Loud, it was so loud. So many voices. They were all screaming. They were all coming.

And bright, and it was so bright. Blinding bright. Of white, yellow and orange.

He almost thought the sun and the biggest storm he had ever known were both coming his way. But there was a familiar face that emerged from it all. In white, yellow and orange. Such strength, such speed, such willpower – was it the legendary Sage of Six Paths? Was it his long gone teacher the Yondaime Hokage? No, it was his sensei's brat of a son – Naruto Uzumaki.

Him and his shinobi army. They were all coming.

Then Obito came in contact with the giant rasengan and felt its impact knock him down. As he was falling, he saw Naruto's face in clear view – serious and burning with determination. For a moment he thought he saw the young Obito leaping in the sun with fire in his eyes.

Heh, we were the same person…

But you kept your faith while I lost mine. So now you live your dream, Naruto… And I…

He thought he felt a smirk on his face.

… I am going to hell…

Then he felt nothing. It was all blinding white, and there was nothing.

"Obito-kun"

He felt himself frozen at the sound of the voice. He never thought he was ever going to be able to hear it again.

"Rin!?"

Her name escaped his mouth with what seemed like the very last living energy in him. Obito felt exhausted. He just wanted to rest – he had never rested in almost twenty years – but instead his mouth hung open without him being able to utter another word.

The woman in front of him – aside from blood and dirt smeared on her face, looking just like the Rin he held in his arms that time when his life changed forever – just smiled.

"It's all okay now, Obito" – she reached out her hand to the burned side of his face. Suddenly remembering the distortion the past twenty years had brought to him, Obito flinched to turn away from the only girl he had ever loved.

I can't let Rin see me like this.

"Please just let me…" she very softly said, but her words drained him of all his power. Obito stayed still and felt the cool healing chakra from Rin's hand smooth out the pains of war and of despair on his skin. Every cut, every scar – even the sags of damaged skin that have become part of his very existence since the fateful day Madara found him – all are fading away at Rin's hand, and Obito could feel his own body weight become lighter and lighter with each of them gone.

So pain could weight this much.

He took in every detail on Rin's face as she was healing him. She was just like Rin of the Academy days, only more mature, even more calm and peaceful. She looked like an angel more than ever to him. Suddenly Obito felt his shoulders stiffen with shame – he didn't deserve to be in front of such a perfect angel, much less be healed by her after all that he had done to the people they both used to treasure so much.

"These shoulders…," he almost trembled as the healing chakra went out and Rin's hand landed on his shoulder for a touch.

"You've carried on so many burdens."

His gaze fell from her face to the white space under their feet. His heart thumped a heavy, painful thump.

"You... know…," he breathed out airily.

"With every death, part of the person stays with those they love, Obito. I have watched both you and Kakashi over these years. Your paths have parted, but I have always stayed with you both."

Obito couldn't breathe.

"Are you… angry? … Did I… disappoint you…?"

"I could be,…" – Obito thought he was hearing his final judgment.

"but that would be too heavy to bear." His eyes grew wide with her words.

"Through everything, you have kept me here," Rin placed her other hand on Obito's heart and the sudden contact made him glance up to meet her eyes. He heard his heart thump again. But it wasn't painful anymore.

"and for that," – Rin smiled her beautiful, welcoming smile as she did when they first met at the Academy, "thank you."

Obito felt his body melting and his face hot. Tears had been forming reeks from his two eyes since he didn't know when. Slowly his trembling arms reached out to her and gently took her in an embrace. He buried his face on her shoulder, took in her warmth and the familiar scent he had not forgotten even after all those years. And he just cried.

The last time he cried, Rin had been in his arms, too – cold, bloody and motionless. But now, here she was again, warm, welcoming and perfect in his arms. Her face laid upon his beating heart, and he thought he could feel her heartbeats as well. They both were whole and in a better place than the last time they parted.

"It's okay, Obito, it's all over now. You're here – and I am with you."

And something Obito never thought possible after twenty years of darkness, pain and hatred, happened.

I feel light. There's no weight anymore. No darkness. There's nothing.

They had stayed in an embrace for a long, quiet moment when Rin whispered, "We need to go soon, Obito-kun. They are waiting for us on the other side – our sensei and the others. But as far as our team, Kakashi will come a little late – as usual," Obito heard her giggle, "so it'll just be you and me for now. Is that okay?"

Nothing on my soul. No hatred. No regrets. No pain.

Obito gave a slight chuckle at Rin's poking fun at Kakashi, and then smiled on her shoulder.

"Yes, that's all I've wanted."

After everything, this nothing, with you – is happiness.

Obito held Rin tighter in his arms and felt himself drift away with her – lighter and freer than he's ever been. Lights circled them and ascended in blinding bright twirls.

And then it was all white, and then there was nothing.

Dedicated to all of my Obito & Rin feels. They make the saddest/most beautiful love story.