A/N: Okay, so I don't know what came over me when I decided I wanted to write this. But just so there isn't any confusing this is going to go between the present and the past so if you read the words next to the what chapter this is you'll know when it is.

Warning: Rated M, for character death.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its charters they belong to, Kishimoto Masashi.

Me: Enjoy and tell me what you think. Also tell me if any of you read what I put in my Authors note. Sorry for any mistakes I might have made.

"How To Protect"

Chapter One : Present time

A poor torn heart, A tattered heart,
That sat it down to rest,
Nor noticed that the ebbing day
Flowed silver to the west,
Nor noticed night did soft descend
Nor constellation burn,
Intent upon the vision of latitudes unknown.

The angels, happening that way,
This dusty heart espied;
Tenderly took it up from toil
And carried it to God.
There, - sandals for the barefoot;
There, - gathered from the gales,
Do the blue havens by the hand lead the wandering sails.

-Unknown

It was beautiful really. The golden-orange rays of the setting sun made its way into the thick vegetation of the surrounding forest. It's light setting an angelic glow upon the weightless leaves and soft grass. Both, even the water, took part in a dance with the gentle breeze as their music. Yes, it was beautiful, achingly so, some may even call it heaven, the perfect inspiration for a struggling artist. But now, now it was far too ironic. Because now, in their eyes, it was only hell.

They knew no one was to blame, but still, they took that burden with open arms and placed it on their shoulders. The heavy load, not even a hundred men could carry, crushed them with grief. Suffocated them with sadness. And shattered them with the feeling of a broken glass heart. Why? - because all too soon the flower they had both loved, cherished, protected, was torn up from the earth and lain out on a grave to wither. She had died before their eyes and, to them, they were the ones to blame, because neither could protect her. Not even the sacrifice of their own lives could save her. She was lost, has been lost and will now forever be lost. She was dead because of them.

The rays of the sun glowed on her now pale skin, her face seemed content but if one had been there one would know that, that same glowing face was once one of unnamed pain. A sad ironic smile made its-self known on a dark haired man's faced, his onyx eyes heavy with a sadness he had not felt in years. She was and is still beautiful. Even now, when her once shinning emerald eyes had dulled into an ugly grey, and her once ivory skin was almost transparent, and her pink hair with an uneven cut, clumped together with the blood from her body. She was stunning, she was an angel, his angel. "Sakura," his voice low and layered with so many emotions, it was impossible to pick any or grasp onto the terrifying turmoil within him. "Sakura."

And yet the same rays that made her beautiful made it that much more sickening. For they danced off her blood, pooling at her limp body, turning it into a nasty maroon color that wold make anyone give back their food for the day. Sea blue eyes burned with so many unseen tears that the out lines of them turned red. Unlike the other man who was standing next to a tree, away form the opening in which her body was laid, he was on knees next to the flower with numb arms at his side. His blonde hair swaying aimlessly in the same breeze that pulled at her's. "Why?" a meaningless question no one would or could answer.

Her death was one without meaning, for she had her life stolen from her over nothing. Still she is the only light in both dark worlds. "How," the dark-haired man's hands opened and closed moving between a tight fist that made his hands bleed and loose hollow limps. "How was I," The blonde looked up but didn't look at him. There was no need to, because, in a way, he understood. "How could," a violent head shake. "How else could we protected her?" Blue eyes remained down cast as he answered the only way he could. "I don't know."

'Sakura,' it's very meaning 'Cherry blossom.' She, the very personification of what it stands for. Spring, a beautiful season, the same season it is now, the same season she had loved and enjoyed the most. Joy, no matter what happened you always saw her smiling even in the darkest and most difficult times. Love, in the language of the herbs, she had loved many and many loved her back. They sure did.

"Did you know, that the cherry blossom trees only shed their petals for a week?" the blonde had began to cry silent tears. Movement was the only confirmation that he had been heard, or acknowledge. "Looks like," a silent sob forced his whole body to tremble in despair. "The last petal of soft pink had finally come down to earth, don't you think?"

Both men had loved the flower and, at least tried, to protect her. But how they were doing it was all wrong. One, who knew the pain of losing people close had kept her at arm's length, to save him-self from pain. And, for what he thought was a good intention, kept her from anyone that would hurt her to get back at him. He had not held on good enough, and she slipped from his fingers.

The other had always been there no matter what. Growing up alone without anyone to teach him how to grow up she was a lot to him. He was, without her knowing, always in the front lines to take on whatever might try to harm her, but also right behind her to catch her should she fall or lose her balance. Taking her for granted, he unintentionally pulled her away from everyone. He had held on too tight and she was crushed.

A love triangle, without a happy ending. Did they not hold on good enough or was it too much?They never imagined even in their worst nightmare that they would live this moment. And as the sun hid its-self behind the cover of earth, both knew that life was no longer worth living, because she was gone.

"The course of love never did run smooth."
- Shakespeare

A/N: If you have any questions I will answer them in the next chapter. Thank you for reading I really enjoy having feed back from you guys. If you guys know who wrote the poem I have in the beginning please tell me so I can thank them properly for the inspiration.

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! No flames please but criticism is welcome as long as it can help me improve my writing, but don't be so harsh.