A Heart Mislead Prologue

[WingGirl]

It feels weird to come out of hiding... but here I am, and not with a GW fic *gasp* Hope you all enjoy!



A Heart Mislead

Disclaimer: Naruto, its characters as well as the story isn't mine. I can never be as creative as Masashi Kishimoto.

A.N: YAY! I'd like to thank me ^__^ Yep, me, for getting off of my lazy butt and taking the time to write this. And my beta *glomps* my special muse and friend. If it weren't for her this wouldn't be happening.


Prologue

It was hard to believe more than a year had passed. Each day went by the same as the other, but it was evident there was something missing from her life. Her heart was empty, void of the warmth and love she had shared for two people. They were gone, never to return to her world. She would never see the blonde who used to fill her life with excitement and annoyance. She would never see the dark-haired boy who stole her heart, or dream of a future where she would bear his children and stay by his side until the day she died.

They were gone...

Sakura choked back a sob, her hand quickly flew to cover her mouth. Her body trembled as she watched the man before her engrave two names onto the sleek black monument that held every honorable shinobi's name. She felt an arm gently wrap around her shoulders in support, its owner giving them a squeeze in assurance. She smiled warmly at the silver-haired Jounin beside her before returning her attention to the black marble. Two new names were forever immortalized with hundreds of others.

Uchiha Sasuke
Uzumaki Naruto

"It's still so hard to believe." Sakura sniffled, wiping at the tears that threatened to spill at any minute.

"We looked everywhere for them, Sakura. The Hokage held off making this official for as long as she could. She, too, had hopes for the both of them."

Sakura quietly agreed with him, and look they did. They started the search a few days after the rest of Shikamaru's team returned to the village. The sight of their battle had finally been stumbled upon by the Sand-trio about a week later. It was clearly evident that neither Sasuke nor Naruto could had survived from the look of chaos inflicted around the falls... there was too much blood. A single forehead protector was found... Naruto's.

Still not wanting to give up hope, those closest to the boys spent months looking, gathering information. The sennin, Jiraiya, concluded that both boys were not in Orochimaru's grasp, and the Akatsuki clearly didn't have Naruto. It seemed as though the boys had just vanished. Tsunade still kept the search going until a year had come and gone....

Sakura stepped toward the rock, she reached out tracing the name of the person she would always love. She should have done more to stop Sasuke. If she hadn't been so weak to her feelings for him, then both Naruto and Sasuke would still be here... alive.

"It's not you fault, Sakura."

She sighed and glanced back at her sensei, she had heard that too many times from everyone who knew how her mind worked and she had yet to believe them. She slowly closed her eyes, saying a prayer for both of her friends, hoping that they would hear her and give her the strength she needed to get by the next few days.

"Sakura."

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes and read the boys names over and over, hoping that the letters would somehow scramble around and form another name... hoping that all of this was nothing more then a very bad dream. And that they were all together again, standing here to pay respects to those who had given their lives for them and their village.

"The Hokage wishes to see you later, when you feel up to it."

His voice was a fresh reminder that this was the way things were, that she was here to pay her respects to her teammates. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

"Will you be alright?"

She smiled warmly, knowing that his heart was in a good place. Kakashi, too, had suffered the loss of his students, his first genin team. "Yes, I'll be fine." She couldn't hold back the surprised gasp when a small delicate pansy appeared before her. Its delicate pink-purple petals blocked her view of the two names she had been staring at so intently.

"I brought you this, in hopes to make you feel better."

"Liar!" Sakura taunted. "You picked it from the ground."

Kakashi cleared his throat, lifting the flower slightly so the roots, still soiled in dark wet dirt, dangled before her eyes. "It's the thought that counts, right?"

She could hear the playful banter in Kakashi's tone. They hadn't had a conversation like this in ages. And for once, in a long time, it felt good. Everything had always been so serious up to this point. She slowly reached up and took the flower, her fingers brushing against his as she took it from him, thanking him once again before he vanished in a plume of smoke.

Sakura gently laid the flower on top of the two names that would forever hold a special place in her heart. With one final glance, she turned and walked away from her past, ready to push forward and accept whatever lied ahead of her. She made a vow to become the best shinobi she could, in memory of the two strongest people she knew.

Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.

They were her friends and her loved ones. And she knew she would see them again one day.....

[Eden]

Ooo, interesting. I like the suspence! And now that you've sorta given us a teaser of what's to come, when will we find out what happned to make the 2 of them dissapear?

Humm?

*pokes WingGirl*

This is too good to let rest after that prologue. I hope you can get up the first chapter sometime soon. ^_^ Of course, if you can't then I'll wait for it. ^_^ This fic seems worth waiting for.

Good luck!

~Eden

[csmlee]

Yah! You're finally here! *glomps* Of course, first you get a cookie just like every first-time member of this forum. *hands you a cookie* Heck, you get a whole plate of cookies since you came out of hiding. *hands you a whole plate of cookies*

She should have done more to stop Sasuke. If she hadn't been so weak to her feelings for him, then both Naruto and Sasuke would still be here... alive.

Poor Sakura... Yeah, I can see her blaming herself for not being strong enough to stop this from happening. The silly girl shouldn't be blaming herself though.

"I brought you this, in hopes to make you feel better."

"Liar!" Sakura taunted. "You picked it from the ground."

Kakashi cleared his throat, lifting the flower slightly so the roots, still soiled in dark wet dirt, dangled before her eyes. "It's the thought that counts, right?"

That's such a Kakashi-Sakura-ish interaction.

With one final glance, she turned and walked away from her past, ready to push forward and accept whatever lied ahead of her. She made a vow to become the best shinobi she could, in memory of the two strongest people she knew.

Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto.

They were her friends and her loved ones. And she knew she would see them again one day.....

Aww... *sniffles* That's so touching. And sweet... bittersweet.

As I've said before, the prologue is... well... angsty but there's a light of hope in the last few paragraphs.

All and all, I love it!!!

So... where's the next chapter?

[bookworm]

...want more. Enough said.