(A/N) So, this is the last chapter -tear-. I want to thank everyone who reviewed and I hope you all liked it. Enjoy the last chapter!

All I Needed was Rain

Peace

We watched the building burn.

It was like a recreation of that night so many years ago. The flames liking at the sky, the suffocating smoke, and the sadness of it all. But there was one thing that was different. Akihiko wasn't the one holding me.

Gaara was.

I felt safe in his arms, the way I did what felt like lifetimes ago. I silently cried, the tears streaming down my face. It was delayed shock from when Akihiko turned on me and when I killed him.

And then a thought popped into my mind.

"Oh shit!" I shouted.

Everyone turned to me.

"We have so much work to make up when we get back."

I stopped, realizing how dumb that sounded at a time like this. Here we just destroyed the Akatsuki's base and all I can think about is school. But the others laughed, thankful for the lighter topic.

I could tell everyone was distraught.

We spent over a week looking for the base, and it ended so quickly. I looking at the fire, a surreal calm settling over me.

It was all over.

I didn't have to worry about being captured by the Akatsuki because they most likely died in the fire. I know who I am now, what I am. And I'm at peace with that.

I'm at peace with the rain.

I'm glad it didn't come this time. If it did, it would douse the flames, and the Akatsuki would survive. So I now thank the rain.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"We should head back to Konoha," Gaara said.

I nodded.

I'm going home. My real home.

-0-

I sighed, looking around the apartment. How was I going to pay the rent?

'Get a job,' my inner said.

I groaned at the thought of having a job along with going to the academy.

"Hey, Sakura, what are you going to do with Akihiko's stuff?" Naruto asked.

Gaara and Naruto came over, but Sasuke went another way. He was mad because he didn't get to kill his brother personally.

"Just throw it out," I said.

I looked down. It felt weird. I was throwing out my ex-best friend's stuff. Gaara looked at me worriedly but I smiled.

I was okay with it.

Things are looking up for me. I've changed, and I felt free. I now considered Konoha to be my home. It is where all of my friends are.

And I knew that things would continue to get better.

I didn't need the rain.

FIN

(A/N) I wrote this chapter while listening to one of my favorite songs So Far Away by Crossfade. It suits Sakura perfectly. Listen to it and you'll know what I mean. Again, I want to thank everyone who read this story. See you later.