I've been thinking of writing this story for a while, but I lacked both the time and the inspiration to think of a decent plot. Any ideas or constructive criticisms would be appreciated. I'll try to keep the characters as "in character" as possible. Obviously, that can't happen for Sasuke but I'll give my best not to make him very OOC. I've found several stories with this plot but none with the direction I'll make this story go, which I hope it will be very interesting and different.

Also, I'm Portuguese so English is not my native language even though I've been learning it since I was seven. If I made any mistakes please forgive me and inform me, I'm trying to improve it. Well... enjoy!

PS: This is not yaoi

I do NOT own Naruto.

Dream's End

夢の終わり (Yume no owari)

When Tsunade announced the death of Uchiha Sasuke, the whole room was filled with silence.

All ninjas in the room knew that, eventually, Sasuke would be killed, but the news were still a shock. Especially for those who had graduated with him.

Shikamaru sighed deeply and watched Ino cry softly while Choji stroke her back. Not far behind them, Neji and Tenten stared solemnly at the Hokage with a resigned expression. As for Lee, he could only stare at the floor.

Shino remained impassive and Kiba glanced at Hinata who could not disguise the pain she felt for Naruto and the rest of Team 7.

Kakashi placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder and looked at her sorrowfully. Both knew that the death of Sasuke could not be avoided, nevertheless meant the end of the original Team 7. Never again would all be together, never would they complete more missions together ... The dream that they had tried to achieve for nearly four long years of hard work had died during the first hours of the morning of July 23. By the hand of Uzumaki Naruto.

The person who had endeavored so much to bring Sasuke back, who never stopped believing in him ended up being forced to be his executioner.

Sakura felt her eyes burn and throat tightened at the thought that Naruto would have to bear that burden for the rest of his life, and could not help but feel guilty. After all, she herself had been unable to kill the former teammate.

Sai and Yamato remained slightly apart from Sakura and Kakashi, knowing that nothing they say could comfort them. They needed time to mourn the death of Sasuke before they could continue with their lives.

After warning all these ninja, Tsunade dismissed them and returned to her new cabinet. When Shizune asked her if she needed anything she asked her to fetch some reports. When the assistant left, Tsunade took the letter she received from Naruto and burned it. Then she invoked the frog that had brought her the letter and gave him the letter she had written in secret.

Thousands of miles from Konoha, Naruto had just read the letter that Tsunade had sent him. After burning it, he sighed with relief. Everything had gone as planned.

He knew that right now, the name of Sasuke Uchiha was being erased from the Bingo Books around the world. The villages would cancel the orders of his capture and assassination and, over the years, they would forget him and the crimes he had committed.

Naruto felt guilty as he remembered his team and all the friends he had left in Konoha. He sincerely was hoping that Sakura was not crying. He knew she was stronger than she looked and would eventually move on, as she did when Sasuke betrayed Konoha when they were children.

Naruto knew he would not be able to return to Konoha so early or even have contact with the companions he had left. After all, he had lied to them.

Beside him, lying on the sheets of an old futon of the small room of the inn he was staying, Sasuke was fast asleep.