A L E T T E R ' S L A S T W O R D S

After exactly four years, I still remember. You'd think I'd gotten over it. But, it's harder than you think. The memory is still clear in my mind. I can remember it clearly. I watched as the rain drops slid down the glass window. Each drop, a memory.

From the day we first met…

"I'm Sakura Haruno…" "I'm Sasuke Uchiha."

The day he left…

"…Thank you…"

When he finally came back to us…

"S-Sasuke?!"

Smirk. "Sakura."

To the day he asked me that one question…

"Sakura, marry me."

When he left once more…but this time, for Konoha.

"I'll be back. I promise."

You never did keep your promise. You kept me waiting for six months. I found out when a messenger came to me.

"I am terribly sorry Mrs. Uchiha. There was nothing else to do. He had lost too much blood. It was too late to save him."

He lied. He promised me. He said he would come back. But he never did. That bastard.

Tears wouldn't spill. It was utterly impossible. My tears had dried up two years ago. I tried and tried to spill all those feelings out of my body but something prevented it. It was probably the thought of how our son and daughter would react if they saw their mother's strength fall. I was their barrier. I was their wall. They needed me and I couldn't afford to show them my weakness when they needed me the most.

The kids were at the academy now. They wouldn't be back for another hour. I remember, before at times alone, how Sasuke would hug me from behind and wrap his arms around me. He'd make me feel secure and comfortable. I'd reflect on the past and question how I ended up marrying the man of my dreams and having the chance of having such a magical happily ever after. He would answer by saying something along the lines of, "Don't question it Sakura. I believe it was fate. All of it. From becoming friends with the dobe to being able to love you and having a chance at life with you. God blessed me with something far more than what I had imagined. Now, all I want to do is just stay here like this. I want us to both take in what we have, and expect more happiness for the future."

I would sometimes find myself seeing him standing there in the doorway, watching me with those dark eyes of his. But whenever I blinked, he would disappear. I hallucinated much more than I'd like to. Naruto knew. Tsunade knew. Everyone knew. Even me. But I couldn't help it. I was forever in love with Sasuke Uchiha. Nothing could change that. Not even death.

I wonder if Sasuke realizes how much we miss him. I wonder if he's up wherever he is watching us. As I sit on the sofa chair, watching the rain fall, my thoughts wonder off to a future I know I never will have. In my daydreams, we are all outside in our wide garden under the bright sun. Hiro and Aya are playing outside with their new baby brother while Sasuke and I snuggle under the big oak tree—

A sudden chakra presence interrupts me. I smile lightly as I turn around to meet the face of an old friend.

"I'm sorry to barge in like this Sakura," he said as he smirks. His face then turns into that all too well known lazy expression of his. "The Hokage wanted me to give a letter to you A.S.A.P."

I stand up and give him a small hug before looking at the slightly dirty envelope in his hand with the fold facing upwards. "What is it?"

I notice his hesitation as he shifts his feet to a more awkward position. "It's a letter meant for you. It was…it was strictly for your eyes only."

I raise an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Shikamaru ignores my question, and takes my hand and places the letter gently on my palm. He gives a small smile as he makes his way towards the door. "I'll see you later alright Sakura? Hokage's got me working my butt off. So troublesome."

He jumps out the door at a high speed before I can even respond. I shrug lightly and stare at the letter. The envelope had drops of dried liquid. I can smell alcohol emitting from it. Then I notice something that made my heart stop for a few seconds or so. It was unbelievable. I'm in so much shock I'm not even sure if I want to believe it at all. The chakra. I recognize it. But why didn't I notice it before? Was Shikamaru hiding the chakra all this time?

My hand didn't stop shaking as I slowly turned the envelope over. What I saw next made me collapse back into the chair. It was sketched onto the letter lightly in his cursive handwriting.

Sakura

I gasp and hesitate to rip it open. I hope this isn't a prank. No. Shikamaru wouldn't do that to me. Not when it involved Sasuke. I breathe in to calm myself before I start to open it. Slowly and carefully, I slip my finger into an opening. The fold slowly unfolds as I run my finger through the paper. Sighing once more, I take out the contents and release the envelope to the floor letting it glide down. The letter inside was wrinkled. Judging the color of the paper, it was in better condition compared to the envelope. I unfold the letter. More cursive writing was revealed. As I brush my fingers over his words, I am unable to utter a single word. Just whimpers. My eyes read each word. Each letter.

Dear Sakura,

If you've received this letter then the worst of all must have happened. I wrote this letter to you just in case something was to happen to me during the battle against Danzo and the evil forces he teamed up with. Now, don't worry. You better not be thinking I had it all planned with me sacrificing myself and such. No. In fact, I gave this letter to Tsunade. I gave her a specific request to give the envelope to you in case I don't return.

I'm sorry. I never intended to truly pass on to the afterlife, especially not like this. I not only left my one and only love alone, but my children as well. So, just in case, I'll tell you everything I would say if I were to die in your arms right now.

Sakura, my love. Only so many words can describe you. You're unbelievably stubborn and you pack a killer punch. But you care about everyone even when you become the doctor to your patients. That's one of the things I love about you. You care, no matter who and what they've done.

You've loved me ever since we were young and you showed me how much you cared when you tried to stop me from leaving. However, I don't regret leaving. The reason? Well think about it. If I hadn't left, would our relationship be as strong as it is now? Maybe but for me, I doubt it.

I can't thank you enough. You've given me something I never thought I'd have again. You let me have your love and even after I betrayed Konoha, you gave it to me again—with a few major bruises of course. You took me back when no one but the dobe wanted me. And believe me, it would have been awkward if it was only that idiot.

Hn. I remember when I came back. That first time I saw you…man. I expected you would have punched me as soon as I stepped through the gates, but instead, you gave me that sweet smile of yours and said 'Welcome back Sasuke-kun' without a single fangirl moment. As the days flew by, I suddenly realized something important. I watched you create bonds with the children you helped. You took care of Naruto when he injured himself during training without a single word of real anger. Little by little I started to notice how I had softened up to you so soon. It disturbed me at first but when I asked Kakashi about it, he smirked and said, "That's easy Sasuke. You're in love with Sakura."

I was practically frozen, he used his famous One Thousand Years of Pain technique on me to snap me out of it, which explains why I had to stay at the hospital for five days—you probably don't know this because I told everyone to shut up about it.

Yeah yeah I know, you're probably amazed at how a guy like me could actually make jokes. But it's not like I had a black hole for a heart right? Wait…don't answer that.

Anyway, Sakura. I find our situation similar to that sappy movie you made me watch. That P.S. I Love You movie where the girl's husband dies and he leaves a bunch of letters. Well I only wrote one letter but you get the idea. The thing is, that movie speaks the truth. I want you to continue life with Hiro and Aya. Find someone who's capable of giving you something I never got the chance to give. I know you can take care of yourself. And I know you'll be a great mother Sakura, even without me. I'm grateful to everything you've given me. I couldn't have asked for more.

Sakura, I've learned from experience that life doesn't last very long. You should take everything you've learned and everything you have to live to the very fullest. I need you to do this Sakura. Do this for both of us. For the chance we never had.

If you're every lonely then just think of me. Just remember I'll be right there guiding you. I'd fight hell just to be able to watch over you. Tell the kids I love them dearly. I leave the truth in your hands. Tell them our story when you think they're ready. They deserve to know what mommy and daddy's been through. But do me a favor, tell them the whole truth. I don't care if it makes me seem shameful. They need to know the truth so hopefully, they won't waste years of their lives and miss their chance at love.

This leads me to saying the words you love to hear the most. But don't be depressed because this might be the last time I'll ever say it. No, as long as you have me in your memories, I will always be saying your name.

In case you don't know, when I die, the last thing I'll ever think about will be you. Your smile, your presence, your hair, your eyes. I'll memorize everything about you when I die. And the last words I'll ever utter will be "I love you, Sakura."

Sasuke Uchiha

P.S. Don't hold anything in Sakura. Cry if you want. Yell if you want. If you hold everything in just to protect someone else, it doesn't show strength. You finally show strength if you cry it all out, love.

My body feels ice cold. I feel numb. But the letter isn't the only thing that had me dumbfounded. It was the fact that on the letter, there were sudden drops of water that weren't there before. My face tickles. It takes me a few seconds to realize why my face grew wet. After two years, two long years, I'm finally crying. Finally.

"Sasuke!" I cry as I hold my hand to my mouth trying to hold in the sounds. His words suddenly run through my head. Don't hold anything in Sakura. Just as that line rushes through, I find myself smiling. "Thank you Sasuke."

"Mommy! We're home!" The door suddenly opens. I hear two small gasps. "Mommy?"

Hiro rushes down with Aya in tow. He raises his hand to wipe away a tear. "Mom…you're crying…?!"

I look up slowly and see his big onyx eyes in front of me. Whimpering, I take their hands and kiss their fingers.

"I'm alright kids. Mommy just misses daddy."

"It's okay to cry mommy." Aya holds our hands and swings them back and forth. "You know mommy, daddy says it's bad to hold everything in. He says you should show how much you love someone or else a big mean crazy ol' man named Oro-pedo will try and take you away!!"

I laugh. "That's right Aya-dear. It's okay to cry for someone you love. No matter where they are."

-

-

-

-

-

"So, she got the letter?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good job Shikamaru. You can go now."

"Yes ma'am."

She waits until the door closes completely before giving a long sigh. She still faces the window, admiring the view of her village. Minutes pass her by without her even noticing. A voice wakes her up.

"So, you aren't going to tell her the truth?"

The female Sannin sighs once more before smirking. "You of all people should know Kakashi. Uchiha gave me strict orders to wait."

Kakashi Hatake laughs. "And since when do you take orders from someone."

She rolls her eyes. Tsunade turns her chair around to face him. "Don't get used to it. He promised to get me that expensive sake when he comes back."

"Hn, only one more month to go, huh."

She nods. He smiles. They both turn to the window to take a good look of their saved village; both knowing the end is just the beginning.

A/N: I hope I didn't rush into this. But yeah, I uploaded two one-shots in one day. xD I actually finished them too. Amazingly. Anyway, I started crying when I typed the end of this haha! I had to listen to part of P.S. I Love You to get a good inspiration so I guess you could say the letter was lightly similar to the movie.

It sounds like a two-shot doesn't it haha!! I don't know. I might make another chapter but it depends. But for now, just let your minds wander.

Well I hope you all like it!

Later.

Luna Rei Harmony