. Remind him of why you're both there in the first place. Smartest kunoichi of her class, she didn't doubt.

"S-class? S-class aren't capture missions, Sakura. They're assassination. Kill or run away before you die. I'm guessing that was the council's idea. The old hag loves me too much to order my death."

She nodded. "The S rating was introduced by the council, and the Godaime did stipulate the offer of return. But both agreed about the method. Either you come back." She looked away, no longer locking his crimson gaze with her emerald, "Or one of us dies here."

"I know. Knew as soon as I felt your chakra. That's why the old bag sent you. Knew I'd never fight you, do anything to hurt you."

"You're just going to sit there." Deep breaths, Sakura, breath. "Not even run away? I might let you. Never tell them I saw you."

He was standing now, completely facing her. His jacket was torn down the middle, the zip missing. Only had half the pants on his right leg. Orange that was so soaked through with blood it was completely red. And yet, not a mark on his skin. Not even an old scar.

Unblemished.

"Can't do that."

She freed a kunai from the pouch at her lower back, weighing it in her hands. He glided towards her, feet not even seeming to touch the ground, and his god damn eyes keeping her steady as his now towering form stood over her.

"Good bye, Sakura-chan"

"Good bye, Naruto-kun."

-

AN: This was written up in the space of about 45 minutes, from an idea I'd gotten ten minutes earlier. I'm not sure where the inspiration came from, nor do I think this is that good of a story, but I promised myself I'd post whatever I wrote. So there you go.