Disclaimer: Never in a million years.

And Thus. The Epilogue. Be forewarned, major cap.

The doctor with the accompanying nurses shuffled out of her room, a smile stretched across their faces despite their exhaustion.

They did it, they saved her. Her and her baby.

Tsunade, chakra depleted, returns to her desk, a look of relief washes over her form as she leaves the red head to sleep, but there is still anxiety, even within recovery, things could always take a turn for the worst. A quick look in on her apprentice, a smile to follow, she travels down the hallway once more, she stops at the door leading to the traitor of this village as well as of Sakura's heart and halfway her hand stops before the doorknob.

She believes she has chance to check in on him later.

Shizune had already left, asleep at home, tear stained cheeks, she can only imagine what waits for her tomorrow, as does the blue eyed blonde that once was so energetic now sits quietly upon his bed, staring at a picture from the good ole days.

Their teacher within the picture now at a bar, a single shot glass sits before him. The life of a shinobi never daunting yet the feel of his ex-student within his arms, the screaming piercing his eyes, is all that he can hear. The alcohol never drowns it out.

At night, while everyone is asleep Sasuke awakens, red spiraling eyes, he struggles to get up and off the bed, wobbly he continues through the hallway, he only stops to turn at the feel that someone is watching him, and sure enough Gaara is there. There is no fight left in the both of them, they can't afford to attack one another. The look in Sasuke's eyes alone stops his opponent from speaking or making a move, all except for a simple nod of the head before he turns around solemnly.

There is an understanding.

Sasuke continues through the hallways until he happens upon the door that leads to the object of his affection. She refused to let the baby leave her side. He steps in, he's starting to bleed again, and no matter what the medics did…they couldn't help him. She opens her eyes, for she senses him even in her weak disposition. Her eyes are so full of pain yet compassion for the sight of the brooding, dark haired man. She holds out a hand and he, stumbling, reaches out for it.

He falls into her and she holds him, the baby to her left, him to her right. The dark black hair with green eyes baby is a spitting image of him, and he smiles weakly, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck and she hums softly, begging him to give into the sleep and rest he so desperately needs.

His hands, slowly, tenderly, graze the skin upon her left arm momentarily, before ghostly touching the baby. Soothingly he places his weak hands on the sleeping baby's cheek and massages the skin; a smile spreads across the infant's face. He whispers, 'My child…' before his hands drop to hold on to the woman under him once more.

"I'm sorry…"

"I know…"

Silence, all but the small breathing of the child to be in the room, the baby's parents not daring to draw a breath.

"…I loved you."

"I…know." A moment passes and, not to his knowledge, a single tear falls down her cheek as she whispers…

"I…loved you too…"

It isn't until the morning that they find him there, encased in her strong yet weak hands, she clings to him, afraid to accept the reality of it all. Naruto is in the background crying and Kakashi is just as forlorn upon the sight. Medics in another room still tend to the now awaken Gaara, his grim line of a mouth never uttering a word as he fights back the urge to damn the world and everything in it for how this all ended.

"Sakura…"

They take the baby from her, another body she wishes to hold on to forever. She screams and pulls, until she realizes that a tug of war with an infant is madness and she reluctantly sets him loose. It's a boy. He will grow up to look just like his father she muses as she softly brushes back the man in her arms hair.

Tsunade looks over at Kakashi and with a nod he walks in, Tsunade stepping back.

"We will have him buried here." The tone suggests that he shouldn't be, for all that he's done-but, this is still his home, and he deserves to be buried with his home.

She nods meekly.

"Come on." Her former teacher says gently, reaching out to grab the boy's lifeless form. When he halfway pulls him off her, his eyes widen for a fraction of a second at the sight of the blood spilt upon her form.

She hadn't care to notice, who would? When someone you've loved for all your life, dies, in your arms, nothing else in the world matters.

Before Kakashi pulls Sasuke's limp form off her completely, away from her grasp, and after Gaara slowly, with an aid to help him, makes his way into the room to see her-she, in a last futile attempt pulls him to her and brushes her warm tear filled lips against his cold breathless ones.

Gaara looks away miserably, unable to bear the sight. Kakashi caught in between, can feel his heart, which was once so rigid with the ideals of never showing emotion, tearing in two. Naruto, dear sweet Naruto…

…feels like he would die, die along with his two old teammates.

The kiss breaks, and her hands fall lifelessly upon the bed, the baby cries and a nurse hurriedly runs out of the room with the infant, taking the boy to the nursery within the hospital nearby.

Tsunade walks up to Sakura, and in a motherly instinct, wraps her arms around the small female. Kakashi walks out of the room with Sasuke in his arms, Naruto follows after, his head slumped, his eyes downcast.

She leaves after a small while with the rest of the nursing staff, placing her hand softly upon Gaara's shoulder in a gentle pat before disappearing, she still had a village to run.

Her lifeless eyes cause the red head to stop in his tracks, freezing his movements. The pain radiates off of her so intensely he feels helpless.

She looks up at him, and even though her facial muscles make no movement of sorrow, a stream of tears gently flows down the side of her composed face.

It's that unspoken moment when he finds himself quickly at her side, the soreness in his tendons and how he needs to heal-now, in the far away reaches of his mind, the need to console her, be with her, hold her, kiss her, the only important need right at this moment.

He kisses her upon her forehead gently, both her cheeks, her nose, then her lips. She doesn't respond in kind, just silent sobbing is what he is welcomed with. He doesn't mind. He still holds her.

They lay there awhile, neither speaking nor moving as she clings to him. When a nurse comes, asking if Sakura wishes to see her baby, late in the afternoon, she looks up wordlessly, and just as so, shuffles out of the bed, Gaara holding her for support.

Through the looking glass, she sees her baby, clearly and mentally stable, she sees the baby finally.

Healthy and strong, they told her he wouldn't stop crying but the moment she stepped up to the glass, the baby became as quite as a mouse.

Gaara holds on to her frame firmly, and she takes that one moment to look at him too, clearly now. The passion in his eyes, the fierceness is evident. He wasn't leaving her, not again, never again.

She is grateful.

X

1 year later.

X

"Gaara…I'm giving Sanosuke a bath, can you start cooking?" Her yells are drowned out by the rushing water within the bathtub before her and the baby's squeals of fright. Fortunately for her Gaara hears her, unfortunately for him, he knows better than to disobey her will.

Groaning in annoyance he passes by the washroom and gives a quick nod as he sticks his hands within his picket, walking steadily towards the kitchen. Temari, Kankuro and Naruto all are within the living room lounging, laughing and pointing at the 'whipped' Gaara while awaiting the entertainment for tonight.

"After dinner we're going to have our movie night right? Right?" Gaara gives an angry, yet smoldering stare and if it were not directed at Naruto but instead at any girl in the vicinity of the Sand Village they would simply die happily.

"….eh-heh." Disappearing into the kitchen, the guests entertain themselves until dinner is called and upon seating themselves at the Kazekage's table, Sakura emerges with little Sanosuke in hand ready to eat.

"Ne-Ne-Sakura-chan, can I hold the little guy?" Sakura dumps the baby into Naruto's arms instantaneously with a bright smile before dashing off to sit beside Gaara at the head of the table, leaving a blank looking Naruto in her wake.

"Let's eat! I'm starved!" Kankuro pipes up and the rest agree full heartedly. After a fulfilling meal and once the baby was put down to rest, the group headed to the living room.

The movie was a romantic comedy, Naruto, laughing at all the hilarious parts was dumfounded when the man would get yelled at for not admitting his feelings or making a move to please the girl.

"What did he do wrong?" he would always ask and was replied with sighs all around. Temari blushed at these scenes, thinking about a lazy shinobi back in the Village Hidden within the Leaves. She adamantly reminded herself that it would be a cold day in hell when Shikamaru decided to be romantic. Kankuro simply gagged before excusing himself at all the mushy parts, opting to get more food.

Snuggling close to the male's scent that never ceases to escape her senses, Sakura kissed her husband softly as he wrapped his arms about her body. His whispered words of 'I love you' were returned and with her fleeting smile, her gaze returning back to the movie at hand, an uproar of laughter to follow, he watched her silently.

With her in his arms, he always sleeps now.

(Well, except when the baby cries…)

First off, the five most important people that helped me continue this fic: HPBabe91 (My sister :hugs) Sasuke-Sakura-14 (My little imp of a friend and review whore!), Love of Midoriko (One of the most popular GaaSaku fans I know. Hehe has been with me from the beginning!) Artemis85 (another reviewer from the beginning, much love!) and last but not least Kunoichi Sabaku No Gaara (My craze GaaSaku fangirl friend)

To all of you, especially my sister, no amount of words can describe how vital you guys where to me in the creation of this fic, I simply cannot make myself type how great each and everyone one of you are, so simply, I'll say, I love you all.

Okay onward!

Archchic: You have always been a constant reviewer and so sweet, really, I wish to thank you so much for your support, I guess seeing as you hate Sasuke so much it's good that I killed him eh? I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'm sorry I didn't give him a sniveling pathetic death as I am sure you would have been ecstatic to see, I am after all, still a Sasuke Fangirl. Heh…

xXxBlackrosesxXxx: Thank you so much for your reviews, I know I've pissed you off, I write such crack haha I've warned you and everyone else though damnit! But hey, thanks for sticking with it, I hope that you like the ending, and I am sorry it isn't as well thought out and perfect as I had hoped and I am sure, you as well.

AKITO. At the Disco: Hehe, your reviews are so hyper they really get me pumped, thanks so much for that, it always help to motivate my writing will.

Mad-4-Manga: You disappeared on me again, But it was nice for you to show up once more and tell me you liked my writing, missed ya and you were always a great editor for my works hehe.

Rawr4Cookies and FanofInulover: You two are the sweetest ever. I'll tell ya how much I love ya later.

BloodyRedVampire: Haha, well, I hope you are happy with the outcome, thanks for the support and taking the time to review, all you had to do was put a "Great" or "Update" and I would be happy, but you always managed to write just a little bit more, which made my heart soar.

Cherrysango: Yes, Yes, everyone has lost their mind, and probably after reading this, you too. Hehe, thanks for reading.

To Fusion Defiance, Rikky Uzumaki, HunterNinRen, sucuubi in rapture, OneKnux(I hope you liked the final moments with Sasuke and Sakura, it happened thanks to your opinion hehe) crazytreeotaku, and all the one-time reviewers, non reviewers and to all whom just read, thank you for taking the time, and I wish you all well, much love!

Please Check Out: When the Wind Blows If you have the time, It's in the works and starts off slow and short, but mainly because it's a prologue, you can expect much more, similar to my writing style in this but I believe I will make things a tad bit more straightforward.

Not to mention it's a SasuSaku, so there's no real insanity, 'I'm unloved' mentality going on around like Gaara had to suffer through. Just Jealous, Possessive, power hungry Sasuke, hehehe.

Thanks all again! Please review!